Download Article

Download Article

Harps come in all shapes and sizes, simply at its core the harp is a unproblematic triangular frame with a serial of strings of varying lengths. Making a harp requires a serious investment of time and energy, every bit well as some specialized tools. Earlier making a harp, exercise some research online, or find a professional harp maker to consult. Search for blueprints and designs to give y'all an thought of the parts that make upwards a harp. Start small-scale and don't worry about making a masterpiece on your kickoff attempt.

  1. 1

    Cull a manner. If y'all want to build your own harp, consider starting with a Celtic, or Lever harp. While there are many types of harp to choose from, the Lever harp is ane of the more common types of harps, and may exist easier to build for a beginner.[1]

    • The Paraguayan harp, while less common, is gaining popularity. Paraguayan harps are much lighter than other harps, and are easier on the fingers due to a lighter cord tension.

  2. ii

    Find a design for your harp. Await around at various harps and report them. Discover qualities in each harp that y'all similar, and those that you don't. If you're designing the harp for yourself, consider trying to copy the blueprint of a harp y'all like.[2]

    • Yous can notice a diverseness of harp plans online, even some for gratis. Some designs are elementary, while others can be circuitous and quite expensive.[iii]
    • If you experience confident in your abilities, you could try designing the harp completely from scratch.[4]
    • If you re-create someone's pattern, do not try to sell it. The original designer may file a lawsuit confronting you for plagiarism.[5]

    Advertizement

  3. 3

    Decide what kind of wood you desire to utilise. The type of wood you lot apply in constructing your harp volition take an outcome on the sound quality and string tension. You can build harps out of several unlike types of woods, such as maple, oak, cherry, or spruce.[6]

    • Harder woods will let you to build a harp with more than string tension. You can use softer woods, but it may impact the lifespan of the instrument.[7]

  4. 4

    Buy your materials. Building a harp can go expensive, especially if you don't have access to the diverse tools required to work the wood. Other factors, such every bit what type of woods you determine to employ, will too affect the final cost of your harp.[8]

    • If you are building a harp for the outset time, consider edifice a simple harp. Use cheap materials and focus on getting the technique right. Yous can even try to salvage the necessary lumber.[ix]
    • Building a harp besides requires a serious investment in time. Expect to spend at to the lowest degree 28 hours on a simple design. Information technology is possible to spend upwards of 100 hours or more on a complex harp build.[10]

    5. Advertisement

  1. i

    Make the sound box. Audio boxes, or shells, typically come in three styles: foursquare dorsum, round back, and stave dorsum.[11]

    • The size of the shell depends on a few other dimensions on your harp. Consider the length and width of your soundboard, also as the angles of the top and bottom of the harp relative to the trounce.[12]
    • Square shells are easier to build than circular or stave shells. A simple square shell consists of four boards screwed together with a plywood back.[thirteen]
    • Stave shells consist of several planks attached to each other and then placed in a cradle to add a bend. Building a stave shell requires a lot of precision, as well equally the structure of a cradle to curve the staves.[xiv]
    • A circular beat requires more fourth dimension and skill than both the square and stave shells, every bit well every bit some specialized equipment.[fifteen]
    • If yous purchased a harp plan, refer to your blueprints for beat out construction.

  2. ii

    Build a soundboard. The fabric you use for your soundboard will contribute to the sound quality of your harp. Y'all tin build your soundboard out of redwood, pine, or birch plywood.[16]

    • Soundboards are constructed from several smaller pieces of wood glued and clamped together.[17]
    • Refer to your harp plans to determine how big your soundboard will be. Observe several pieces of wood at least i⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) thick. The size of your soundboard will determine how many pieces of wood you need.[18]
    • Lay the pieces of woods out border to edge, taking care to keep the grain horizontal on each piece. Glue the pieces together and clamp them for extra security.[19] [20]
    • In one case the glue has dried, y'all can cut out the shape of your soundboard as required by your harp plans.[21]
    • Taper the soundboard so that it is 1⁄viii inch (0.3 cm) thick at the top, or treble, end. The bottom, or bass, finish of the soundboard should be around 1⁄iv inch (0.6 cm) thick.
    • If you use plywood, make sure the grain of the wood runs across the width of the soundboard. This will preclude any premature cracking.[22]

  3. iii

    Adhere the cord ribs. The string ribs lay across the width of the soundboard. String ribs add together support to the harp and foreclose potential swell.[23]

    • String ribs come in various sizes and depend heavily on the dimensions of the soundboard, likewise as the preference of the harp maker. Consult your harp plans to decide the shape and style of your string ribs.[24]
    • You do not take to include string ribs in your harp. Withal, if yous cull to omit them you will need to reinforce your harp. The tension from the strings may cause the wood to crack.[25]

  4. 4

    Attach the soundboard. Using epoxy or a glue of your selection, align the soundboard on height of the shell. Have clamps fix to hold the pieces together while the glue dries.[26]

