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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 16
S
Junior Member
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S
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 16
WANTED: Someone who can build celesta-like keyboard instrument/action for playing my rare chromatic bell percussion instruments.

I am a collector of mallet "keyboard" instruments, bells, and electric pianos. I own four celestas, which are my favorite instruments.

I also own several very rare chromaticsets of bells, for each of which I would love to have a celesta built. I love being able to play percussion with a piano keyboard, like a celeste, keyboard glockenspiel, keyboard xylophone (ever seen one? amazing...), modified saucer-bell toy pianos, etc.

Does anyone know of a keyboard-instrument builder who specializes in strange building projects like this?

Some of the rare instruments I own for which I would like him to build me a proper action include:
1) 49-note set of Deagan Vibra-harp bars (there is an instrument called the Deagan Piano-Vibraharp that functions like a celesta and plays these bars, but only six were ever made and two known to still exist)
2) 49-note set of Deagan Reveille bells.
3) 44-note set of Maas-Rowe Vibrachord bell bars,
4) 49-note set of Malmark handbell castings (these are not rare)

Virtually all celestas have the bars laid flat and utilize resonators. The Deagan Reveille bells must hang vertically, but for the other bells, it does not matter whether they hang vertically or horizonatlly. The only bells that would require resonators is the Deagan Piano Vibraharp re-creation.

The Maas-Rowe Vibrachord bars might be playable by a regular piano, as the bells are quite narrow (7/16") and could fit into a regular string spacing, but that's still pushing it, as most pianos have only 1/2" of spacing for each note's string sets. All the other bells would require specially-spaced actions.

I have attached pictures of each of these types of bell bars. I have also included a picture of my Schiedmayer celeste in bare form, so you can get an idea of the amount of spacing I need, etc.

I'd be looking to pay somewhere between $3000-7000 for it.

Please do not spam this thread with unrelated or unhelpful comments. Thank you in advance for your help.

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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 16
S
Junior Member
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 16
Upon further thought, I guess I would be willing to pay about $5000-8000 for an action that would play the Malmark handbell castings, Deagan vibraharp bars, or Deagan Reveille bells.

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8
M
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8
Hi Screenery, 10 years later, did you find someone to make your instruments?


Moderated by  Piano World, platuser 

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