Musicmakers Reverie Harp Kit User manual

REVERIE HARP KIT
MUSICMAKERS KITS, INC
PO Box 2117
Stillwater MN 55082
651-439-9120
www.harpkit.com
If you have any questions about the assembly of your kit - please visit our online Builder’s Forum
www.harpkit.com/forum

© Musicmaker’s Kits, Inc
All rights reserved
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Reverie Harp Kit Parts
A- Soundboard (front)
B- Back, veneer ply
C- 2 Side frame pieces, solid hardwood
D- Head end, curved solid hardwood
E- Tail end, curved solid hardwood
F- 22 Tuning pins
G- Tuning wrench
H- Brass bridge tube, curved
I- Set of 22 strings (with washers)
22 Medium brass eyelets
22 tiny brass washers (in string pack)
Drill bit, 3/16”
Large rosette
Flat Pick
Tuning Chart & Song Sheet Packet
Assembly instructions
A
BC
E
D
FG
HI
Please take the time to check over the
parts of your kit now, to make sure everything
is there. If you discover a problem, call us
right away so we can rectify it quickly with-
out causing you much delay in your project.
A NOTE ABOUT GLUE
We strongly recommend that you use a modern woodworking glue for assembling the wood parts in
this project. The yellowish Aliphatic Resins (such as Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue or Titebond) are best
for wood because of their excellent holding power and simplicity of use.
When gluing parts together, be sure to put enough glue on the joint to wet the entire surfaces to be
joined. A good sign of proper gluing is that a little excess will squeeze out around the joint when clamping
pressure is applied. Too little glue may cause the parts to separate later, whereas too much glue makes things
messy. We always keep a damp rag handy for quick cleanup, as necessary. It is especially helpful to keep
your fingers clean while gluing, because gluey fingerprints have the embarrassing tendency to appear on the
finished product in places you never expected.
GLUING THE BOX TOGETHER
_____1. Begin by dry-fitting the frame parts. It should
be readily apparent how the parts fit to create the egg
shape of the instrument, as shown.
When satisfied with the fit of the parts, glue them
together end-to-end with woodworking glue, using
masking tape or filament tape to hold the parts together,
as shown. Put tape on one piece of wood and pull
toward the adjacent piece as you lay the tape down
across the seam, so the tape pulls the joint together.
NOTE: the parts may not be cut perfectly on the inside of the box. It is best to align the outside edge carefully,
because that is the edge that will show on the finished instrument. You can leave the inside edges rough.
When you have tape on the top and side of the frame. flip the frame over and put tape across the back surface
of the joints too. Be sure the frame sits flat on your work surface (with all joints flush) as you leave it to dry.
Tape

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© Musicmaker’s Kits, Inc
All rights reserved
_____4. Then position the frame on the back
panel of the harp, as shown making sure there
is some overhang all the way around the edge
of the frame.
CAUTION: It is vital that the frame is right-
side up when you glue it to the back panel. The
two dots should be showing up (unless you
have sanded them off), and the string holes in
the tail end should be showing upwards.
When satisfied with the fit, glue the frame to
the back, using clamps or weights to hold the
parts together firmly until dry.
_____2. Once the frame is dry, remove the tape and check
the glue seams to make sure the wood surfaces are level
and smooth, especially where the soundboard and back
will be glued. Sand these surfaces to remove any glue
blobs and irregularities.
_____3. Draw a centerline down the top surface
of the frame by connecting the centerlines at each
end with a long straightedge, as shown.
line up centerlines
inside of back
Connect Centerlines
Sand seams to
remove bumps
and glue residue
_____5. Now you can glue the soundboard to the
frame. Be sure to line up the centerlines. Position
the larger end of the soundboard exactly 1-1/4”
from the tail end of the frame, as shown.
Use clamps or weights to hold the parts together
until the glue is dry. Make sure the soundboard
does not slip out of position as you install the
clamps or weights.
1-1/4”
We recommend signing and dating the inside
of the back in a position that will show
through the sound hole. Or make yourself a
clever label to put inside....

