I have created two simple and functional accessories that I sometimes include with my custom autoharps. They don’t enhance the sound of the instrument or the skill of the musician, they merely make tuning a little more convenient.

Hex screws are components of autoharp fine tuners. They are adjusted with some form of a hex key that is usually supplied with the assembly. This necessary implement is usually stored in the case, pick bag, or somewhere in that room you just walked into but forgot why.

My idea is to install a fine tuning tool onboard, where it is handy when needed.

A small wooden knob is attached to a short length of hex key . When not in use it resides in the autoharp’s tailpiece and is held in place with an embedded magnet……………

…………..where it’s right at hand for quick tuning touch ups.

Many autoharps, especially manufactured ones, have decals, stickers, or note labels to designate the pitch of each string. These are unsightly and mostly unnecessary once the autoharp has attained a stable tuning. Some musicians convert their instruments to an alternative tuning such as a diatonic setup with a completely different tuning schedule that is no longer supported by the existing labels.

I printed a tuning chart that I glued to a thin strip of wood. This can be slipped under the strings when needed as a reference for tuning each string.

On the reverse side of the tuning strip is red felt. It prevents the wooden strip from scratching the soundboard and doubles as a convenient tool to remove dust under the strings.