OS Anchor Bar Issues

This article is not to scare you away from autoharps - it's just our attempt to thoroughly explain a concern we mention in other articles, especially those about shopping for and maintaining new or newer Oscar Schmidt autoharps.

An unfortunate manufacturing defect has been affecting Oscar Schmidt autoharps, especially in the last twenty years.

This is not a reason to avoid Oscar Schmidt autoharps completely, but it's something to be aware of. It's also the reason our Autoharp Buyer's Guide recommends avoiding certain OS autoharps, especially for first-time buyers.

It goes back to Oscar Schmidt's redesign in the late 1960s, resulting in the "Type B" autoharps that have been made ever since about 1969. Instead of a row of pegs to hold the end of the strings, "Type B" autoharps rely on a long aluminum piece with slots in it for holding the ends of the ball strings.

That piece is commonly called an "anchor bar." When it's doing it's job, it makes restringing an autoharp much easier than it used to be. But it's not fastened down. In the original design, the tight tolerances leveraged the string tension to keep it in place.

Unfortunately, the companies that have owned the Oscar Schmidt name since the 1980s have been sending the actual manufacturing work to the lowest bidder in Asia. (At first it was Japan, and those were pretty good. Then it was Korea, and most of those were pretty good. Then manufacturing went to various factories in China, with widely varying quality.

Each new factory interprets the specifications differently, with the result that chord bar length has changed, tuning peg diameter has shifted, and other all-but-invisible shifts have occurred.

Most of these minor shifts in tolerances, etc. are invisible to most beginning autoharp owners, and very few actually affect playing or enjoyment.

But in the last fifteen years or so, the Asian factories have been getting sloppy about the tolerances required to hold the anchor bar in place. On far too many recently manufactured autoharps, the strings have pulled it up far enough to warp the face of the instrument. Most people whose autoharps have this problem don't notice it until the damage is substantial. And by then it's usually fatal for the instrument.

Hal Weeks, a top technician for autoharp luthier Pete D'Aigle,says he has seen this on OS Type Bs of all ages. In my far more limited experience, I've seldom seen it on autoharps older than 15 years. But if you own any autoharp with an anchor bar, keep an eye on it. And if you're looking to purchase a new Oscar Schmidt, keep this potential issue in mind.

Hal has published a video that shows how to head the problem off before it causes damage or - better yet - before it has a chance to occur. When possible, Hal does this automatically for every OS "Type B" autoharp that comes across his path, especially if he's been tasked with changing the strings.

The Fix

Note: At this time, a step-by-step illustrated instruction for the process Hal uses is beyond the scope of this article. We are providing a summary only, so you can get some idea of what is involved.

Hal's procedure usually takes place at the same time as a restringing and other maintenance. Consequently, it includes:

• Removing the chord bars (if it's a 21-chorder and the chord bars aren't already labeled, be sure to label each one with a fine-tipped marker),

• Removing the strings,

• Removing the long shiny piece that covers the ends of the strings,

• Routing little grooves in the edge of the wood there so you can get a screwdriver in place,

• Predrilling holes in the anchor bar,

• Predrilling little holes into the wood underneath it,

• Screwing the anchor bar in place with five little screws,

• Restringing the autoharp,

• Re-installing the chord bars, and

• Putting the long shiny piece back in place.

Note: The list above is not an instruction sheet. We provided it just to help you see what's invoved if the anchor bar ever becomes a problem on your autoharp.

Other folks have done this update without removing the strings. Thats cumbersome, but it can be done.

Is This a Hoax?

Every time this problem/potential problem comes up in a discussion group, certain autoharp owners who are lucky enough never to have experienced it claim that it's a hoax. Probably invented by people who want you to pay money for unnecessary repairs, or who want to "upsell" you to custom-built luthier instruments.

Sadly, they're wrong. It's real. Two relatively new OS21s that came to me for "repair" were starting to have this problem, so I detuned them until I can get around to applying Hal's fix. (One of them is in the second photo on this page.)

Worse yet,, the anchor bar on one relatively new OS21 I bought for parts had distorted the face of the instrument so far it had actually broken some of the "teeth" off the comb. The body is a "write-off," period.

Thankfully, not every Oscar Schmidt with an anchor bar will experience this problem. But in my determination to give you all the information you need to make informed decisions, I have to tell you what I can.

Recent Updates

In other words, the situation might be improving, but you still need to understand the issue, and - especially - check out anyautoharp you buy thoroughly as soon as it's in your hands, while you have time to return it. And if it has an anchor bar, keep a close eye on it going forward.

Conclusion

The takeaway is that quality control isn't consistent from year to year. It may be improving. But we have no way to know for certain.

Our priority is your enjoyment; we certainly do not want anything about your autoharp experience to be disappointing. And with your due dilligence, it doesn't have to be.

Other Articles and Resources

• Replacing Autoharp Strings

• Replacing Loose Felt on an Autoharp

• Cleaning Dusty Autoharps Video - For when everything works fine but you need to clean off surface dust.

• Standard Autoharp Chord Bars - A reference for folks refelting or reconfiguring their autoharps.

• Identifying Chord Bars From Your 21-Chorder - For when the chord bars from your Oscar Schmidt 21-chorder get mixed up and you realized they're not labeled in the factory.

• Autoharp Factory Chord Setups - A reference for folks trying to rebuild specific instruments.

Third-Party Resources:

• D'Aigle's "How-To" Corner - Daigleharp.com's list of articles and videos to help you with common issues and tasks.

• Autoharp Chordbar (OS21) Secrets for the Bold and Crafty! - From Hal Weeks. A nice overview of the way the chord bars attach and work on an Oscar Schmidt 21-chorder.

• Cutting Autoharp Felt: and some things that can go wrong! - from Hal Weeks.

• How to Re-Felt Your Autoharp Chord Bars - a video from Pete D'aige.

• How do I know it's time to refelt my autoharp? - from Hal Weeks.

• Anchors Away: Oscar Schmidt design flaw, fix it or lose it. - from Hal Weeks. On Oscar Schmidt 21-chorders, the slotted aluminum bar that holds one end of the string isn't fastened in place. How to keep it from pulling up and causing your 'harp's face to buckle. If you're not familiar with woodworking tools, you might want to get someone who is to help with this project.

• Troubleshooting Autoharp buzzes and odd sounds - from Hal Weeks. Sorting issues caused by missing felts and related issues.

• Autoharp signed by Bryan Bowers! Refurbishing OS Centurion: Shop process video PART 1 - From Hal Weeks. Dealing with issues that affect well-used, solid-topped autoharps that are salvageable.

In addition, our articles on tweaking and reconfiguring autoharps also offer some tips that may help you get through repairs regarding chord bars, springs, etc.

As I have time, I'll write more specifically about these problems and others you may encounter. In the meantime, I hope our available articles help answer your questions about these under-rated instruments.

Whatever else you get out of our pages, I hope you come away with some great ideas for "sharing the joy."

And please stay in touch!

    - Paul Race

All material, illustrations, and content of this web site is copyrighted ? 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006,
2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 by Paul D. Race. All rights reserved.
HarpersGuild.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising
program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

For questions, comments, suggestions, trouble reports, etc. about this page or this site, please contact us.

Visit related pages and affiliated sites:
- Music -
- Trains and Hobbies -
- Christmas Memories and Collectibles -
- Family Activities and Crafts -