Sharping Levers Used on Caswell Harps



Sharping Levers come in a number of different types, from the cheap to the sublime. They turn into the string to "fret" it up in pitch one half step, thereby sharping the string from a C, for example, to a C#. This allows the player to change keys without retuning. Their ease of use and accuracy are critical.

I currently use three styles of sharping levers: Loveland, De La Cour, and Caswell Sharping Blades. (Click here for some obsessively exhaustive charts on lever use.)

Loveland Sharping Levers are a flip-up type used by many harp makers. They capture the string by pressing it against a steel bar with a plastic handle. They were the first flip-up type lever broadly available which allowed for good tonal response at a reasonable price. They slightly displace the string laterally.









De La Cour Sharping Levers are a new lever from France. Caswell Harps is the first to use these fine cam-style flip-up levers. They capture the string in a manner similar to pedal harps, by rotating a pair of pins into the string. This leaves the string in its original alignment (an innovation by one of my heroes, Sebastian Erard). They are beautifully made and available in several finishes.








Caswell Sharping Blades were designed by me in the 1970s (before Lovelands were available). They have among the clearest sounds available, but are slower and more finicky to turn into the string. Due to this, the flip-up types now dominate. However, this blade was the first, and remains, the best for use on the metal-strung harps, such as the Gwydion.

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