From: kent@netcom.com (Kent Crispin)
Subject: Re: Harpsichords as Do-it-yourself
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 23:44:23 GMT

tlukka@lk-hp-6.hut.fi (Tuomas J. Lukka) writes (about harpsichord kits):

>Yes, but the other problem is, that I live in Finland.. where could
>I get one?

Have it shipped to you -- both Hubbard and Zuckermann ship worldwide,
and in fact do a large percentage of their business outside the US.  I am
sure that essentially all suppliers of harpsichord kits can ship overseas.

>But also, I desire to have an instrument for which the detailed
>plans are my own... not ready-made.

>
>What is a 'carcase' joint, Webster's doesn't seem to know it.

"Carcase joint" is the term used for all the different ways of joining
the edges of rectangular wooden structures of all sizes and shapes --
cabinets, drawers, jewlery boxes, and so on.

>Handfitting the joints and making the harpsichord out of just about
>nothing would be a dream for me!
>
>The time doesn't matter, I have years to pass.

Pulling this off really depends on how much you already know.  The
fact of the matter is that the "technology" of harpsichord making is
very refined.  To build a working harpsichord from scratch that
actually sounded good and played well is like building an airplane
from scratch that actually flew and handled well.  If you had a PhD in
Aeronautical Engineering, and lots of practical construction knowledge
and experience, you might be able to pull it off.  If you had a chance
to study several working early wooden biplanes in detail you might be
able to build one, but those planes don't perform like modern planes.
Or you could buy a kit plane (or at least you used to be able to...)

Harpsichords were developed for at least 300 years, and they reached a
level of technological sophistication that is hard for people jaded by
computers to appreciate.  Just figuring out what guage strings to use
for which notes would be a major experimental project, not counting
trying to evaluate different compositions for the wires.  The strings
develop lots of stress on the frame of the instrument -- imagine
spending two years lovingly handfitting joints of your own design, and
watching the whole thing splinter when you tune the strings to pitch.
Imagine doing it over again several times while you figure out what
joints work and what ones don't. You don't have *that* much time to
relearn the technology.

So the bottom line is that to succeed in this project you *must* educate
yourself.  And frankly, one of the best ways to educate yourself is to
build a kit.  Start small and cheap and consider it just an educational
exercise.  Hubbard has an "ottavino" kit (I think that's the way it is
spelled), which is a tiny virginal (or a small box-shaped harpsichord),
and Zuckermann has a small Italian virginal.  Or you could do like I did
and build a clavichord first.  Any of these can be had for something
under $2000.  If you do a good job you should easily be able to sell
the finished instrument for what you payed for it -- they are all 
beautiful, elegant little gadgets.  (Personally I would find it very
hard to sell my clavichord, though...maybe after I build another one.)

I don't mean to sound discouraging -- in all honesty, I can't think of
many better ways to spend your time.  Building the clavichord was one
of the most entertaining things I have ever done -- enough to cause me
to spend $5000 on a harpsichord kit, and I will probably get another
before I finish this one.  $5000 was a *lot* to spend, no doubt about
it.  Well worth it.

Kent



-- 
Kent Crispin			"No reason to get excited",
kent@netcom.netcom.com		the thief he kindly spoke...