My husband, a complete novice, built a very nice Hubert (1784) fretted
clavichord with Zuckermann parts -- Ed Kottick did the action.  The tone is
quite nice, as well as the action.  Obtaining pre-cut parts from Zuckermann
is a viable alternative for a beginner who wants to learn the basics.  Then
it would probably be easier to construct from "scratch" or a drawing.

Carol lei

*Dr. Carol lei Breckenridge*
*Professor Emeritus, Central College*
*6100 Textile Rd.*
*Ypsilanti MI 48197-8990 USA*
*515-419-9582*

On Mon, Feb 6, 2017 at 6:16 AM, Domenico Statuto (GMail) <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Peter, I am well aware there isn't such an object as an "easy" clavichord,
> that's why I put the "easy" between quotation marks. In fact, the idea of
> making a clavichord has scared me for years for this very reason. I know
> I'll be lucky if my first clavichord would be playable at all, let alone
> the beauty of the tone. However, I'd like to try.
>
> Thank you for your insight, in particular for the overwound strings part,
> it's something I overlooked and that lends me towards the Hubert as
> overwinding is a problem I'd prefer to avoid, nor I'd know where to get
> already-made overwound strings.
> And BTW, the Hubert is doable without overwound strings? it has 7 notes -
> 14 strings - less than the Silbermann in the bass, but it should be about
> the same length, so I guess the Hubert should need about 16-18 overwound
> strings? Or am I missing something?
>
> (or: how do you professionals calculate string diameter for clavichords?)
>
> Domenico
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Bavington" <
> [log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, February 06, 2017 10:48 AM
> Subject: Re: Clavichord tangents position
>
>
> Domenico wrote:
>
> I don’t know yet which instrument I would make, sorry. I
>> have a drawing of the Nuremberg Silbermann 1775 (MIR 1061),
>> unfretted, and a drawing of the Nuremberg Hubert 1789 (MIR 1058),
>> fretted, is on its way, But I have a lot of doubts
>>
>
> > will I be able to make a fretted
>
>> clavichord with all the cranked keyboard and tangent position and so
>> on?
>>
>
> Not any mpore difficult than making an unfretted one, I'd say. The plan
> will give you all the basic details. You can check the tangent positions
> using the methods already discussed on the list, and if necessary
> re-draw the rack.
>
> I read the Hubert has some complicated way of guiding the
>> keys...
>>
>
> It isn't complicated. Hubert usually used pins between the far ends of
> the keylevers, with the sides of the levers padded with leather. In
> truth, I do not personally believe that this is a good system, because
> if the ambient humidity increases, the ends of the levers swell causing
> the keys to stick; and if you make them loose enough to avoid this, they
> are just too loose for a really controlled feel to the action. Moreover,
> some sorts of leather can become 'sticky' which can also cause keys to
> stay down, even if there is sufficient clearance.
>
> If I made a Hubert, I would change the guidance to a rack system. With a
> rack, incidentally, the essential thing for a quient action is to have a
> gap between the rack and the keylever ends of at least 3 mm, preferably
> a bit more. Of course you must also have as little play between the
> guide slips and the rack slots as possible, and the guide slips should
> be thin - less than 1 mm if possible. The material of the slips is
> largely irrelevant.
>
> On the other side, is the Silbermann a good-sounding
>> instrument? I find it has a very small soundboard, isn’t it
>> detrimental to the tone?
>>
>
> It is IMHO a superb design. However, the difficulty is not the size of
> the soundboard: it is almost an ideal size, and the bridge is ideally
> placed on it. No, the problem for a maker is the foreshortening of the
> bass, which makes necessary a large number of overwound strings. I do
> not believe this design will work at all well with plain wire (though
> you could try silver - recommended by Martin Skowroneck - and even gold
> if you can afford it!). At least 16 notes require overwound strings:
> that's 32 strings to make and you need to be set up to do it, or find
> someone reliable who will do it for you ...
>
> I am looking to a
>> clavichord both “easy” to make but with a good tone, or should I say
>> a clavichord which is easier to produce a good tone.
>>
>
> Both the designs you mention are good bases for a new instrument. But it
> is the *maker* that produces the clavichord, not the design. Don't
> expect the design to do the difficult work for you.
>
> Whatever design you choose, it will never be *easy* to make a clavichord
> with a good tone. It is extremely hard to get everything right, and
> apart from fine woodworking skills it requires endless trial and error
> and, ideally, long experience. If you want quick results, make another
> harpsichord or spinet instead. But of course, you may have beginner's
> luck (and I wish you every success).
>
> Peter
>
> --
> Peter Bavington
> Clavichord Maker
> 291 Sprowston Mews
> LONDON
> E7 9AE
> www.peter-bavington.co.uk
>
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Note:  opinions  expressed on HPSCHD-L are those of the  individual con-
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versity of Iowa.  For a brief  summary of list  commands, send mail to
[log in to unmask]  saying  HELP .
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