Assuming the jack cable is plugged in (believe me it happens more than you’d think!), this could be one of several reasons, most of which are very simple fixes:

The battery is dead

Hohner Clavinet’s use a 9V Battery to power the internal pre-amp. The most common reason it won’t power on is because the battery is dead. Open the top-lid just behind the keys and replace the battery inside. It’s generally good practice to unplug the battery when the Clav not in use to guarantee it wont drain, or make sure the power switch is definitely off.

The DC cable is unplugged

If you use 9V mains power for your Clavinet, check its plugged in. Basic I know, but happens more than you’d think; and the 9V lead can fall out sometimes or become broken.

The tone controls are all switched off

Make sure at least one of the tone controls of the left side are switched on. These are the switches marked “Brilliant”, “Treble”, “Medium” and “Soft”. The switch is on when it’s facing towards you. These switches are essentially EQ filters that let a certain amount of frequency through. If none of them are switched on, then the Clav won’t make a sound. Switch all of them on for the fullest sound, or select the ones you want for your preferred sound.

No luck?

If these don’t solve the problem, there may be an issue with the circuitry or electronics inside the instrument. Clavinets use an electrical current to generate a sound through the pickups, so there could be an issue with wiring, a faulty connection to the audio output, or perhaps an electronic component is broken. Without knowing exactly what it is, it is difficult to diagnose. The best thing will be to get it looked at by a professional. Contact us if you need more help.