[sdiy] piano reverb

[jhno]

>> can often be found dirt cheap because they are heavy and big
>
>Is this really true? I thought these were pretty rare. I haven't seen
>one offered for ages. Does anyone have any idea for how much they are
>going?

okay, yipes. it looks like these have gotten kind of rare after all.

here is a really nice primer on buying old synths and ep's:

http://www.alphaentek.com/synths.htm

i fell in love with the cp-70 after playing one on a jazz gig in san
antonio around 1991. the action just felt so great. as it is a real piano,
they benefit greatly from the attentions of a technician who knows what
they are doing.

of course... if you are going to just use the (easily detachable) harp,
which also contains all the electronics, you don't need to worry about the
finer points of voicing and regulating the action.

for such purposes, try to find a parts machine, or a beat up thing.
actually it is possible to e.g. detune the piano entirely and use it as a
just intoned reverb without messing up the instrument. but they deserve
some respect.

i really think the scarcity of commerce with them is due to the fact that
they are so freaking heavy. the action and harp come apart, and weigh
something like 200 pounds apiece (i think the harp is easily heavier, more
like 250). so if they trade hands, they probably do so at a local level,
not ebay et. al.

after playing that one in san antonio, i started looking around a little,
and an old piano teacher sold me his for $500. i have dragged it around
with me all over creation, a labor of love. he just wanted to get rid of it
- an unwieldy useless piece of junk to him. like with hammonds, there are
likely a few in similar situations, growing intricate cobwebs in a basement
corner.

note that there is also a cp-80, which is EVEN BIGGER - full 88 keys. note
also that cp-30 et. al. are not the same - they are piano synths.

i HAVE seen a couple of oddball hybrid acoustic/electric pianos out
there... one at the old black market music in san francisco... i am
thinking it may have been a kawai? who knows whether it is applicable, or
there are others like it.

finally, of course, the diligent SDIYist may simply jump on with a bunch of
piano wire and pickups. i have been thinking of making an actually
portable, tunable many-string reverb. another great idea out of the bag.
anybody hear of something like this?

jhno