© Musicmaker’s Kits, Inc
All rights reserved
4
TRIMMING & SANDING THE BOX
_____6. Now you need to trim off the excess soundboard and back material
flush with the frame of the instrument. If you have a router, the quickest
way to trim around the instrument is to use a flush-trim router bit.
Another quick way to trim the overhang is with a belt sander.
If you don’t have power tools like these, you can manage just fine with a
coarse sanding block. The soundboard and back materials are quite soft, so
they will sand easily.
_____9. Now is a good time to do final sanding. Notice that the
outside of the frame may need to be smoothed out a bit to make a
nice-looking instrument. We use a belt sander for this step, but an
electric palm sander will work quite nicely too. Of course, if you
don’t have power tools, then you’ll have some hand sanding to do
here. Take the time to do a nice job on this step because it will pay
off in the appearance and feel of the finished instrument.
_____8. You need to round over all the edges of the box generously to make
the instrument smooth and pleasing to hold in your arms. We use a 1/4” radius
round-over bit in our router for this job, running it around both the front and
back of the instrument. Note that the router bit will miss the exposed frame at
the tail end. We round that end with an electric palm sander or sanding block.
Again, if you have no router or power sander, you can easily do this rounding
by hand with a sanding block.
WA-LA! Your Reverie Harp is now ready for the finish. There are several finishes that will work fine
for your instrument, and some are easier to apply than others. We give a few suggestions on the following page
for selecting a nice-looking coat to protect your handiwork and enhance the beauty of the wood.
_____10. Glue the rosette in place in the soundhole. The hole is
cut slightly oversize on purpose for easy fit, and you’ll find that
this gap between the rosette and the soundboard adds dimension
to the rosette, outlining it nicely all around.
Squirt a small bead of glue on the ledge around the hole and
center the rosette in place, making sure the design is oriented the
way you like it, and that the spacing is even all the way around
the edges.
_____7. Now is the best time to add punch-marks around the top end of the soundboard,
marking the proper locations for the 22 tuning pins. We have included a thick paper tem-
plate for this. Cut the outer dashed line marked “edge of wood” and line up this template
on the soudnboard, checking your centerlines. Tape the paper to the wood to make sure
it stays in place.
Use a nail or awl to punch through the template into the wood at each tuning pin
location.
Use a sharp 3/16” twist drill bit (included) to drill these 22 holes straight down
into the solid cherry wood to a depth of 1-1/4”. We suggest wrapping some masking tape
around your drill bit to mark the proper depth, as shown. CAUTION: DO NOT use a brad
point bit for this drilling -- it makes the holes too big, even though it is the same size drill.

