Home practise organ Options

[jacobvaneyck]

I have decided to have another serious shot at the organ and while there is limited access at the church, I could do with something at home to practise the fundamentals of organ playing. Nothing fancy, just hands/feet coordination. I haven't found a single organ for a 3 figure sum, even a pedalboard on its own that could go with my Roland clavinova. Add to that there are no major organ dealers near Glasgow and I am kind of screwed.

Is there anything I can get under ?1000, even a one manual with small pedalboard? Maybe closer to the rock organs though it has to be suitable for church music.

[FullofWind]

I have decided to have another serious shot at the organ and while there is limited access at the church, I could do with something at home to practise the fundamentals of organ playing. Nothing fancy, just hands/feet coordination. I haven't found a single organ for a 3 figure sum, even a pedalboard on its own that could go with my Roland clavinova. Add to that there are no major organ dealers near Glasgow and I am kind of screwed.

Is there anything I can get under ?1000, even a one manual with small pedalboard? Maybe closer to the rock organs though it has to be suitable for church music.

Have you tried asking at other churches? Our son get a lesson at one church and is practicing at a different church. Luckily I got a yes with my first enquiry but I would have asked every church within a five mile radius! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[pitcher54]

One of my students picked up a second hand Wyvern, two manuals and pedals, from ebay for around ?850. Strangely enough - it was in Glasgow!

[Barry Williams]

Ron Coates used to do a one manual and pedal practice organ of orthodox dimensions for less than a thousand pounds.

Abinger organs often have second-hand instruments at about the same price or cheaper.

Viscount have a few second-hand organs on their Website.

Ebay is worth trying.

A friend of mine bought an analogue Johannus for one hundred and fifty pounds and finds that ideal for private rehearsal. It cost him more to have it moved than it did to buy it.

At present more electronic organs are sold in Scotland than anywhere else in the United Kingdom, but all the dealers are in England.

Barry Williams

[saxophile]

Not wanting to hijack the thread, but we've been offered "first refusal" on an Allen Computer Organ; model unknown but the manual says "Series 100 - 300" [vintage - sometime in the 1970s]. 2 manuals, 38 stops and 32 pedals. Price is sub 1K.

Anyone have any idea whether this is likely to be any good as a practice instrument (assuming it has been properly maintained)? Son No.1 is only just beginning on organ, but it would be incredibly useful to have something in the house, since we are outside walking distance to our local church organ.

[Barry Williams]

Not wanting to hijack the thread, but we've been offered "first refusal" on an Allen Computer Organ; model unknown but the manual says "Series 100 - 300" [vintage - sometime in the 1970s]. 2 manuals, 38 stops and 32 pedals. Price is sub 1K.

Anyone have any idea whether this is likely to be any good as a practice instrument (assuming it has been properly maintained)? Son No.1 is only just beginning on organ, but it would be incredibly useful to have something in the house, since we are outside walking distance to our local church organ.

Private email sent, hopefully dispensing wisdom.

Barry Williams

[cantoris]

I had an Allen as a home practice instrument. It dated from the late 60s and was obviously analogue. It had a separate speaker cabinet and the sound was adequate. By chance, I had known the organ when it was in a local church where I had deputised. It cost me ?100 and was still working perfectly when I sold it on. The build quality was excellent and it looked good too. Allen told me that they were able to supply spare parts for every organ they had ever built.
Nigel

[saxophile]

Not wanting to hijack the thread, but we've been offered "first refusal" on an Allen Computer Organ; model unknown but the manual says "Series 100 - 300" [vintage - sometime in the 1970s]. 2 manuals, 38 stops and 32 pedals. Price is sub 1K.

Anyone have any idea whether this is likely to be any good as a practice instrument (assuming it has been properly maintained)? Son No.1 is only just beginning on organ, but it would be incredibly useful to have something in the house, since we are outside walking distance to our local church organ.

Private email sent, hopefully dispensing wisdom.

Barry Williams

Definitely: many thanks, Barry.

[Swell Box]

The only danger with home practice organs is that they can be played loudly at inappropriate times. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I foolishly made a comment over tea on Sunday about getting up early to practice. We were rewarded with Wachet Auf (appropriately enough) at about twenty past seven yesterday morning. I was secretly hoping that it would de-rail at such an unearthly hour, but annoyingly it didn't, and I couldn't get the tune out of my head for the remainder of the day.

And then, this morning, we had 'O Come All Ye Faithful' whilst waiting for daughter to vacate the bathroom. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I think there should be a remote control for the General Cancel button.

SB

[saxophile]

Just bobbing back in to say that we bought the Allen in the end (it was touch and go as to whether we could actually fit it through the door into the house!).

We then discovered it has (or as the result of the move has developed) a fault which causes a somewhat annoying whine / buzz, but as the engineer from Allen's pointed out, it wasn't audible when playing (only in the gaps), and since it would have been reasonably costly to fix, we've just let it be.

Son No.1 is now getting on very well with the Allen (especially in the current freezing cold weather, when practising in church would probably result in hypothermia!), and with organ generally: currently learning to co-ordinate LH and pedals, and has the promise of possibly starting to add in RH next week! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Susie]

Just bobbing back in to say that we bought the Allen in the end (it was touch and go as to whether we could actually fit it through the door into the house!).

Very glad your son can practise in the warm - it makes the world of difference.

We had a very old Compton (?) tone-wheel organ with separate speaker soon after we were married and when we moved and were viewing houses we always had to think about whether the organ, which was originally in a church, would go in through the door. Most domestic doorways are about 36 inches, but this blessed thing was 39 inches wide so we needed patio doors, or French doors or something similar.

Happily it developed a buzzy fault and my husband replaced it about 16 years ago with an electronic with much better dimensions.

[Barry Williams]

".....as the engineer from Allen's pointed out, it wasn't audible when playing (only in the gaps), and since it would have been reasonably costly to fix, we've just let it be. "

Allens have a maintenance programme under which, if you pay an annual fee, they guarantee to fix faults.

It is worth asking Abinger Organs as they seem rather more 'hands on' than the UK Allen company. (Which is not any part of Allen USA.)

Barry Williams

[pitcher54]

Coming back to this thread I spotted this quote from our friend Swell Box 'I think there should be a remote control button for General Cancel' and I was reminded of an organist's society visit to Manchester Cathedral several decades ago. Someone was up on the screen console letting rip with full organ and tubas, and a distinguished member of the society strolled up to the mobile console and pressed General Cancel. Applause!

[Swell Box]

Coming back to this thread I spotted this quote from our friend Swell Box 'I think there should be a remote control button for General Cancel' and I was reminded of an organist's society visit to Manchester Cathedral several decades ago. Someone was up on the screen console letting rip with full organ and tubas, and a distinguished member of the society strolled up to the mobile console and pressed General Cancel. Applause!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Yes, I would like one of those please!

SB

[cantoris]

Back on topic, there's a house organ for sale on the 'Organ Matters Organs Matter' forum.