    • Depending on the shape of your shell, gum may not be plenty to securely fasten the soundboard. If you are using a round or stave beat out, consider using staples or screws besides every bit glue.[27]
    • If you use staples or screws, accept care not to use too much strength or you may damage the shell.[28]

  5. 5

    Build the neck and pillar. Follow your harp plans and trace the design of the neck and pillar on your chosen wood. Cut the neck and pillar to shape, and so sand any rough edges out.[29]

    • Do not smooth the joining surfaces, surfaces where pieces connect, until it is time to combine the parts.[30]
    • Drill holes in the cervix for tuning pins. Employ a 3⁄16 inch (0.5 cm) bit and work carefully. Don't try to drill all the way through in 1 plunge. Rather, make 3-5 plunges, each time moving a little deeper into the neck. Clear out whatever backlog chips from the pigsty before starting the next plunge.[31]

    6. Advertising

  1. 1

    Attach the neck to the pillar. While there are many ways to attach the neck and pillar, i of the easier methods is to use dowels. Dowels are pegs that fit into holes drilled into both the cervix and pillar.[32]

    • To use dowels, drill three holes into the neck and pillar, taking intendance to remove any chips from the holes. Immigration the fries volition keep your holes directly.[33]
    • Make sure the holes in the pillar line up with the holes in the neck. Cut three dowels long enough to fit into both pieces. Make grooves in the dowels to keep glue from escaping the holes.[34]
    • Test fit the neck and pillar before adding any gum. The dowels should exist snug and y'all shouldn't see any gaps betwixt the neck and pillar. If everything fits, add glue to the dowels and join the pieces. Utilise clamps to keep everything tight while the mucilage dries.[35]

  2. 2

    Adhere the sound box. Use dowels to attach the neck and colonnade to the audio box. Do not use glue to set up the neck and pillar to the audio box. The dowels are at that place to keep the parts aligned. The bending of the audio box relative to the cervix and colonnade will hold the pieces together.[36]

    • Keep a gap about ane⁄8 inch (0.3 cm) thick on the side near the strings. Once you add the strings, the tension will cause this gap to close. Without this gap, you run the run a risk of keen the wood.[37]
    • In one case yous've fastened the sound box, you tin can drill string holes in the sound board. Refer to your harp plans to determine the number of holes you need to drill.[38]

  3. iii

    Mount the strings. Yous volition need eyelets, bridge pins, and tuning pins to mountain your strings. You can purchase these online, or your local music shop may carry them.[39]

    • Fit the eyelets into the holes in the soundboard. Coat the sides of the holes with glue, and button the eyelet into the hole.[40]
    • Fit the bridge pins and tuning pins into their respective holes. You may need to adjust the holes in the neck to properly fit the bridge pins. Do not gum these pins into the wood.[41]
    • Beginning at the bass end of the harp. Feed the cord through the eyelet in the sound lath and pull information technology up to the corresponding tuning pin. Wrap the string effectually the tuning pin a few times to prepare it. Don't worry nigh pulling it tight just yet. Mount all the strings before tightening them to the proper tension.[42]
    • It may accept several tunings earlier the strings concord the proper tension.[43]

    4. Advertising

Add New Question

  • Question

    Practise y'all remember American white oak is good for making a harp?

    Community Answer

    Most luthiers would not utilise oak, preferring maple, walnut, cherry etc for the cervix and soundbox trunk. I have recently built a xxx-cord harp with European oak and it'southward really quite good; I used oak because I had some effectually in the workshop. Y'all definitely shouldn't employ it for the soundboard - that should be spruce, western cedar, poplar or aircraft plywood.

  • Question

    Is black walnut a skillful choice for cervix and pillar?

    Community Answer

    Black walnut is very durable. While it is susceptible to insect attacks, it has a stupor resistance. It is very commonly used for making harps, so yes, it is a good option. Just brand sure it doesn't go stored where it can attract insects.

  • Question

    We take a lot of cherry-red cedar is it adept for building a celtic harp?

    Community Answer

    Yes. Western red cedar is popular with classical guitar makers and its especially suitable for the modest Celtic harp. Cedar is known for its volume, warmth, wealth of harmonics (overtones) and 'bass-iness'. What is most characteristic of cedar is that it takes but a curt time for the voice to mature, and can fifty-fifty sound 'played-in' when new.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertizing

  • Building a harp is a circuitous procedure. Every harp is a attestation to the harp maker'southward skill and inventiveness. If you've never built a harp before, buy some plans and start slow. Have time to master the techniques before moving on to more complicated designs.

  • John Kovac, an experienced harp player and builder, sells harp kits with instructions to brand a wooden Paraguayan harp or a harp structure from PVC pipes.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Advertisement

References

About This Commodity

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 93,465 times.

Reader Success Stories

  • Deeanna M.

    "I was looking for a pocket-size handheld harp but could only find the plastic costume ones. Decided it was best to make..." more

Did this article help you?