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String availability

  • 1.  String availability

    Member
    Posted 11-06-2020 08:02
    Has anyone found someone to order strings from now that instrument workshop is out of business?

    Thank you.

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    Rex Roseman
    Akron OH
    330-289-2948
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  • 2.  RE: String availability

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 11-08-2020 23:26
    Harpsichord Clearing House

    or

    Zuckerman

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    Atsundo Aikawa
    New York NY
    646-325-6966
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  • 3.  RE: String availability

    Member
    Posted 11-09-2020 08:05
    Tried both and could not get a successful responce.





  • 4.  RE: String availability

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 11-09-2020 08:18
    Mmm. I’ve ordered Harpsichord Clearing House twice recently, and their responses were quick.

    Haven’t tried Zuckerman for a while, though.

    Atsundo

    Sent from my iPhone




  • 5.  RE: String availability

    Member
    Posted 11-09-2020 08:39
    Looking at the Harpsichord Clearing House site again, the problem is they only list wire with loops and I need bulk wire for a clavichord that is strung like a piano with one wire for 2 pins.





  • 6.  RE: String availability

    Posted 11-09-2020 09:44
    You should try Tim Hamilton timpianos@outlook.com.
    www.snowpianos.com

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    Martin Snow
    South Burlington VT
    617-543-1030
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  • 7.  RE: String availability

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 11-09-2020 11:47
    The website for Harpsichord Clearing House should not be taken as being comprehensive. Give them a call or write them an email telling them what you need. We're talking about relatively tiny enterprises here, and one to a few individuals, not big, automated Amazon-style anonymous entities.
    Regards,
    Fred Sturm
    "A mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled." Plutarch






  • 8.  RE: String availability

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 11-09-2020 12:32
    Fred,

    Please don't insult Glenn Giuttari and his gang by calling their business "tiny". They may be a dozen or so fellows working away over there in Southern Massachusetts, but they have a a very wide reach. Supplies are a sideline - they build, restore repair and deal in historic keyboard instruments, with a showroom in Rehoboth and a world-wide listing of instruments for sale. When I wanted to sell my kit harpsichord prior leaving the US (California) some six years ago they found me a buyer - in Beirut, Lebanon of all places - and shipped it there. Ironic, considering my current address... They were very easy to work with, nice people. And yes, it is definitely worthwhile to give them a call - I'm sure they have lots of bulk wire hanging around the shop, and should be able to sell some.

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    Israel Stein RPT
    P.O. Box 68141
    Jerusalem, Israel 9168002
    510-558-0777
    istein248@gmail.com
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  • 9.  RE: String availability

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 11-09-2020 17:23
    Israel,
    A dozen people is a small enterprise. I wasn't insulting anyone, simply pointing out that if you need something from an enterprise like that, and they don't have it listed, you should contact and ask. Same applies to Pianotek, Schaff, Pianoforte Supply, Mapes, etc., etc. Virtually all suppliers we use can be contacted for needs beyond what they list.

    Unfortunately, in some cases there is only one person, and that person may become unresponsive. That is the case with Hubbard as well as Instrument Workshop. Fortunately, Glenn Giuttari has apparently made an arrangement to at least carry Hubbard tongues as a service to the profession. I'm not sure what may be up with Zuckermann, as I have heard more than once that they are also not prompt in responding.

    BTW, historic music wire of various sorts is readily available from several European sources. including Malcolm Rose, Marc Vogel, and Paulello. Shipping is a little pricey, but in my recent purchases, I have found that it is less than I expected.
    Regards,
    Fred Sturm
    University of New Mexico
    fssturm@unm.edu
    http://fredsturm.net
    www.artoftuning.com
    "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." John Dewey






  • 10.  RE: String availability

    Posted 11-09-2020 15:31
    It sounds like you are working on a Zuckermann clavichord. There was a Z. model with stringing as you describe. If so, Zuckermann might sell you a set of strings for this instrument.