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All rights reserved
APPLYING THE FINISHING
STAIN -- STAINS are coloring agents and should only be used if you dislike the natural color of the wood. We
usually do not apply stains to our projects, especially when they are made with naturally beautiful hardwoods such as on
this project. These woods look very nice with just a clear finish. But, if you want to color the wood differently, your stain-
ing should be accomplished before applying a surface finish such as oil, varnish, or lacquer.
OIL -- People have had problems with oil finishes on the Reverie Harp. If the oil drips into the tuning pin holes, it
acts as a lubricant, so the pins turn too easily and won’t keep the strings in tune. Oil finish also tends to “hold” dust more
than other finishes, making it hard to keep the instrument clean under the strings. So we tell people NOT to apply an oil
finish on this instrument. If you are an expert at hand-rubbing high quality tung oil, and you can keep the oil out of the
tuning pin holes, then proceed at your own risk.
VARNISH -- Any satin or semi-gloss varnish will work on this project, but we like a wipe-on polyurethane
best. We offer this type of clear top coat, called MUSICMAKER’S INSTRUMENT FINISH. Our complete finishing kit
includes instructions and sandpaper sheets, along with a pint can of semi-gloss polyurethane varnish. The advantages of
this finish are its simple application, durability, minimal odor, and deep, soft luster.
LACQUER -- Many professional instrument makers use lacquer for their finish. The most readily available lac-
quer is called Deft Clear Wood Finish. It is best to purchase a can of liquid to brush on as a sealer coat first, and then use
an aerosol can of the same product to spray on the final coats. The advantage of this finish is its quick drying time, but the
disadvantage is the strong odor of the toxic lacquer fumes.
OUR BEST ADVICE: AVOID GLOSS FINISH unless you are an expert with spray equipment! Glossy fin-
ishes show off every speck of dust and irregularity in your sanding. Satin or semi-gloss is much easier for the amateur.
So go ahead -- choose your weapon and apply the finish of your choice, following the instructions on the container.
Sand between coats with fine (400-600 grit) sandpaper or #0000 steel wool. Consult instructions on the can for proper
drying time.
We also recommend polishing the brass tube with fine (#0000) steel wool and wiping a thin coat of varnish
on it to prevent tarnishing. Be sure to de-bur the ends of the tube if they are rough.
If you are not totally happy with the finish on your instrument when dry, try smoothing it out with #0000 steel wool
and applying a coat or two of paste wax (the same product used on wood floors) to bring out a nice luster.
INSTALLING HARDWARE AND STRINGS
_____11. Once the finish is dry you can install the tuning pins. Use a hammer to tap them in,
threaded end first, until they stand about 7/8” above the wood surface, as shown.
_____14. Notice that you have 2-4 strings of each size in your string set. The idea is to string the instrument so
both sides are identical, with the heaviest strings in the middle and the lightest strings at the outside positions.
We have included 22 tiny washers. Thread one washer onto each string before installing. This will pre-
vent the “ball-end” of the string from digging into the wood at the tail end, thereby stabilizing the tuning
more quickly.
_____13. Position the curved brass tube near the
tail end of the instrument, so the ends are about
9-1/2” (240 mm) from the outermost tuning pins,
and centered between the sides of the soundboard.
Double-check to see that it sits flat without rock-
ing. If one end sticks up a little, try flipping the
tube over, or bending it slightly to get a flat fit.
Use piece of masking tape to hold it in place until
you install a couple strings.
_____12. Push the brass eyelets into the holes in the Tail End.

© Musicmaker’s Kits, Inc
All rights reserved
A. Begin by trimming the string about 2-3 inches longer than necessary to reach the tuning
pin.
B. Pull the end of wire back and insert it into the tuning pin so it just barely shows through
the other side of the pin, as shown.
B.
C. D.
E. Turn the tuning key with one hand to finish winding up the slack as you
hold the excess wire with your other hand. Guide the windings up the tuning
pin and try to keep them close to each other. Don’t over-tighten the string -
you may break it. Just take up the slack so the string is taut.
F. Repeat this procedure with all strings, checking the wire sizes against the
string chart as you move in toward the center of the instrument.
E.
HINT: When you reach the heaviest wound strings (size .056”) you’ll find it difficult to fit them into the
holes in the tuning pins. Here’s how to solve that problem:
Once you have trimmed the string to length, grip the wound end with a pliers and pull the winding off the steel
core back as far as the tuning pin. This is quite easy to do, and it will not harm the strings at all. When you have
peeled off enough of the bronze wrap to wind around the tuning pin (about 3”), clip off the curly bronze material
as close as you can to the core. Then you can wind the string onto the tuning pin like the other strings.
steel core
bronze wrap
heavy wound string
pliers
clip bronze
close to core
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If you happen to break a string at any time, consult the String Chart on the next page to determine the
proper size replacement. We are happy to sell replacement strings (individually or in full sets), or you can shop
for them locally. These are standard ball-end acoustic guitar strings, so you should be able to find individual
replacements from any music store.
A.
Note: Stringing is a bit of an art. It is important to do a nice job here so you don’t end up with sharp ends
of wire that can poke a finger or catch on clothing as people handle the instrument.
C. Use the tuning key to turn the pin
clockwise about 1/2 turn, leaving the
string loose enough so it does not pull
out of the little hole.
D. Then pull the string with your hand
to kink the end where it enters the hole,
much like “setting the hook” when fish-
ing.
Begin with the lightest strings, marked .012”. Thread them through the two outermost holes in the tail end of the
instrument, pulling them until the ball-end rests in the shallow groove at the back end of the frame. These two
strings will be attached to the outermost tuning pins at the head end. Study the process below carefully so you
understand how best to wind the strings around the tuning pins.
Instructional video available online.
www.harpkit.com/category/revtune.html

