Organ Maintenance
  • monasteryliturgistmonasteryliturgist
    Posts: 311
    Hi everyone, I am wondering if anyone more experienced with the organ knows a way of cleaning underneath the pedals other than calling the organ maintenance man- DIY type cleaning. We have so many things under our pedals- its getting pretty bad. ... or maybe there is no way at all. Thanks. We have a large electric organ.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,414
    On most organs the pedals are detachable.
    You just gently pull them out and then carefully 'plug' them back in.
    Thanked by 2CharlesW monasteryliturgist
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,980
    If you have a cable that connects the pedals to the console - many pipe organs do - don't kink the cable. It becomes an expensive repair to fix it.

    Short cut: When I didn't want to take the pedalboard out which was a two-man job, I used a Swiffer with a long handle to slide under the pedals to clean the floor.

    Another thing, since you noted you have an electronic. On my home Rodgers the pedal contacts are magnetic and there is no cable. There are metal guides on the sides of the console that the pedalboard slips into. Another two-person job.
    Thanked by 1monasteryliturgist
  • monasteryliturgistmonasteryliturgist
    Posts: 311
    THANKS!!!! I think we might have over 100 Holy Cards from Sisters' breviaries that have fallen! Should be an adventure. I will try these tips.. thanks, I just didn't want to break anything. I am only an amateur organist (ie. learned in Religious Life)!
    Thanked by 1CharlesW
  • tandrews
    Posts: 174
    I've had success using the long, narrow accessory (a little wider than a pencil) to a shop-vac.
    Thanked by 1monasteryliturgist
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,980
    My predecessor had a fixation for writing notes on everything. If you ever saw a piece of music she had used you would have difficulty reading the music through the chicken scrawls. I had pencils galore and post it notes under that pedalboard when I first went there. Once a pedal note stopped sounding and the repair tech found a post it note stuck to the contacts.
    Thanked by 1monasteryliturgist
  • monasteryliturgistmonasteryliturgist
    Posts: 311
    So... success! Except for I will have to go for a round two as I found some weird sticky stuff all over the ground.... @CharlesW, ours had Holy Cards, Rosaries, Pins to hold open books, Sharpies, Pencils, Post it notes, Novena Pamphlets, a Ruler, Scissors, and a notebook!!! ... Easier than I thought it would be! But I will for sure have to go for another round of deep cleaning! THANKS!
    Thanked by 3CharlesW ServiamScores irishtenor
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,467
    Given time, cough drops will gradually absorb enough moisture to turn into a sticky shapeless blob. Easily dropped if you are trying to play the organ and uwrap one to suppress a cough simultaneously.
    Thanked by 2CharlesW monasteryliturgist
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