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Buy A Jack Peters
Instrument When it comes time to
purchase an instrument, we can help you through the process. Our mission is to
create an instrument for you that meets your needs, and we believe we are expert at doing
this for our customers.
 How much do our instruments cost? Many of our harpsichords can be
built for between $14,000 and $18,000, clavichords from $3,000. However, instruments
can cost more depending on features and finish. Once your requirements for an
instrument are determined we can determine the price before work commences on your
instrument.
Follow these steps to purchase an instrument.
Step 1
Read the articles under Choosing a Harpsichord as background on the instrument.
There are also several excellent books on the topic of historical keyboard
instruments. The style of instrument you select will determine the tonal
characteristics, range of notes, 1 or 2 manuals (keyboards) and the stringing
scale (speaking length of each string), and perhaps some of the materials used in
construction.
Step 2
Understand the type of music literature that you will likely want to play on the
instrument. Historical instruments based on different periods were designed for
specific music and composers of the time.
Step 3
Understand your space and portability requirements. Though harpsichords are smaller
than today's grand pianos, the "scale" and therefore size of a harpsichord can
vary between 4 feet and 8 feet. The smaller sizes are much more portable and can fit
inside many midsize autos.
Step 4
Decide on features. There are a few to pick from that must be decided early in the
design process. For example, a buff stop, or a shiftable keyboard*.
If you have questions about a specific style of instrument, the cost, build schedule or
any other aspect of acquiring and maintaining your instrument, contact us directly.
*A handy feature for selecting between today's standard pitch of A440 for playing with
modern instruments or reverting to historical pitch of A415.
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Jack Peters
Harpsichords
14330 Phinney Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98133
jpearlymus[AT]comcast[DOT]net
(206) 364-8254 |
