organ pipes for sale
  • svaillan
    Posts: 39
    We are in the process of moving an 1893 Hook & Hastings Organ Opus #1580 from one church to another in Lewiston, Maine. There is not room in the organ’s new home for 2 of the original ranks, a 16’ open wood diapason and a 16’ bourdon. The pipes for these ranks have been removed and are currently in Storage. They are easy to move at this point, or at least as easy as pipes this size are to move. The chests, etc. are still in the church. I can give specifics with regard to scale and supply photos, etc.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    Shame to rob an historic instrument of its original tonal scheme.
    Thanked by 2CharlesW M. Jackson Osborn
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    What is your organ builder doing to the instrument to adjust for the fact that the fundamental tone the organ is built on is now missing?

    Rescaling other pipework, substituting haskelled pipes or some that have been mitred that will fit?

    And why aren't you storing the pipes for the day when the organ moves again (and the new organ spends hours and hours trying to find out where these went) or the organ comes up short tonally in the room and you have to put them someplace?

    When I was with Möller they were experimenting with a "cube" pipe that would very effectively produce the bottom 12 notes in situations like yours.

    The portable Rieger at the NYC Metropolitan Art Museum does (did?) have a platform the console sits on that is channeled plywood and is the 16' for the organ.

    Possibly your builder has the ability and integrity to make this all work...so what's the plan?

    Thanked by 1Palestrina
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    Ok, there was a Hook & Hastings 1850 once upon a time but the official word is that Hook & Hastings 1850 no longer exists according to the organ builder who seems to have...well here as his words below:

    This organ is no longer whole; parts were dispersed, and some may have been re-used in a different installation.


    http://database.organsociety.org/SingleOrganDetails.php?OrganID=5389

    It was changed tonally in 1960 by another firm, and parts of it appeared in another Catholic church - link on the bottom of the OHS page to it.

    R.I.P. Hook & Hastings 1850....well, I guess it is resting in pieces...
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • svaillan
    Posts: 39
    The original Hook and Hastings died 60 years ago when it was electrified and altered. It is a horrible shame that we can not keep as much of it as was left, but there simply is not room. What we will have is a new organ that uses pipe work from an old organ.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    There is a tracker organ now in Knoxville that earlier in life had its pipework removed and reused...a fine organ builder rescued it and had all new pipework created for it and it's a lovely thing to play and hear, may yours also be as lovely!
    Thanked by 1Palestrina
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    I'm no organ specialist, but I've seen installations with the largest pipes placed horizontally. Is that an option?
  • Palestrina
    Posts: 422
    Frogman, there is nothing quite like a fine playing action, is there? Your story made me smile.
    Thanked by 1noel jones, aago
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    I have seen 32' pipes installed horizontally. It takes a lot of space to install them vertically.
  • svaillan
    Posts: 39
    We explored quite a few options. Even placed horizontally, there is no way to make them fit.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    I could put 32' pipes under my bass section. It might even keep them on pitch. ;-)
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    I could put 32' pipes under my bass section. It might even keep them on pitch. ;-)


    Or at least cut down on metamucil consumption.
    Thanked by 1CharlesW
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