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  • Strings looses their colour

    Posted by Bernadette Thomann on 15 March, 2021 at 12:53 am

    Hallo together

    For my lap harp I use Savarez Carbon Strings. In the most played octaves the C and F string has lost most of its colour and I am loosing my orientation while playing. I tried to colour it with a waterproof pencil but this makes the string more slippery and also a little bit sticky. Is anyone of you also dealing with this problem? Of course, I could change the strings, but I thought maybe there is an in-between-solution before I do that. Thanks for answering.

    Bernadette Thomann replied 2 years, 10 months ago 4 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • COLLETTE Ring

    Member
    20 March, 2021 at 10:42 am

    I have the exact same problem, unfortunately I can’t find a solution either😕

    Is it possible to get these Savarez Carbon strings in colour do you know? It might be worth changing but I don’t want to change all 32 strings – that’s kinda pricey!

  • Daleen Comer

    Member
    25 March, 2021 at 8:44 pm

    I had the same problem with an old harp with nylon strings, and someone recommended a Sharpie Paint Pen, Medium Point. It is oil-based paint, so it does not rub off. They come in red and blue. I do not know if it would work on carbon strings; however they were not expensive and might be worth trying.

    • Bernadette Thomann

      Member
      30 March, 2021 at 3:44 pm

      Thanks for your reply, Daleen. I have never heard of Sharpie Paint Pens before, so I will try to find them somewhere and give it a try. Besides I want you to congratulate to your wonderful painted Dustry String harp. This harp must be a double enjoyment to play!

  • Paula Brawdy

    Member
    21 May, 2021 at 2:40 pm

    I used Dykem layout fluid…It works great to color the strings. Only I made a big mistake… so to save you from my disaster, using this or Sharpie Pens, please read on:

    Dykem layout fluid comes in red and blue color… great and you can get on amazon. It also is in a shoe polish type of container with the same type of rounded material top. so you can put on like shoe polish. Great! my friend recommended and said it really stays on and he has fluorocarbon strings like mine.

    What I didn’t realize – I should have laid the harp on the floor, and put newspapers under it . why? Well, when tipping the shoe polish container up, with my harp standing up, I tipped it too much, and it ran down underneath where I could actually see, and ran down my soundboard. ugh… then I attempted to take it off, imagine dark blue permanent stain down your harp!!! the mfg said to use acetone to take it off… so I did and with much rubbing it took it off, along with some of the stain and all of the lacquer finish where I rubbed. It is now at a furniture refinisher who will attempt to fix it for me! So the Dykem works, sharpie pens work (magic makers called sharpies) however, lay the harp down on the floor with proper floor covering newspaper and it does work…🙃

    • Bernadette Thomann

      Member
      21 May, 2021 at 4:03 pm

      Thank you for your tip. But that must have been really nerve-wracking and a really painful moment. Just a small scratch on the harp hurts. I’ll probably re-string it and hope the color lasts longer. Because so far I could not find the right pen in Switzerland. I hope your harp will be like new again!

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