Cutting Autoharp Felt: and some things that can go wrong!

[@georgehill5919]

I am making a 12 string 39 chord "auto dulcimer" but have never actually owned an autoharp, so videos like this are perfect for me, because I literally don't have a clue. You have saved me several hours of experimenting. Thanks!

[@cefarther3945]

Hey, have you posted photos of what you are doing? I'd love to follow your project. Fascinating project and admire you for taking this on. I could never but would love to see what you are doing.

[@cefarther3945]

I have the book on repair but no one tells you all this information. You are very knowledgeable, and I am certainly grateful you shared this information. Made notes in notepad.

[@genedarrah2776]

Your video is super informative. I'm getting ready to re-felt my entire autoharp. I realized I can mark it with existing felt before I remove them and replace with new felt. At least, I hope this works. I loved your idea of marking the bars! Very practical!

[@markwakeman8232]

Hal, thanks a lot for your videos for putting on new strings and cutting new felts. I found a 70 year old 12 chord Autoharp on eBay for $50 and it needed two strings, 1 & 36. I also wanted to make a custom chord bar to replace the G min. , a chord I've never used in my life. When I carefully took off one cap of the chord assembly and removed the bar, I was thrilled to discover that all the felts were in pristine condition with no signs whatsoever of having been played, absolutely cherry condition. Your videos made it a lot less stressful for me than it might have been, thanks again. Mark

[@reverendayglow]

Thanks. That was very helpful--and INTERESTING.

[@c_farther5208]

Scared to do this, but Hal explained this well and going to give this a go!

[@wildautoharp]

You GOT THIS.

[@waynedavies3185]

Excellent lesson in felting a harp. Enjoyed watching, and learning. Will use this info down the road. Would like to know where you purchase your felt rolls of good quality. Seen some being sold on eBay but they looked a bit poor in quality. The better the quality of the felt the better job of refelting is done. I live in Canada and Music stores don't seem to carry the replacement felt even though they should have it available for the user, as I mean they are a music store that should have replacement supplies right? Having felt shipped in across the border from the USA is expensive, do you know of a place in Canada where good quality autoharp felt can be bought? Maybe an alternative place where felt could be bought and cut to the right sized length needed for a harp bar?

[@nathanturczan]

Thanks for this, about to make some custom chord bars

[@eddieconard]

Great informative videos. Thanks 🎶

[@lindaberg1695]

Very helpful! I just yesterday re glued felt to 2 chord bars and foolishly decided to widen the notches a bit on a couple of base string notches. Now my 'harp sounds like either pots and pans being banged on NY's Eve (one) and the other sounds like none of the base notes sound at all, just thump thump thump....so back to the drawing board. I highly doubt it was the re gluing to felts to the chord bar that is causing the ruckus. I'll glue the divits back in and test it out. Luckily I have a new roll of felt if I need to re felt everything.

[@waynedavies3185]

What glue would you use of the new felt refuses to stick to the cord bar with the glue backing it has on it? I just bought new felt for a harp I own, and after cleaning the bar of the old felt as you stated above, it refuses to remain stuck to the cord bar after removing the cover tape that's over the sticky section? Note bar has metal sides and top, but a wood bottm.

[@wildautoharp]

Sounds like a chromaharp. Use silicone glue or even contact cement or rubber cement.

[@waynedavies3185]

I'll give it a try... Thanks. never thought of that being used. Good idea.@@wildautoharp

[@waynedavies3185]

Update.... BAD IDEA.

[@tanyamccord7422]

Where can you get the felt you refelt the chord bars?

[@wildautoharp]

Autoharp.com. I work there.

[@a1v2c]

I'm not clear about something. When you shim the comb all the bars will be raised the same amount on that side of the harp. But if you are re-felting with a different thickness of felt on only some of the bars, you will want to shim some bars and not shim others. So do you add shims on the ends of the individual bars that have thicker felt? If you shim the comb it would raise all the bars the same height.

[@wildautoharp]

You never want to use two thicknesses of felt. If your new felt is thicker or thinner than the old, you have to re do all....even if all do not need re felting.... which is the point i make about getting new felt elsewhere in the video. Order enough in case you have to do it, and then ne happy if you dont. Not ideal i agree.

