I’ll be adding information about my experience with the Hohner Cembalet here.  Current plans are to run through:

• bypassing the footswell switch
• cleaning out the case
• the “found” state of my Cembalet N
• manufacturing “strikers”

I’ve pushed a very rough HTML page to Cembalet.com; if you can get past the spartan appearance a few of those links will send you to some of the information that’s helped me to date.

I’ve recently become the happy owner of a Cembalet. Like most Cembalets, this one has problems (buzz, gummy pluckers, etc). These are notes and links to helpful information for cleanup and restoration.

This is very similar to the Pianet in appearance; the biggest identifier as a Cembalet is it’s key range runs from C to C (where the Pianet runs F to F).

The Cembalet is the “father” of the Pianet, and the “grandfather” of the Clavinet.

While I couldn’t find manufacturing numbers, it looks like these are rare instruments (one dialog suggesting there may be less than 100 in operational condition)

The keyboard I’m looking at makes no sound; the electronics may actually be fine.  It sounds as though the most common problem is in the “pluckers” the Cembalet uses to create sound.  Over time these deteriorate and the keyboard is unable to produce a tone.  It appears that an individual or two once recreated the “pluckers” for restoration purposes but haven’t had any for sale for over a year.

The description for these “pluckers” (link below) suggests that once replacement parts are acquired the repair is relatively quick and straightforward.

I did find one shop in California that lists the Cembalet as a unit they work on.

The Cembalet N had an optional amplifier which mounted underneath the keyboard.

Originally the unit would have had a lid/music stand; as listed it does not

Here are a few additional links I found informative:

YouTube videos of the Cembalet:
In action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkP9pqzvpCk
In action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVcu2miDLWo
In need of repair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyg36Ht6diw

Fan site dedicated to the Cembalet (with Images of each model):
    http://www.hohner-cembalet.com/hohner_cembalet/

Wikipedia entry:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cembalet

Replacement “Pluckers”, noted above
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/280957018660

Amplifier Schematic:
    http://www.ep-service.nl/upload/files/hohner_cembalet_n_schematic.pdf

Forum dialog around the Cembalet:
    http://clavinetdotcommessageboard39332.yuku.com/topic/815/Cembalet-N-question#.VFkoVofEKKc

Other Links:
http://www.gti.net/junebug/clavinet/pianetn_upgrade.htm

http://www.gti.net/junebug/clavinet/pianet_t_manual.pdf

http://www.antdickinson.co.uk/blog/2011/8/30/renovating-a-hohner-pianet-t.html

http://clavinetdotcommessageboard39332.yuku.com/topic/939

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/689107-hohner-pianet-output-buzzing.html