https://www.academia.edu/127249802/Max_Wheel_A_New_Ergonomic_Alternative_to_the_T_bar_Wrench

Piano tuning is a true art, requiring not only a musical ear but also a certain skill and physical strength. Master tuners typically use a modern L-shaped hammer wrench – a tool that provides the necessary torque for adjusting string tension. However, if you look closely, you can see that tuning a piano with this tool is not the easiest or most convenient task.

The L-shaped hammer wrench, of course, is reliable and allows you to adjust the string tension by rotating the tuning pins, but it also has its drawbacks. When working with it, considerable effort is required, which can lead to muscle strain, and the accuracy of tuning, especially for beginners, leaves something to be desired. In addition, with frequent use and careless handling, there is a risk of deforming the tuning pins and wearing out their edges. The T-bar wrench, which used to be common, is now only used by tuners for removing tuning pins.

And so, reflecting on simplicity and convenience, I, an unsuccessful engineering technologist, had an idea. What if we looked at the problem differently? What if we tried using a wheel as a tool for tuning, abandoning the usual L-shaped approach?

After all, we still rotate the tuning pin, creating the necessary torque, so why not rotate it with a wheel?

Of course, the question immediately arises: “will there be enough torque if the lever arm is shorter?” And this is a very valid question. After all, the traditional design requires considerable effort and a good grip. But I thought that we could try using wood for it to touch the tuning pin. Yes, wood, which, as everyone knows, is softer than metal, and therefore will not damage the tuning mechanism or the edges of the tuning pins.

Could a wheel with a wooden socket provide smoother and more accurate tuning, minimizing effort and deformation of the tuning pin, compared to a modern L-shaped hammer wrench? Can a wooden socket reduce the wear of the tuning pins, providing the necessary durability and coefficient of friction? What if the diameter of the wheel is larger? What if we borrow ergonomics from a bicycle?

The analogy with changing a tire on a car is self-evident. Just like when changing a tire, a tool is needed to provide the necessary torque, as well as accuracy and smoothness of adjustment when tuning a piano. And here, when we imagine the wrench that turns the bolt, we can also imagine the “Max’s Wheel” as a tool that will perform a similar function, but on the end of the tuning pin, creating the necessary torque, while allowing the tuner to be more sensitive to the impact on the tuning pin. What if we use the wheel not as a wrench, but as a steering wheel?

Let me clarify right away, these are just thoughts that popped into my head, and not a claim to a scientific discovery at all. Perhaps there is nothing new in this, but perhaps my little thought could be useful to those who tune pianos and other instruments with pinblocks.

So… my grandparents moved out of there home and my parents have taken on a lot of the storage. My grandpa had 2 harpsichord one he built himself. We don’t want to dump them for the sentimental value, but we have no room to set them back up to have people try them out and can’t keep storing them. We want to donate them to somewhere they could be used or at least the one my grandfather built. Does anyone have thoughts on how to do go about donating or selling harpsichords. Any help is appreciated!

Note we also have a French horn we are looking to sell and several unique string instruments we don’t know what to do with.

I can’t find a book for abrsm grade 6 harpsichord.

For context I am grade 8 piano and have a harpsichord that I wanted to learn.

Is there a grade 6 book?

I would like to start making a English double harpsichord, I want to know what is the best tutorial for making one as well as what I need to get started.

Hey! I want to buy my first harpsichord, but i don't know where to buy it. I can't buy a full sized one because i don't have space to fit a "grand" harpsichord. So i am searching for a virginal actually. I live in Brazil so transportation needs to be safe. Can anyone help me?

I have had access to a borrowed harpsichord for a year now, and recently got my own. As a lifelong piano player I know what to do whenever I sit down. What are some harpsichord practice recommendations (before I finally find a teacher)? I tried playing Hanon, etc., but it didn't feel right somehow. Thank you for any help!