[@jennyft4055]

You're a gem! Thanks!

[@mandysberi]

And Hal, could you make a video with tips on how to figure out what chords to press for melodies or maybe how to find the correct chords?

[@wildautoharp]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHmsc3ywnNeho6s --part 1

[@wildautoharp]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqC2foSApcmcoMk --part 2

[@aaronflinner6431]

I have an old Oscar Schmidt autoharp (not the black box) and it desperately needs new felts. Im pretty poor, so unfortunately im unable to afford shipping it to be repaired. I lost my job due to a disability. Also, there isn't anyone close to me who knows how to do that. Do you think I'd be able to do the work myself? I have no experience. Thanks for any information. Thank you for your helpful and informative videos. I really like autoharp videos. Sincerely, Aaron

[@wildautoharp]

www.daigleharp.com/autoharpangels.html I suggest maybe putting in for a used autoharp the the Autoharp Angels program. We fix up vintage harps that folks have donated and send them out to folks who can't otherwise afford one. You would definately qualify!

[@aaronflinner6431]

@wildautoharp thank you very much. I called after reading your reply, and the fellow I talked to said he will email me the application. I truly appreciate this. I'm trying really hard to learn the autoharp, and can now play a few melodies after about two weeks on my one that's in disrepair. The one I have has a severely cracked and sunken soundboard, and very old strings, and bad felt. It's kind of hard to play to be honest. I really appreciate anything you are able to do to help me. Even if it doesn't work out, I just want you to know I appreciate what you are doing for folks in need. God bless you, and take care. Sincerely, Aaron

[@aaronflinner6431]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZTFmWejorBooMksi=WTXVpFbSkJPVudvn This is the autoharp I bought a couple weeks ago from my local music store. I only had $70. saved and they sold it to me for that. It was the only one there. We don't really have autoharps in my area. This is my first autoharp. Sunken and cracked top, bad felts apparently, and really old strings from the look of them. I'm doing my best with it.

[@clawhammer704]

Does lowes or Home Depot sell these felt strips? Thankyou so much for this smart lesson on refret.

[@wildautoharp]

No to Lowes/Home Depot. Go to Autoharpworks.com or Elderlyinstruments.

[@clawhammer704]

Thankyou for the site to go to.

[@dkherron]

Just refelted for the 1st time and on 1 chord bar (F) I'm getting harmonic overtones on some strings that should be dead. Felt looks like it's making good contact, but I still get octave overtones on C#4, especially. Any suggestions?

[@wildautoharp]

It's probably because the felt is brand new, and needs to break in a bit. All harps experience this a bit on whatever bars cross the string at the octave node, vut it can be more pronounced when the felt is new. Is it about 7th bar from the top? That bar on a 21 chord is usually the one that crosses at rhe octave node.

[@dkherron]

@@wildautoharp Thank you! I have a cheap 15 bar (2-tier) OS model B. I have the F 3rd from the top. Hearing overtones on a couple other bars, as well, but trust that all of them will damp out as I continue to work them in. Thank you for the reassurance.

[@wildautoharp]

@@dkherron You can also "plump" the felt on the offending bars...this can be done a couple of ways....prick up the surface of the felt OVER THE OFFENDING NOTE(S) with a pin...just stick it in at an angle, not too deep, and sort of lift up the surface of the felt. You have to do it several times over the surface of the little felt block. Loosens it up a bit. You can, alternatively, squeeze the specific felt with a pair of pliers, getting it to lift up a bit. Personally I've never ended up doing either one of these, but I've heard that lots of pros do it, and that it works, temporarily, while the felt gets broken in.

[@mikeofboulder6522]

I remember watching you do this in the 1980's.

[@wildautoharp]

I remember us cutting off that button cover with a hacksaw.

[@mandysberi]

Hey Hal, that broken glass shattering noise was too loud and startling :( But thanks for the video! I just re-felt my harp for the first time, and wish I had had this video.

[@wildautoharp]

Thanks for the feedback. I wish there was a way to go in and adjust it after the fact, short of re-editing the whole thing. Good to know tho, for the future. Still learning the ins and outs of video editing.