Peter Barnes Harpsichords.

Welcome to my Website and listing of Keyboard Instruments.

English Harpsichord after Thomas Barton by Peter Barnes 2019.

This harpsichord, made by Peter Barnes in 2019, is in the English tradition and is based on the c.1715 bentside spinet by Keene and Brackley and the 1709 harpsichord by Thomas Barton. It has traditional wooden jacks, guides and keyboard, a detachable lid with solid decorative brass-work and a folding music desk. The inside of the case and the nameboard are made from Cedar wood, with cross-banded walnut capping. 

The harpsichord is strung with Malcolm Rose Iron and brass wire, it has 2x8’ stops and a walnut case and stand. The GG - f3 compass transposes A440 / 415 without loss of top or bottom notes. 

The stand detaches from the harpsichord and can be easily taken apart for transport. This harpsichord is 193cm long, 88cm wide and 21cm deep. It has a soundboard painting by Jennifer Douglas which is closely based on the Coston Harpsichord from the Edinburgh University Collection.

This instrument was recently finished and is now available for sale. 

Price: £9,800.

Click below for bigger images.


English Harpsichord 2019.mp3

Bentside spinet by Peter Barnes 2002.

This spinet is made in American Walnut with Cedar wood marquetry nameboard and cross banded capping. It is a close copy of an original spinet made by Keene and Brackley in c.1715. (Please see my page keene-and-brackley-spinet-c1715.php for photographs of the original instrument.) 

This spinet has been restrung with Malcolm Rose Brass wire and revoiced with Celcon plectra by Colin Booth is about 2010.

It can be tuned to A=415/440 and could be made into a transposing instrument for a further £300.

The case measures 180cm x 65cm x 19cm (70" x 25" x 8") and the stand is 65cm  (25 1/2") high and can be easily taken apart into three pieces for transport. The instrument weighs about 25kg.

For sale for £3,900. 
Michael Johnson FLEMISH SINGLE MANUAL HARPSICHORD  R33  c.2016

This instrument is closely based to the scaling and plucking points taken from the 1637 Andreas Ruckers in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg, (Inv. No. MIR 1073) that instrument was chosen because it is one of the few Ruckers harpsichords that survive almost unaltered. 

However the compass has been extended from the original C/E-c3 to GG-d3 chromatic.    To keep as close as possible to original case dimensions a narrower octave span of 161mm has been used, similar to that of the French makers Taskin and Blanchet.  

This instrument has also a second rank of 8ft jacks plucking the single 8ft choir set behind the 4ft choir.    It gives the facility to work the same string together with the front 8ft jacks.This gives a two 8ft sound that is in many ways preferable to the conventional one using two choirs of strings.
  
Keyboard shafts are made from poplar and the naturals are covered with casein ivory; the accidentals are made from ebony.    Beech is used for the jack blanks and traditional holly for the tongues with peek escapement springs. 

The instrument is voiced with acetyl plectra and is strung to work at A415 with p-wire iron and (Historic Music Wire) brass and red-brass for the bass strings.  

The keyboard will transpose in both directions to give A392 and A440, however there is a loss of the endnote in whichever direction the keyboard is transposed.


The asking price is £18,950 for this instrument complete with stool, spare strings, plectrum and tuning key.    And a Vogel fitted transport cover.

Delin Flemish Harpsichord by Oliver Moor, 2000.
2 x 8' stops with buff, GG-e3 compass transposing 415/440 with the full compass. Traditional soundboard painting after Delin, printed case papers and red case paint in good condition. Further details to follow. The case is approximately 215cm long, 91cm wide and 28cm deep. The stand takes apart into three sections for transport.
The asking price is £7,700.
Harpsichord after Thomas Barton.

BB-d3 compass, can be tuned to 415\440. Brass scaling, 2 x 8' stops with wooden jacks and box guides.

Oak case, cherry nameboard, cross-banded capping and jack rail. Boxwood naturals and ebony sharps, Beech wrestplank and Spruce soundboard. Decorative three-tiered parchment rose, decorative brass hinges and clasps.
Turned wooden stand.
This harpsichord is complete with music desk, spare strings and protective transport cover.
Size: 188cm long, 80cm wide and 22cm high.

Price £2,900.  Now sold.
Clavichord by Douglas Hollick, 1982.

