Harpsichords

When the word "spinet" is used to describe a harpsichord, it usually refers to the bentside spinet, which is explained in this section. For other meanings of the word, see below.

The bentside spinet has many features in common with full-size harpsichords, such as the action (mechanism that moves the keys), soundboard (wooden surface that amplifies sound), and case construction. The main difference is the angle of the strings. In a full-size harpsichord, the strings are at a 90-degree angle to the keyboard (parallel to the player's line of sight). In virginals, the strings are parallel to the keyboard. In a spinet, the strings are angled at about 30 degrees toward the right side of the keyboard.

The case of a bentside spinet is shaped like a triangle. The right side curves inward (which is why it is called a "bentside"), moving away from the player toward the back right corner. The longest side runs from the back right corner to the player's left side, next to the bass strings. The front of the spinet holds the keyboard. Short sides connect the bentside to the long side and the long side to the front.

Another key feature of spinet design is that the strings are arranged in pairs. The space between the two strings in each pair is about four millimeters, while the space between pairs is about ten millimeters. The jacks (parts that pluck the strings) are placed in the wider gaps and face opposite directions, plucking the strings on either side of the gap. The smaller gaps between pairs allow more strings to fit into a smaller case.

A downside of this design is that it limits the spinet to having only one set of strings, called a "choir," tuned to an eight-foot pitch. In full-size harpsichords, the registers (mechanisms that control the strings) can be shifted slightly to allow the player to choose which set of strings to use. This is harder in a spinet because the jacks face opposite directions. Some exceptions exist, such as a double-strung spinet made by John Player, and the "spinettone" (a larger version of the spinet), discussed below.

The angle of the strings also affected the sound. In spinets, the plucking points (where the jacks touch the strings) could not be placed as close to the nut (the part of the string near the keyboard) as in regular harpsichords. This made spinets sound slightly different, with fewer high-pitched tones. Spinets also had smaller soundboards, which made their sound weaker. Because of this, spinets were often used in homes to save money and space.

In 1967, harpsichord historian Frank Hubbard wrote that the earliest known bentside spinet was made by Hieronymus de Zentis in 1631. He suggested Zentis might have invented the design. In France, the instrument was sometimes called the "épinette à l'italienne," supporting an Italian origin.

In England, builders such as John Player, Thomas Barton, Charles Haward, Stephen Keene, Cawton Aston, and Thomas Hitchcock made spinets.

The spinet was later improved into the "spinettone" ("big spinet") by Bartolomeo Cristofori, the inventor of the piano. The spinettone had multiple sets of strings (1 × 8 ft and 1 × 4 ft) and used a mechanism for changing stops (sound settings) similar to one Cristofori had used earlier. The spinettone was popular among musicians in the Medici court, and Cristofori built four of them.

Today, spinets are sometimes made from kits and are still used for saving money and space.

The pentagonal spinet was not the same type of spinet described above. It was actually a virginal, with strings parallel to the keyboard. The pentagonal shape made it more compact than other virginals.

Historically, the word "spinet" was not always clearly defined, especially in French and Italian. For example, when Bartolomeo Cristofori invented a new type of virginal in 1688, he called it the "spinetta ovale" ("oval spinet").

In older English spelling, "spinet" was sometimes written as "spinnet" or "spinnit." Today, "spinet" is the standard spelling.

The word "spinet" comes from the Italian "spinetta," which in 17th-century Italian referred to all quilled instruments, especially what were called "virginals" in Elizabethan and Jacobean English. The specific Italian term for a virginal is "spinetta a tabola." In French, the word "épinette" refers to virginals and other small quilled instruments. In German, "Spinett" and "Querflügel" are used.

A "dumb spinet" is a manichord, or "clavichord" or "clarichord," according to the 1913 edition of Webster's Dictionary.

Pianos

The spinet piano was made from the 1930s until recent times. It was created because manufacturers wanted to make pianos smaller and less expensive. This allowed people with limited space to own a piano at a lower cost. Many spinet pianos are still in use today, remaining from their time of production.

A key feature of the spinet was its drop action, also called indirect blow action. In this system, the keys did not directly move the action. Instead, the keys pulled upward on long rods called "stickers." These stickers then pulled upward on levers below the keyboard, which activated the action. The stickers were long enough to keep the hammer heads (the highest part of the action) at the same level as the keyboard.

Because of the drop action, spinet pianos could be made very small. The top of a spinet was only a few inches above the keyboard. However, piano expert Larry Fine noted that this design had quality issues. The stickers were often noisy and hard to fix. The keys also had to be shorter, which made it harder for players to control the piano. Additionally, the short strings of the spinet limited the range of sounds and reduced the quality of the tone.

Piano technicians also found spinet pianos difficult to repair. Fine wrote that these pianos were challenging to service due to their unique design.

Examples of spinet pianos include:
• A spinet piano made by Baldwin and sold as the Acrosonic. The date of manufacture is unknown.
• A spinet piano made by Gulbransen.
• A detail of the interior of the Gulbransen spinet, showing the drop action below the keyboard and the angled strings needed to fit within the small case.

According to piano historian Arthur Loesser (1954), the first spinet piano was introduced in May 1935 by an unnamed American manufacturer. The Blue Book of Pianos later identified this manufacturer as Winter and Company, which later became part of the Aeolian-American Corporation. Winter and Company sold this piano as the "Musette." The Musette and similar spinets were popular during the Great Depression because they were affordable, costing less than $300—about 25% less than a small upright piano from 1924. Loesser also noted that very small pianos had been made in the 19th century, but the spinet was a new version of this idea.

After the 1930s, spinet pianos remained popular. A 1947 study showed that about half of all pianos sold that year were vertical pianos 37 inches (0.94 m) tall or shorter. The spinet stayed popular for many years but was no longer produced after the early 1990s.

Organs

The spinet organ, created in the mid-20th century, had the same purpose as spinet harpsichords and spinet pianos: to be used at home and be affordable. It looked like a small upright piano and had simpler controls and features. These design choices made it cheaper to make and easier for people to learn how to use compared to other types of organs.