Chris Woollard

Assuming an electromagnetic action organ is used in a large teaching room, heated during winter and smoking never permitted, what type of key contact is likely to be the most reliable over the years. Organ has a modern solid state switching system. Kimber Allen type silver or gold contact or the more modern Hall Effect type contactless switches. What are the advantages of each? Many thanks Chris

Thanks Tony, I forgot to mention the 4ft Principal and all the upper work are either roll tuned (longer pipes) or cone tuned (shorter ones). I have only just finished building the entire organ but my experience thus far has been that I seem to have significantly more drastic temperature and humidity changes in the house than you would in an unheated church. I am trying to control summer humidity with a dehumidifer, getting a swing of about 42% mid winter to 55% mid summer. Perhaps temperature is more important than humidity, I do not know. Chris

When is it best to tune a house organ?. I have an 11 stop 13 rank house organ (it includes a 3 rank mixture). Is now (or the spring) the best time to tune, hoping for acceptable beats mid summer and mid winter. The room has of course heating for the winter, but as this is reserved for the organ it may be kept somewhat cooler than the remainder of the house though the door to the room is far better left open during playing at least. A far better sound is produced. The house is somewhat regulated humidity wise all year but has no air conditioning for the very warm summer weather. The organ is classical with very little nicking on 50mm wind, rather Silbermann in tone and with only flue pipes. The upper work is spotted metal or 70% tin. It has conventional slider chests. It has 16ft Subbas, 2 8ft wood Gedacts, 1 8ft Gemshorn (spotted) 1 4ft Principal, 1 4ft Rohrflote, 2 2ft Principals (different voicing and divisions) a quint plus the 3 rank mixture which includes a Tierce. Any advice most welcome. Thankyou

I have several students asking for key touch weights for tracker organs, large and small. Has anyone ever measured this for new or old organs?. I can only give qualitative answers. Is the action of the coupler generally the sum of the uncoupled weights. Any result very much appreciated.