If you don’t know what wires you need, you can look at my stringcharts page, or get in touch and I will be happy to advise.
I can cut whatever length you want. The price is £2.50 per meter (2½p per cm).
Yellow brass wire
I recommend Malcolm Rose’s yellow brass wire for stringing your harp. I have the following sizes in stock (nominal diameter in mm):
| 0.4 | 0.44 | 0.48 | 0.52 | |
| 0.6 | 0.65 | 0.7 | 0.75 | 0.8 |
| 0.85 | 0.9 | 0.95 | 1 | 1.1 |
| 1.2 |
Soft iron wire
If your treble strings are too long for brass, I recommend Malcolm Rose’s soft iron wire. In theory you can string the entire harp with iron wire; I asked Malcolm to make the thicker sizes as a special order for me, but I have not yet got round to trying an all-iron setup. Maybe that will be a project for the coming winter. I have the following sizes in stock (nominal diameter in mm):
| 0.48 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 |
Red brass wire
Some people like to use red brass in the bass of their harp. I have tried these on my harps but I don’t use red brass basses any more. In my opinion red brass has a duller sound and doesn’t speak as well as yellow brass. I have the following sizes of 90/10 red brass from Malcolm Rose in stock (nominal diameter in mm):
| 0.52 | 0.6 | 0.65 | 0.7 | 0.75 |
| 0.8 | 0.85 | 0.9 | 0.95 | 1.0 |
| 1.1 | 1.2 |
I have the following sizes of 85/15 red brass from Rio Grande in stock (nominal diameter in mm):
| 0.8 | 1.0 |
I have the following sizes of 85/15 red brass from Marc Vogel in stock (nominal diameter in mm):
| 1.0 |
The strings are attached inside the harp with hardwood toggles. I can supply these at 30p each. The string is fitted off the reel or coil, threaded into the harp and then the toggle wound on using a simple knot, with the wire in the harp. You can download a free instruction diagram showing how to wind the toggles and how to install the string on your harp. Or you can come to Armagh (bring your harp if you want!) and I can show you how to do it, or do it all for you.
Always use hardwood dowel – the wire can slice through softwood.
Yellow brass is also sometimes known as cartridge brass or spring brass. It is made from 70% copper and 30% zinc. You can use any hard drawn 70/30 brass wire for making harp strings. In the old tradition, the harpers would go to a pin manufacturer to buy brass wire from them, since they used the wire for making pins. You can read more about this in my post Patrick Byrne part 8.
The reason I prefer Malcolm Rose’s wire is because he makes it especially as old-style music wire, controlling the hardness and crystal structure of the metal for the best sound.
Here are two short videos, where you can listen to Malcolm Rose talk about his work making the wire:
After Malcolm Rose died at the end of 2022, his daughter Leonie Richter Rose has continued to manufacture the wire, and so I can still supply this wire as before.
Strings for Other instruments
While my main business is the full-size traditional wire-strung Irish harps, I am happy to also advise or supply strings for other wire-strung instruments, such as medieval harps, psalteries, harpsichords, etc. I can wind a harpsichord-style loop on the end of a string if you want.
Wire for other purposes
The Rose brass and iron wire is very nice traditional wire and can be used for many other interesting purposes. Pipe-makers may find the 0.48mm soft iron wire very useful for securing ferrules and other brass parts while soldering. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to get in touch.
How to order:
Send an email to shop@simonchadwick.net, or phone or text me, telling me what you would like.
Please note: postage is charged extra. Click here for payment information.
If you are not sure what you need, still get in touch and ask me. There is no commitment to place an order; just call or email and see if the price and description is really what you are after. I am happy to recommend other sellers who might have what you need.