I make my clavichords and harpsichords in my workshop in an early 19th century family owned dairy farm in the village of Daverdisse, located in the Ardennes, in the southern part of Belgium. Needless to say, my instruments are totally handcrafted.
No kit. Nothing of the like.
Each instrument is made to order from wood grown, cut and air-dried in the Ardennes. This area is blessed with a splendid diversity of trees to include oak, beech, wild cherry, spruce, walnut, maple, elm, ash tree, lime, poplar, pine, larch, and more. This allows me to select the best wood for the appropriate purpose. For example, natural wild cherry casework is exceptionally solid while maintaining a tasteful appearance and a very fine tone. For soundboards, I select quarter-sawn spruce from the French Jura Mountains or cypress from Southern France.
I often visit international collections of instruments to collect first hand data on original keyboard instruments. My workshop specializes in early instruments from the German and Franco-Flemish traditions.
