Sharping Levers & Hardware
Back in the late 1700's, folk harps in the Tyrolean Alps started to appear that had bent 'hook' devices under each bridge pin, to sharpen the note a half-tone. Later 'blades' came along, and today we have an assortment of flip-up lever devices of more or less successful designs. Currently I offer the Camac lever as standard.
Camac Levers &
Bridge Pins
The Camac Harp Company of Brittany, France, has developed a very high quality nickel-plated lever that is becoming popular with North American harp makers & players. The precision engineering is amazing, and the comfortable handle flips up smoothly and positively, locking the string in place. The 'C' & 'F' handles are coloured correspondingly with little shrink-wrapped bands. The notes are generally true and clear with this lever engaged. These come with matching nickel-plated hexagonal threaded bridge pins. Threaded bridge pins enable the levers to be regulated much more quickly and accurately by turning them with a nut driver so they move in or out, thus sharpening or flattening the regulation of the lever.
The levers are regulated by a combination of moving the lever assembly up or down and/or screwing the bridge pin in or out. The lever assembly attachment screws require a Torx T-8 screwdriver, and the bridge pins require either a 4mm, 5mm or 6mm hex nut driver. Rick Kemper has a good article on his web site: http://www.sligoharps.com/Reg_Cam.mht . Dave Thormahlen also has some good information on the Camac lever: http://www.proaxis.com/~thormahlen/pages/regulatingcamaclevers.htm
Ergonomic Tuning Key
I've chosen the high quality ergonomic rubber-covered tuning key as standard for my harps.
