Members Stabby Posted September 11, 2010 Members Share Posted September 11, 2010 So today I've become the proud owner of a Hohner Cembalet I for the price of Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members piano39 Posted September 11, 2010 Members Share Posted September 11, 2010 Looks like the coolest thing ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tspit74 Posted September 11, 2010 Members Share Posted September 11, 2010 Looks beatiful.Way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted September 11, 2010 Author Members Share Posted September 11, 2010 Any idea how to know if this works though? I connect the DIN plug to an amplifier's REC/PLAY but all I hear is a very loud buzz. Can't hear any notes. Anyway, this is possibly the first electric harpsichord so it has some historic value no doubt. From what I've heard this instrument is next to impossible to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted September 11, 2010 Author Members Share Posted September 11, 2010 Found out what's wrong. Here's the deal. Each note in the cembalet has an adhesive pad that plucks the note. 95% of these are worn off or simply gone. Only 2 good pads are left which means only 2 notes work. The buzz was caused by a bad connection of the ground (pretty much a bad repair job done earlier), but this can be easily fixed. All I have to do is replace all the pads and then everything works. Can anyone tell me if this is easy to do and where I can get the necessary parts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tspit74 Posted September 11, 2010 Members Share Posted September 11, 2010 Email these guys and see if the pianet pads work with the cembelet: http://www.gti.net/junebug/clavinet/products.html#PianetStickyPads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mate_stubb Posted September 11, 2010 Members Share Posted September 11, 2010 That's a gorgeous cabinet. I owned and gigged a pianet for many years. Good luck with your repairs. It will sound really funky when you get it up and going again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted September 11, 2010 Author Members Share Posted September 11, 2010 I found some more information. The cembalet uses small pieces of foam rubber to pluck the reeds. They have all crumbled (all the crumbled pieces are inside the cabinet). So all I need to do is replace those. Can I just buy some foam rubber and cut them in the right size? Also, most of the reeds have corrosed at the top, some have even broken off. Doesn't that affect the pitch of the notes? I don't have the experience to know how to handle that. Any idea how I can get replacement reeds? (either by buying them or having them made at the right specifications) I think eventually I'll try to replace all the reeds and springs too. Might take a couple years before I get to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members frogmonkey Posted September 11, 2010 Members Share Posted September 11, 2010 That's really cool! I read your other post with interest and amusement I'm glad you got it! Welcome to the vintage-instrument-repair hobby You'll have a pretty unique sound and vibe in your bag of tricks when you get it working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted September 11, 2010 Author Members Share Posted September 11, 2010 The pieces that pluck the reeds are not foam rubber after all! Wikipedia said it's foam rubber and a Cembalet N owner confirms that, but it seems the Cembalet I is completely different from the N. Upon close inspection of the pulverised pieces, my conclusion is that it's leather. The surface looks and feels a lot like leather (black color) while the inside is brown. I remember when the leather of my watch started pulverising and it's exactly that. These leather pieces strike the reeds from below (the pianet's pads strike from above). It's obvious that this is a very early design of the electric harpsichord, a design that's different from later Cembalets, so it seems I do have something quite special in my hands. Still, I'd like to know if it's even possible to get replacement reeds first. I don't feel like going through all this trouble if the broken reeds are irreplacable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted September 12, 2010 Author Members Share Posted September 12, 2010 I found a guy who makes pluckers and dampeners for the Cembalet, so everything should be alright. Also, would it be a good idea to replace the output with a 1/4 inch jack output? It needs a guitar amp anyway, so it would be better than the current DIN plug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mate_stubb Posted September 12, 2010 Members Share Posted September 12, 2010 Yeah, I would replace it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tspit74 Posted September 13, 2010 Members Share Posted September 13, 2010 Or keep it original and make an adapter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted September 14, 2010 Author Members Share Posted September 14, 2010 Or keep it original and make an adapter. I cannot keep the current output. It's a 3 meter long cable and the ground part broke off just outside the cabinet. I will have to replace it anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Plink Floyd Posted September 14, 2010 Members Share Posted September 14, 2010 Awesome score, Stabby! Good luck restoring it. Meanwhile, enjoy Rockin Judith on her fully functional Cembalet. I like how it sounds even through a camcorder mic. I can imagine it would sound great recorded directly. YkP9pqzvpCk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted September 14, 2010 Author Members Share Posted September 14, 2010 I think the Cembalet in the video is a Cembalet N. There's quite a difference in sound. Mine has tubes, while the N is solid state. It's a little more common, mine is next to impossible to find I don't know yet. Once restored I might either keep it or sell it. It sure is a beauty. Depends on how much I can ask for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Plink Floyd Posted September 14, 2010 Members Share Posted September 14, 2010 Yeah, I noticed the difference in cabinets. Yours is in beautiful shape! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted September 14, 2010 Author Members Share Posted September 14, 2010 Any idea how much this would be worth? I might not need this after all. Will be very glad to breathe new life into this and have others play it for the next 30 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Plink Floyd Posted September 14, 2010 Members Share Posted September 14, 2010 Any idea how much this would be worth? No, but surely more than you paid for it. eBay shows no completed listings, but there's an 'N' model for sale now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted September 14, 2010 Author Members Share Posted September 14, 2010 Meanwhile, enjoy Rockin Judith on her fully functional Cembalet. I like how it sounds even through a camcorder mic. I can imagine it would sound great recorded directly. Here's some direct recordings: http://www.esnips.com/web/HOHNERCEMBALETN Check out those by Michel Ramos. Sounds amazing. I can only wonder how much it is worth. A Cembalet I is next to impossible to find. A Cembalet I in this condition with the original legs is even more rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Plink Floyd Posted September 14, 2010 Members Share Posted September 14, 2010 Cool. Sounds very much (to my ear) like a Pianet. I've never had the chance to play one, but I'd like to. No sustain pedal, though obvoiusly players have adjusted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted September 14, 2010 Author Members Share Posted September 14, 2010 Just found a better direct recording: http://www.divshare.com/download/7963017-d68 Sounds so good I want to keep it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tomkeen Posted September 15, 2010 Members Share Posted September 15, 2010 It does sound really cool indeed. I can imagine it being perfect for experimental music when you run it through some effects. Space echo + distortion + phaser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted April 17, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 I've been restoring this thing for the past week and it's going great. So far I've replaced all the pluckers and dampeners and I've cleaned the keys. I also took out the DIN-output and replaced it with a jack. The tube pre-amp has to be looked at since it doesn't amplify the sound. I've done some testing by taking the signal before the pre-amp and by increasing the gain on my mixer I get a good and clear sound. It sounds great After that, all that's left to be done is tuning, which will probably be the hardest part. Once finished, it will be used on stage by this band: http://www.myspace.com/thebobbyjamesfamily (the keyboard player is my cousin, not me) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Purity_Control Posted April 17, 2011 Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 Did not so many of these make it out of the US? I like, but they're rarely seen over here and go for a lot. A buggered one just went for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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