Types of Strings
Gut Strings
Gut produces a warm mellow sound with strong mid-range
characteristics. It has a distinctive voice and, therefore, a following
among players. Using gut strings does, however, come at a high price both
literally and figuratively. Gut strings are expensive. Gut is also more
easily affected by humidity, necessitating more frequent re-tuning. It
is also more permeable than nylon to the oils and dirt in your hands causing
the structural integrity of the string to weaken and ultimately break.
Finally, while nylon is tempered so that it stretches to a certain point
and no further, gut continues to stretch making it much more difficult
to keep the harp tuned.
Nylon Monofilament
Nylon Monofilament strings are a
single strand of tempered
nylon. It produces a rich clear ringing sound sensitive to complimentary
harmonics. Nylon harp strings are very unlike nylon guitar strings. The
nylon drawn for harp strings is much harder than that drawn for guitars.
The result is that the dirt and oil from your hands does not penetrate
nylon harp strings so they do not deaden in the same manner as nylon guitar
strings. Additionally, while harp soundboards are sensitive to humidity,
the nylon strings are not making the strings one less point at which the
harp is adjusting during changes in climate.
Nylon Core/ Nylon Wrapped
Nylon core/nylon (N/N)wrapped strings
have a nylon
monofilament core with a smaller strand of nylon wrapped around it. They
are used for lower notes on the harp. N/N strings produce a fuller tone
than a large diameter gut or monofilament string while producing less string
tension when raised to pitch.
Metal Core/ Nylon Wrapped
Metal core/nylon wrapped strings are
made of a bronze
or steel core with a strand of nylon wrapped around it. They are used as
bass strings and are sometimes used as transitional strings between nylon
core/nylon wrapped and all metal base strings.
Metal Core/Silk Bed/ Metal Wrapped
Metal core/silk bed/metal wrapped strings
are made
of a steel or bronze core wrapped with silk fibers and then over wrapped
in smaller bronze wire. They are used for the lowest of bass notes in larger
harps.