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    Ed Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413
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  • 11.  RE: String availability

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 11-09-2020 19:23
    I recently spoke to Glenn Giuttari as I was also looking to purchase more than what he offers on the Harpsichord Clearing House site. He told me that he hopes to expand his current list of supplies but he wants to wait until the economic forecast looks a bit better. Like many believe, that probably will not happen until Covid is behind us. Glenn also told me he was interested in purchasing the Instrument Workshop business after Lutz passed on but, due to the logistics of the inventory move and other factors he could not take it on at the time. That was unfortunate!

    A couple of years ago I called Little Falls Alloy to see if they would sell smaller amounts of wire. If I am remembering correctly, the smallest amount was something like 20lbs per size. If you are planning to spend three lifetimes in business I suppose that would work for you. I spoke to Bob Marinelli recently and asked him if he could take on selling harpsichord supplies but I got nowhere in that conversation. I wonder if there are any other suppliers in the US that would consider such an enterprise. Wishful thinking I'm sure.

    Has anyone tried P-Wire from Stephen Birkett? I have heard his wire is very good. I hope to find another harpsichord restringing job so I can give P-Wire a try.

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    [Don] [McKechnie,] [RPT]
    [Piano Technician]
    [dmckech@ithaca.edu]
    [Home 607.277.7112]
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  • 12.  RE: String availability

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-21-2021 15:05
    Here is a potential resource for various parts and supplies for harpsichords and fortepianos. The link is to delrin plectra, which I think someone asked about not long ago. I'm not sure about wire - but they do have brass and phosphor bronze. It's an Italian firm.

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    Fred Sturm
    University of New Mexico
    fssturm@unm.edu
    http://fredsturm.net
    http://www.artoftuning.com
    "We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Casteneda
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: String availability

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-21-2021 15:21
    Here is another possibility for the future, in Germany. They don't actually have the site up and running yet, but it looks promising for the future. I bookmarked it to look again later. 

    And here is a Canadian source for various wires, along with various harpsichord parts (they claim to supply replacement tongues for Burton and Sperrhake, for instance.
    Regards,
    Fred Sturm
    University of New Mexico






  • 14.  RE: String availability

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-22-2021 12:58
    Thanks Fred, it is good to know that there is a source for delrin strips. I just wish we had a source for them in the US instead of having to order from a supply house in Italy. I have seen the Claviers Baroques site in the past but it looks like they have not updated the site in a while. Note the dates on the home page. When I am ready to place an order for parts I will give this shop a try.

    FYI, I managed to get some bulk wire from Harpsichord Clearing House. Expensive but delivery was fast. I needed more wire for that awful Sabathil. :-)

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    [Don] [McKechnie,] [RPT]
    [Piano Technician]
    [dmckech@ithaca.edu]
    [Home 607.277.7112]
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  • 15.  RE: String availability

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-22-2021 20:17
    I saw the Claviers Baroques dates for updates (average 10 years ago), so I checked PayPal links for buying things and found they were active. Obviously selling parts and supplies is a sideline, but I guess that is probably true of most such businesses these days.
    Regards,
    Fred Sturm
    University of New Mexico
    fssturm@unm.edu
    http://fredsturm.net
    www.artoftuning.com
    “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone. ” Blaise Pascal




  • 16.  RE: String availability

    Posted 02-23-2021 10:27
    And here is a Sussex Workshop which draws iron and brass wire on demand: True it's in the UK - but surely that's a + ? 
    Michael G in Sussex





  • 17.  RE: String availability

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 03-01-2021 21:55
    As long as we're looking at sources of various supplies, Marc Vogel specializes in harpsichord supplies, including delrin, strings, jacks, etc. (also some fortepiano things).

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    Fred Sturm
    University of New Mexico
    fssturm@unm.edu
    http://fredsturm.net
    http://www.artoftuning.com
    "We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Casteneda
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