😮

 

Interesting and Amazing!

 

Impressive! How does transporting affect tuning?

 

I thought I might share my use case for Ioniq 5 as a cargo mule if someone intends to transport large items.

I had several EV options (Model Y, ID4, Enyaq, Mach-E, e-tron, etc.) to choose from, but I bought an Ioniq 5 because it was the only one catering to our needs.

The specific need is here:

View attachment 43326

This harpsichord is approximately 230 cm (7' 7") in length and about 90 cm (3') wide. It needs to be transported to wherever baroque music is needed.

When Hyundai announced it would have an EV with fully reclining front seats available, I thought I might give it a shot. And here is the result:

View attachment 43327

Figuring out the actual configuration for the seats took some time (front passenger seat fully reclined, full front position, slightly tilted backward, headrests removed, back seat folded on top of the front seatback, the use of a cargo strap to secure the instrument, suitable material between the instrument and the not-so-flat floor).

Now that the configuration is known, the actual procedure is (relatively) easy and quick, and the harpsichord fits in (relatively) comfortably. There is a lot of air between the dash and the wing (sharp end) of the instrument so that it does not obstruct the driver's view to the right.

(Admittedly, this would be easier in the British empire, as the instrument could be carried upside-up in an RHD vehicle. Securing the mechanism for upside-down transportation is a bit laborious.)

I thought I might share my use case for Ioniq 5 as a cargo mule if someone intends to transport large items.

I had several EV options (Model Y, ID4, Enyaq, Mach-E, e-tron, etc.) to choose from, but I bought an Ioniq 5 because it was the only one catering to our needs.

The specific need is here:

View attachment 43326

This harpsichord is approximately 230 cm (7' 7") in length and about 90 cm (3') wide. It needs to be transported to wherever baroque music is needed.

When Hyundai announced it would have an EV with fully reclining front seats available, I thought I might give it a shot. And here is the result:

View attachment 43327

Figuring out the actual configuration for the seats took some time (front passenger seat fully reclined, full front position, slightly tilted backward, headrests removed, back seat folded on top of the front seatback, the use of a cargo strap to secure the instrument, suitable material between the instrument and the not-so-flat floor).

Now that the configuration is known, the actual procedure is (relatively) easy and quick, and the harpsichord fits in (relatively) comfortably. There is a lot of air between the dash and the wing (sharp end) of the instrument so that it does not obstruct the driver's view to the right.

(Admittedly, this would be easier in the British empire, as the instrument could be carried upside-up in an RHD vehicle. Securing the mechanism for upside-down transportation is a bit laborious.)

I brought home a 80 x36 storm door from home depot

 

I have a minivan and a pickup truck (both 16 yrs old at this point). makes things easier. Whenever I need to transport anything large that won't fit into Ioniq5, I just drive either my minivan or if it won't fit into my minivan, I just drive my pickup truck.

That said, fitting that harpsicord into Ioniq 5 IS indeed pretty slick.

 

I thought I might share my use case for Ioniq 5 as a cargo mule if someone intends to transport large items.

I had several EV options (Model Y, ID4, Enyaq, Mach-E, e-tron, etc.) to choose from, but I bought an Ioniq 5 because it was the only one catering to our needs.

The specific need is here:

View attachment 43326

This harpsichord is approximately 230 cm (7' 7") in length and about 90 cm (3') wide. It needs to be transported to wherever baroque music is needed.

When Hyundai announced it would have an EV with fully reclining front seats available, I thought I might give it a shot. And here is the result:

View attachment 43327

Figuring out the actual configuration for the seats took some time (front passenger seat fully reclined, full front position, slightly tilted backward, headrests removed, back seat folded on top of the front seatback, the use of a cargo strap to secure the instrument, suitable material between the instrument and the not-so-flat floor).

Now that the configuration is known, the actual procedure is (relatively) easy and quick, and the harpsichord fits in (relatively) comfortably. There is a lot of air between the dash and the wing (sharp end) of the instrument so that it does not obstruct the driver's view to the right.

(Admittedly, this would be easier in the British empire, as the instrument could be carried upside-up in an RHD vehicle. Securing the mechanism for upside-down transportation is a bit laborious.)

Thank you for sharing this…fascinating indeed. And the harpsichord is beautiful. I too would like to know how the disassembly, transport, and reassembly affect the instrument’s tuning. I’ve seen grand pianos moved and some allow the reassembled piano to acclimate in the performance venue for 48 hours or so before even beginning to tune it, then do so a couple of times. No idea how a harpsichord handles this.

 

I too would like to know how the disassembly, transport, and reassembly affect the instrument’s tuning. I’ve seen grand pianos moved and some allow the reassembled piano to acclimate in the performance venue for 48 hours or so before even beginning to tune it, then do so a couple of times. No idea how a harpsichord handles this.

Harpsichords are quite different from grand pianos. Grand pianos have a cast-iron frame with very high string tension, whereas harpsichords are basically just ornamented wooden boxes (the devil is in the details, though). Harpsichord strings are much thinner and have lower tension. The instrument is very sensitive to humidity and temperature changes. A major difference is also in the tuning itself; grand pianos have a standard tuning (equal temperament) whereas the tuning system of a harpsichord depends on the music and ensemble.

All this means that harpsichords need to be tuned regularly. Even when sitting still in a climate-controlled room, a harpsichord requires weekly readjustment. So, yes, the instrument needs to be at the performance venue for preferably several hours before the performance, and it needs to be tuned. This, however, is business as usual in the trade. Even if there happens to be a harpsichord at the venue, it needs to be tuned (and with some bad luck an odd string or quill/plectrum needs replacement).

As long as the instrument is not dropped or bumped into something, it seldom suffers transport damage. Some conditions are worse than others; cold winter days are bad as the humidity drops down and makes the instrument prone to cracking. If you look at the photo above, you can see an ugly crack in the cover of the instrument. This, of course, does not make the sound any worse, but a similar crack in the soundboard would not be a good thing. (The crack appeared out of nowhere during one winter. Wood is very strong along the grain, not across the grain.)

Also, I really hate speed bumps, gravel roads, and sett (cobblestone) streets but I think the ride is still smoother in an Ioniq than in a van.

The upside-down transportation requires some care. There are parts in the action that could fall off or get misaligned. Also, the cover is more sensitive than the bottom, so some cushioning is required in strategic positions. Nevertheless, if the instrument is prepared properly and handled carefully, it survives transportation. This is the downside of live music not being very suitable for work from home...

 

what is the cargo trunk space with the back seats moved back versus forth - I don’t mean reclined and flat, I understand the back seats can tilt back and forward a little. cargo is advertised at 27.5 cu ft - is that with back seats all way back or titled forward?

 

I've not seen this called out explicitly yet but I'd guess it would be with the back seats moved to the point where they make contact with the parcel cover in the forward most spot with a reasonable rake (ie not 90 degrees up). At this point there's several inches to go if you want to bring the back row forward.