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© Musicmaker’s Kits, Inc
All rights reserved
An electronic tuner is quite useful
to keep your harp in tune. You
can also use the free online tuner at
Musicmakers’ webiste -
www.harpkit.com/freetuner
Reverie Harp String Chart
REVSTRG FULL SET OF 22 STRINGS
STRING NOTE * GAUGE VIBRATING LENGTH CODE
1 E5 .012 Steel 11 inches BALL012
2 D5 .014 Steel 12.25 BALL014
3 C5 .016 Steel 13.5 BALL016
4 A4 .018 Steel 14.25 BALL018
5 G4 .020 Steel 15 BALL020
6 E4 .025 Bronze Wound 15.75 BALL025
7 D4 .025 Bronze Wound 16.25 BALL025
8 Middle C4 .032 Bronze Wound 16.5 BALL032
9 G3 .032 Bronze Wound 16.75 BALL032
10 E3 .042 Bronze Wound 16.875 BALL042
11 C3 .056 Bronze Wound 17 BALL056
12 C3 .056 Bronze Wound 17 BALL056
13 G3 .042 Bronze Wound 16.875 BALL042
14 A3 .032 Bronze Wound 16.75 BALL032
15 Middle C4 .032 Bronze Wound 16.25 BALL032
16 D4 .025 Bronze Wound 15.75 BALL025
17 E4 .025 Bronze Wound 15.25 BALL025
18 G4 .020 Steel 14.5 BALL020
19 A4 .018 Steel 13.75 BALL018
20 C5 .016 Steel 12.75 BALL016
21 D5 .014 Steel 11.5 BALL014
22 G5 .012 Steel 10 BALL012
*(The notes shown above are for the standard “Reverie Tuning”)
Tuning the Reverie Harp
____15. It is best to use a chromatic electronic tuner to help ensure perfect accuracy of tuning (be sure to get a
chromatic one - not just a guitar tuner). If you don’t have access to one of these devices, you can tune to a piano,
or go to our website (harpkit.com) and click on our “free on-line tuner”.
We have provided you with a tuning template for our standard Reverie Tuning that you can cut out and place
under the strings to assist you in tuning. Alternative tunings and a simple song book are available online at www.
reverieharp.com. The Care-Giver’s Guidebook for Reverie Harp by Peter Roberts provides a more detailed
explanation of the different tunings.
reference keyboard

CONGRATULATIONS! You have assembled a beautiful instrument that anyone can play. We hope
you find it to be very enjoyable to use for a good long time. If you find interesting applications for this instru-
ment, please give us a call or send a note by email. We’d love to hear how this new invention gets put to use.
ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE FOR THE REVERIE HARP
FINISHKIT Musicmaker’s Instrument Finishing kit
REVSTRG Spare set of 22 strings
STRAP-2 Strap with two mounting buttons
REVBAG Padded gig bag for Reverie Harp
REVBK-01 Care-Giver’s Guide Book for Reverie Harp
REVDVD02 Instructional DVD for Reverie Harp (70 minutes)
CA- 1 Electronic Tuner, chromatic
_____16. (Optional) If you’d like to add a strap to the instrument, we recommend placing the mounting buttons
on the sides of the box, near each end, at about the 1:00 and 7:00 o’clock positions, as indicated here.
mounting but-
ton
mounting but-
ton
MUSICMAKER’S KITS, INC
PO BOX 2117
Stillwater, MN 55082
651-439-9120
www.harpkit.com
Cleaning The Reverie Harp
If you are using your Reverie Harp in a hospital setting and need to keep it disinfected you can wipe down the
instrument and strings with the alcohol based disinfectant wipes commonly found in hospitals.