A Hohner Clavinet-Pianet Duo keyboard. 

As indicated in Zappa Gear by Mick Ekers (Backbeat Books, 2019), "FZ had both Tommy Mars and Peter Wolf assigned to clavinet duties at various times - one of them would have had a plain Clavinet, the other the Duo. The whereabouts of FZ's clavinet is unknown. When I visited Joe's Garage, I found the Duo wedged in a cupboard beside one of FZ's massive Sony digital tape recorders and it was not possible to take it out and photograph it." The Hohner Clavinet-Pianet Duo can be heard on the track "I'm the Slime" from the album Over-Nite Sensation. 

The Clavinet Duo models were introduced in 1978. The Hohner Clavinet-Pianet Duo combines the Clavinet and Piano into one instrument. The instrument allows the user to switch between both and use combinations of the two instruments. In addition, users can split the keyboard into bass and treble side and assign different sounds for each side. There are volume faders that control the level of each instrument. There are switches that control the Clavinet presets offering the users variations of the clavinet sound. There is also a metal fader on the right side of the keyboard. 

This keyboard houses sixty keys. The control panel also has a 9v battery compartment. The back panel has a 9v input socket. There are four 1/4" output jacks on the back panel. This includes a stereo output or outputs for individual instruments. The back panel also has a five-pin connector socket. The instrument seems to have been modified, this is evident from an added circuit board and additional solder joints. There is also a custom vinyl-wrapped wooden enclosure that is mounted over the strings. 

This Hohner Clavinet-Pianet Duo comes in a wooden carrying case wrapped in black vinyl. There is a "Kontroll-Zettel" tag attached to the handle with the number 808797. The case is in fair condition with a few scrapes and bruises around the corners and the edges. The keyboard is also in fair cosmetic condition given its age. The strings and tuning mechanism are exposed below the keys. 

This instrument has not been tested for operation. Due to the modifications, the carrying case does not close. 

Dimensions:
48 x 17 x 7.5 inches

Provenance:
PROVENANCE The Zappa Trust

COA / LOA:
None