Woldsong Harps uses Woldsong frets
Exclusively!
Since they are easier and faster to
use while playing, the harper can easily expand their repetoire, and play far
more interesting arrangements. Not only that, faster means easier to use, easier
to learn and easier become accomplished on.
Of course Woldsong is fully
aware of all the old objections to blade levers, some legitimate and one that is
pure advertising smoke.
*Superficially my Woldsong frets resemble blade levers, however since they are not tuneable and securely and permanently anchored, and since once correctly installed, they have more of the properties of true frets. That is, there intination is constant, and like any other frets are completely trouble free for as long as you own the harp. For that reason I now refer to them as frets.
Objection: The sharpening Woldsong fret in
the on position displaces the string, thus making the string separation
different.
Woldsongs answer: The longest string on the largest
harp Woldsong makes has the greatest displacement from the sharpening Woldsong
fret.
At the level of the fret, this is
approx. 3/16 inch. However, you don't play the harp at that point, but
approximately 1/2 way down the string where the displacement is 1/2 the
displacement of the site of the fret. This is 3/32 of an
inch.
This is less than the amount of
displacement that occurs when playing the same note twice in a row, such as in
"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" where the vibration of the string displaces that
string some five to fifteen times as much as the fret.
Objection: Since the fret can be placed at
different levels the intonation will vary depending on where you set the
fret.
Woldsongs answer: Not if you properly size and
install the levers as pretuned frets.
Using Woldsongs frets allow you to
place the fret at any position from just just far enough to stay in the "on"
position to a full 90 degrees to the string WITHOUT CHANGING THE INTONATION TO
ANY AUDIBLE DEGREE.
Objection: Blade levers tend to become loose
and fall out.
Woldsongs answer: Woldsong does NOT press fit its
frets as harpmakers of yore were wont to do, so they don't fall out.
Woldsong uses threaded and securely
anchored frets, rather than press fit levers.
When the hole is drilled in the
harmonic curve to accept a threaded fret, it is drilled slightly undersized.
Then that hole is threaded (tapped) to properly accept the threaded shank of the
fret.
Objection: I've heard that Blade levers are
"string eaters".
Woldsongs answer: Of all the harps I have made in 18
years of harpbuilding, I have yet to have that complaint. There was another
popular make that was notorious for "eating" strings, but considering the
technique I use to install my frets and the care I take in manufacturing,
shaping and polishing them , there is little chance for that to
occur.
BUT DON'T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR
IT!. Go to the contact and
ordering page and order the video demonstration for $7.75 plus $2.75
shipping and handling. This is a 34 minute video showing what can be done with
Woldsong frets and also a demonstration of each of Woldsong's claims. Since
Woldsong will gladly buy back the video (in good condition, of course), you have
nothing to lose.