humidity
Ian (dorioni@intellinet.com)
Wed, 02 Oct 1996 19:36:31 -0500
I shouldn't but will tell you all about something really flakey I did
last spring. My harp is cherry with a birch soundboard. I happen to
think it smells weird, and it is close to my nose when I play. I
pondered the problem for a while then decided to fine tune her aroma
with incense. So I lit a stick and held it inside the soundboard, being
careful of course not to touch the string ends. My harp also has a
lovely little heart cut in the top of the soundboard, and the incense
smoke drifted in a lovely little column through it. But - I dried out
and warmed the soundboard irregularly. I was out of tune in the upper
registers, in tune in the lower registers. I really scared myself, but
jost turned the humidifier on and left the harp alone for a few hours.
My harp healed herself. I now sweeten her breath with a fabric softner
sheet in an open plastic bag - wouldn't want the oils to touch the
soundbox or board. (I can hear the harp makers screaming.)