I'm appluading Paul's comments about "gold monsters" and instruments evolving to the point of unplayability. What strikes me, as I read postings on the harp...
Hi there I have to quite agree! having not played my pedal harp now for three years, I have noticed how free from pain I am now not playing the beast! Ok I...
I remember when my "non-gold semi-monster" Venus was being regulated over the summer, the technician saw my Dodd single-action 'wreck', and said that they had...
Dear Kris, Glad to read it! I know your harp is lovely and has great sound. Best wishes, Peter Peter S. Reis Harps Unlimited International 21 High Field Drive ...
currently listed on ebay. The first one, I can't seem to find a maker listed, although perhaps I didn't look too closely. Anyone have more details as to who...
We have just received a telephone call from someone here in Australia who is interested in purchasing an Erart Grecian that was recently on EBay and did not...
Hi, all! My name is Dwyn, and despite having just had my first harp lesson last week, I am already the owner of 2 pedal harps -- one modern vintage Venus...
Hi there, the critical stringing issue is whether the Stumpff has a perfected mechanism or not. If it has, then the 1829 gauge and wire on silk strings are...
Mike: Thanks for the input, and leads on suppliers. Could you explain in a nutshell the difference between a "perfected" and "imperfect" mechanism, or point...
Hi there, the 'imperfect' mechanism has all of the linkages inside the brass mechanism plates, like a modern pedal harp. Erard introduced his 'perfected'...
... Hello I was looking at the originas ebay advert for the Stumpff harp and it said tha Stumpff died in 1824. I would have thought that unlikely as I saw a...
Looking at the pictures it does have aspects that remind me of my Dodd (although without my Dodd in front of me I'm not 100% sure). The front of the base does...
I found several references online to a Stumpff patent in 1839 (in one case on a list of piano-related patents), so he may well lived beyond 1824. Or there...
The harp has no serial number. Dwyn Sent via BlackBerry from Cingular Wireless ... From: "pendragonwriter" <robert.pacey01@...> Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2007...
I have seen a mention of Stumpff in an article on Beethoven that has the date 1823, but mentions him being a friend to dying Beethoven, who didn't die until...
Mike: Thanks for all the explanations. One thing has me a bit puzzled though. You wrote "If you are going to string it without them, you need a really solid...
I just ordered "Child of Pure Harmony" and am impatiently awaiting it's arrival. Mike, what's your experience been with Lulu? I have never ordered anything...
Hi there, LULU is fantastic... a bit hard to understand some of the procedure, but well worth trying... the product standard is dependent on the initial input,...
Evangeline: It would be wonderful if you could get some photos of that Stumpff. Do you know if it's a Grecian? I need to start making decisions about...
Hi there, I have just heard that Rudolf Frick, the inceptor and tireless operator of Harpa died on Jan 8th this year... a great loss to the harp world. Mike...
Mike: Do you happen to know what the columns of the Stumpff Grecians usually looked like in their original form? Were they totally gilded, or just reliefs and...
Hi there, the ideal way to do it is to use a binocular microscope and dental tools to gently excavate the original mouldings and leave as much of the original...
Er, what do you mean by "tent up all the bits you want to keep safe"? The parts I want to keep safe are the parts that are most in need paint removal. The...
Hi there, by tent up. I mean use plastic sheeting to protect the bits you aren't stripping, so wrap it round the body and the neck, using low tack tape to...
Dwyn, Is Stumpy located in Philly? If so, Winterthur in DE has conservation clinics once a month, and University of DE has folks who probably could advise as...
Ah, I see. I am going to strip the rest of the harp too, since the soundboard really needed it and both the soundboard and. Soundbox have stripped remarkably...
Yes, Stumpy is in a Philly suburb, but unfortunately I'm not likely to have time for any field trips to conservation clinics in the foreseeable future....
Hi there, I would test a piece of scrap wood with your stripper and then polish over it to make sure it doesn't need neutralising... sounds a bit scary to me. ...
Hello! I'm brand new to the list (yours courtesy of Paul Knoke and Mike Parker). I'll post an intro later, but just wanted to reply to this ancient message. In...
