[CAUT] harpsichord information

[Ed Sutton]

The Challis is something of a historical instrument in its own right. One I worked on had a cast aluminum frame, aluminum wrestplank, wood soundboard with brass tubing bridge. Later he went to aluminum soundboards.

It was mechanically sound, and not unpleasant, but was boring compared to more historiacally founded instruments. It didn't have the change of color from register to register which is such a delight in a good small harpsichord. The Challis was even and bland, as I remember it.

The jacks were machined out of some kind of hard plastic (bakelight?) It had separate damper jacks. I wondered if the jacks would hold up much longer.

I might as well admit I replaced the leather plectra with delrin. Challis would have shot me, but it didn't make much difference in the sound.

Ed S.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Andrew Anderson 
  To: Ed Sutton ; caut at ptg.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 8:37 PM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] haprsichord information


  A customer of mine obtained a Challis harpsichord and I must say that I really enjoyed it.  The last string in the high register snapped before it would go into tune.  I'm going to have to look into resizing it.  I need some more jacks for the lower register, three if I recall correctly.


  When I sat down to tune it I was surprised how close to in-tune it was after more then a year from its last service and a move.  It seems to have a metal soundboard.  My wife gave a recital on it and a Sauter I sold them.  I may not have discriminating ears for harpsichords but it sounded great to me.


  Andrew Anderson, Artisan Piano


  On Apr 22, 2009, at 2:41 PM, Ed Sutton wrote:


    According to Zuckerman, in The Modern Harpsichord (1969), this is a phenolic bushing in an aluminum wrestplank. R & R followed the path of Challis in seeking stability by replacing wood with aluminum.The hole and tuning pin are tapered. Pins were tightened by tapping. If the stuff is cracking, you may have an opportunity to add your creativity. Maybe you can replace the phenolic with wood plugs, or install a wood wrestplank.

    Ed Sutton
      ----- Original Message -----
      From: Dr. Henry Nicolaides
      To: College and University Technicians
      Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 1:42 PM
      Subject: [CAUT] haprsichord information


      Hi list,

      We have a circa 1970 Rutkowski & Robinette.  Does anyone know if they are still building and/or any contact information.  It has some loose tuning pins that do not appear to be in a wood pin block of any sort.  More like some sort of composite material.  Some look like tuning pin bushings that are on top of the block surface.  They have a tendency to crack when driving the pin in further.  A few strings need replacing now and I would suspect restrings would be nice if bringing this once fine instrument back to performance level.  We have a new faculty that wants to use it with historical temperaments in performance and also some recording.

      Thanks,

      Henry Nicolaides, Piano Technician
      SIU School of Music
      1000 S. Normal Avenue
      Carbondale, Illinois 62901

      email: henryn at siu.edu


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