Copied from a five octave, brass strung clavichord by Hass, this fine instrument was commissioned by the current owner with a lid text, soundboard painting, decorative turned stand and case painting which is in excellent condition.

The case measures 176cm long, 57cm wide and 18cm deep. The stand can be easily dismantled into three sections for transport.

The clavichord is in playing order and available for sale for £1,950. It could be further improved with replacement strings including over-wound bass strings, a cosmetically improved repair to the soundboard (see photos) and adjustment of the keys and tangents. This would cost a further £1,200.

Now sold.
Michael Johnson Harpsichord 2012.
Single manual Flemish harpsichord with 2x8' and 4' stops GG-d3 transposing 392/415/440. This harpsichord is complete with matching stool and fully padded cover and is now in my somerset studio.
Available now for offers around £14,000 
Double Manual French Harpsichord by Michael Thomas 1973.
GG/AA-d3 compass double manual harpsichord with 2 x 8' stops with buff and 4' stop. Wooden jacks, bird quill plectra, soundboard painting and decorative trestle stand. It comes complete with a fully padded cover for transportation. The case is painted blue with gold mouldings and measures 88” long  x 35” wide.
This harpsichord is currently tuned to a=415 and is in need of some servicing and regulation. The keyboards need some levelling and one string and several plectra are broken. It can be viewed in North London and is available as seen for £2,800. 
If you would like me to replace all the plectra and regulate and service it then this would cost an additional £1,100 plus transportation cost.


Here is a summary of instruments for sale:



Peter Barnes, English Harpsichord after Thomas Barton.

Iron stringing with 2 x 8' stops, Walnut case and stand. Soundboard painting by Jennifer Douglas. Transposing 415/440 GG-f3. Now finished and for sale for £9,800


Single Manual Flemish Harpsichord after Delin. 


In process of construction, a single manual Flemish harpsichord, light and of modest proportions.

2 x 8' stops, GG-e3 Transposing 415/440.

The case measures 210cm long, 88cm wide and 26cm high.

Price depending on decoration, from £7,000.


Double Basses by Peter Barnes 2016 and 2018.


Double Basses after Domenico Montagana c. 1750, for sale £1,800 and £3,800. (See Double Bass page for details double-bass.php )


Used instruments:


Bentside spinet by Peter Barnes 2002.


Choice of two Michael Johnson Single Manual Harpsichords. See Above.


Double Manual French Harpsichord by Michael Thomas.



110 unused David Bolton white jacks and tongues £120.


Harpsichord after Kirchmann, made in 1962 by John Barnes. 

FF-f3 five octave compass. 2 x 8' and 4' stops with buff. 

Re-strung with Rose Iron and Brass, replacement action cloth and set up.

Available for long term hire at very favourable rates (because I need more space in my workshop!)




You can contact me by phone on 01373 831498 or (+44)7733619002, or by email peterbarnes850@btinternet.com or via this page: contact-us-and-instrument-transport-links.php






Zuckermann Italian Harpsichord, nicely painted in blue, with turned stand and decorative lid hinges c.1970. One 8’ register, BB-e3 compass which can be tuned to a=440/415. In good playing condition. £600. Sold.

Now being made: 


Single Manual Flemish Harpsichord 

after Delin. (Similar to photos on right and below)


Traditional soundboard painting by Jennifer Douglas, printed papers and marbled case decoration. 


2 x 8' stops plus buff. The compass is GG-f3 and the keyboard transposes 415/440. 


Available with choice of decoration from £7,000.


Harpsichord after Kirchmann, made by John Barnes 1962.

FF-f3 compass, can be tuned to a=440 or 415.

2 x 8 foot stops plus 4 foot and buff stop.

Traditional sound, but 'revival' style case design.

Re-strung with Malcolm Rose's iron and brass wire, newly set up with new cloth on keyframe. 

Available for long term hire.

Double Bass after Domenico Montagana c. 1750.
Baroque neck angle suitable for traditional gut strings.
made by Peter Barnes in 2016, 
for sale £1,800. 
More details on my Double Bass page: double-bass.php
Double Bass after Domenico Montagana c. 1750, 
made by Peter Barnes in 2018, Maple neck, sides and back, Sitka Spruce table and ebony fingerboard, for sale £3,800.