My sister has a cheap (as if they're ever cheap) folk harp that is slowly twisting itself into unplayability. She is picking up a new harp in a couple of days (weather willing) and is giving the old one to me to play with until it dies. The problem is that I am unlikely to get to her place until this summer.

My question is: would it be better to loosen the string tension until I am able to get there, or would the release and reapplication of tension do more damage than leaving constant tension on it? Neither one of us knows and I would appreciate the opinions of any experience harpers or luthiers here. Thanks in advance.

jeffp, at the hospice for dying instruments