We are excited to present an instrument that we rarely see - a vintage Hohner Clavinet E7. It's been years since we had one here, and expect it to go quickly. This Clavinet is in excellent condition, and is in perfect working order. Before we fully get into it, we'll present a quick history lesson: The Greek engineer Ctesibius of Alexandria is credited with inventing the Organ in the 3rd century BC. German Organist Johann Speth is credited with inventing the Clavichord in the 15th century. The Dutch Ruckers family are credited with inventing the Harpsichord in the 16th century. Italian Organist Bartolomeo Cristofori is credited with inventing the Piano in the 18th century. 200 Years after the piano was born, German musician and engineer Ernst Zacharias is credited for inventing various electro-mechanical musical instruments for the Hohner company in Trossingen, West Germany. This was in the 1950’s and 1960’s, resulting in struments like the Guitaret, Pianet and Cembalet . His most notable contribution to the music world, however, was his invention of the Clavinet. Introduced in 1964 (and discontinued in 1982), the Clavinet is an electrically amplified keyboard that produces sounds by a rubber pad striking a point on a tensioned string and was originally designed to resemble the Renaissance-era Clavichord. Although originally intended for home use, the Clavinet became popular on stage, and could be used to create electric guitar sounds on a keyboard. It is strongly associated with Stevie Wonder, who used the instrument extensively, particularly on his 1972 hit "Superstition", and was regularly featured in rock, funk and reggae music throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Modern digital keyboards can emulate the Clavinet sound, but there is also a grass-roots industry of repair technicians and enthusiasts who continue to maintain the instrument. We are very fortunate to have a 1970’s Hohner Clavinet E7 in our possession! The E7 is essentially the same as the D6 but considered much better for live gigs, particularly if you plan to tour. It’s a more reliable model, sans the unreliable wood case, unstable legs and odd windshield! This E7 was fully restored in 2017 with new Strings and Pluckers and the action is considered to be excellent. All of the Keys align straight (see photos), which is a good indicator of a Clavinet’s condition. One of the latches on the black hard cover is broken. This is the only issue whatsoever. We would suggest being careful about transporting it with the cover. This is a rare instrument, especially in such good condition. We look forward to finding a new home for it! ***Due to the size and weight, this Clavinet is not eligible for free shipping. We've marked it as local pickup only, as that's the preference - but if you need it shipped to you, please contact us directly.***
