I fix and maintain harpsichords. Let me know if you have an instrument that needs some work!
Here are some basic harpsichord maintenance videos (below). If you have ideas of videos you’d like me to make, or would like me to work on your harpsichord, let me know through the contact page.
Types of maintenance that I do:
Tuning
Voicing or regulation of instrument
Fix broken plectrum & strings
Trouble-shoot various problems with the action and repetition of notes
Other larger projects including installation of new set of jacks, re-stringing instrument, and replacing all the plectrum. Contact me if you have questions about what I am able to do. If there is something that is beyond my skill level, I bring Ton Amir of the Klinkhamer Workshop here from Amsterdam once a year to work on more complicated projects.
I have worked on instruments for many individuals, and at the following institutions: Stony Brook University, Schubert Club Museum, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin, Madison & Eau Claire campuses, University of Michigan, College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, Olivet Congregational church (Saint Paul, MN), Wayzata Community Church (Wayzata, MN)
How to fix a broken plectrum.
This is how I replace broken delrin plectrum. I learned the basics of how to do this as a graduate student at the University of Michigan from Edward Parmentier in 1999. The details of it were learned while apprenticing with Ton Amir at the Klinkhamer Workshop in 2013. I am using pre-cut delrin ordered from Marc Vogel at: https://www.vogel-scheer.de/en/
How to make a wire loop by yourself.
I learned how to make wire loops by myself from Ton Amir while apprenticing with him in 2013. I use this method all the time when I am working on harpsichords! It takes some practice, but well worth it.
How to tune a harpsichord.
In this video I use the Cleartune app to set the temperament. There are ways to do this by ear without an app. Here is a link to Ketil Haugsand, who I studied with in Cologne with a DAAD scholarship, showing one way of doing this: Haugsand Tuning