Pianotech

  • 1.  Sperrhaken-Passau harpsichord jacks - spares?

    Posted 11-13-2024 08:43
      |   view attached

    Hi

    I would like to obtain some jacks for a Sperrhaken-Passau single manual harpsichord.  I realise it to is a forlorn endeavour however any advice is welcome.  Thank you.

    John

    (example picture attached)



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    John Kelly
    London
    +44 753 171 3278
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  • 2.  RE: Sperrhaken-Passau harpsichord jacks - spares?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 11-13-2024 09:51

    Have you tried Harpsichord Clearing House?

    gng@harpsichord.com 



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    Wesley Owen RPT
    Evanston IL
    (847) 257-5554
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Sperrhaken-Passau harpsichord jacks - spares?

    Posted 11-13-2024 11:43

    I will, thank you for the advice.



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    John Kelly
    London
    +44 753 171 3278
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Sperrhaken-Passau harpsichord jacks - spares?

    Posted 11-13-2024 11:16

    I've rebuilt 2 of those 3 or 4 years ago, and just recently threw away a whole box of those. If i recall correctly the plastic is too brittle to work with and the jack dimensions are not the same size as a "standard" jack. Thus the only real solution is to replace all jacks and jack guides so the instrument will be more stable to play on. Which is what i did.

    -chris



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    Chernobieff Piano Restorations

    Inventor of Inertia Touch Wave (ITW)
    Advanced Resonant Compression Engineered Soundboards (ARCHES)

    865-986-7720 (text only please)
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Sperrhaken-Passau harpsichord jacks - spares?

    Posted 11-13-2024 11:34
    It's the tongues which are brittle but the jacks of my instrument are fine.

    Please no-one throw away parts like this.

    I've a two manual instrument which I was working on some years ago and have mislaid half a rank of jacks :-(

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bgsy05Lm2w is a recital on the single manual instrument and they are worthy of restoration. When tuned well resultant tones can make the instrument sound extra rich almost like an organ

    Best wishes

    David P


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    David Pinnegar, B.Sc., A.R.C.S.
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    +44 1342 850594



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  • 6.  RE: Sperrhaken-Passau harpsichord jacks - spares?

    Member
    Posted 11-13-2024 17:30

    I wish those doing rebuilds, repairs, stripping pianos before disposal would save the parts and advertise them on a surplus parts community page. In particular the brass flanges from old chickerings, hammers, shanks,flanges, whippens, music desks, lyres etc.

    I purchased an inventory of a techs bolts, screws, nuts , jacks even some repair manuals I am still sorting out what I got but it is worth way more than the postage I paid. 

    You can try contacting Anne Beechem Ackers who is in the Charleston /Savannah Chapter



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    James Kelly
    Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
    Pawleys Island SC
    (843) 325-4357
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Sperrhaken-Passau harpsichord jacks - spares?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 11-14-2024 08:33

    My generalized experience over 50 years (saving old parts and observing others' saving of parts, instruments, and stuff) is that nobody wants them until AFTER they've been discarded. Till then, they simply satisfy our emotional hoarding instinct, thinking we'll need it someday (someday only comes after...). Therefore I've been slowly trying to reverse it and throw stuff out. It's oddly satisfying once it's gone and you can't change your mind, but it's tough making the decision. 

    I'm with Chris...chuck it if there's not a near likelihood of reusing it. There's always somebody else somewhere who hasn't gotten to this point yet where I can find it if I need it. 

    I did wisely grab a complete set of Chickering flanges (replaced in the 60's or 70's so they were good quality replacements) from a 121 that was going to the dump. Why? Beause one my personal instruments is a 1907 121 with gradually failing flanges. I have a ready supply whenever I need one. Now I simply need to decide to discard those nice steel mounting rails they came with (that somewhere somehow "I'll use for something...") 

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor



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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Sperrhaken-Passau harpsichord jacks - spares?

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 11-15-2024 09:13

    Get copies at harpsichordjacks.net



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    Douglas Laing RPT
    Tuner/Technician
    Tampa FL
    (727) 539-9602
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Sperrhaken-Passau harpsichord jacks - spares?

    Posted 11-17-2024 13:51

    Thank you Douglas that was very kind advice.  I have messaged them.

    John



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    John Kelly
    London
    +44 753 171 3278
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Sperrhaken-Passau harpsichord jacks - spares?

    Posted 11-18-2024 14:44

    The most common Sperrhake jacks have a brittle brown colored tongue, very prone to break when repairing or replacing the plectrum.

    But the later Sperrhakes had a white plastic tongue like the one in your photo. These are not so fragile. Hopefully you can find some of these.



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    Ed Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413
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    Original Message