Harps may be strung with a wide variety of different materials.
Harps are string instruments where the sound is produced through plucking or strumming strings of various lengths that are held under tension. Learning more about the different types of materials that go into making harp springs can make it easier to understand how the harp produces different sounds.
Nylon
Nylon strings are stretchy, and they tend to be more durable than natural gut strings. They are less expensive, but they also do not produce the same sweet, rich sound that natural gut strings do. Nylon harp strings may be monofilament, meaning that they are all of one piece, or they might be strings with a nylon core that is then wrapped in nylon. Nylon strings are gentler on the fingers than metal strings.
Metal
Harp strings for the instrument's bass range are made out of steel that has been wrapped around with copper or steel wire. Harp strings with steel cores wrapped in wire have been used on lever harps since the 19th century, and they are often used in conjunction with natural gut strings. More volume can be achieved through the use of metal strings, but some subtlety of tone might be sacrificed. When metal strings are used in conjunction with natural gut strings, there may be a displeasing difference in tone between the two different harp strings.
Natural Gut
Natural gut harp strings are typically made from cow intestine. They are the most fragile harp strings available, and they are more expensive than nylon, but they also have a sweeter, more melodic sound than nylon strings. Natural gut strings are gentler on the fingers than metal strings.
Fluorocarbon Strings
Fluorocarbon harp strings are synthetic strings that imitate natural gut. Though they are not replacements for natural gut strings, they do produce a sound that is between that of nylon strings and natural gut strings. The sound produced by fluorocarbon strings is bright and clear, and the strings themselves are more durable than natural gut strings or nylon strings.
