Ian Ball Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 With great reluctance I am selling my little 19th century house organ. An unexpected acquisition of an Apollo reed organ has meant no contest (in my wife's eyes at least!) when considering the layout of our new music room! Forum members are welcome to contact me if seriously interested in viewing/playing/bidding. The organ current lives in central Gloucester but must be out by the end of the month. It is listed here but I am happy to remove the listing once a reasonable price has been agreed. Warmest wishes Ian Ball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buxtehude Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 An unexpected acquisition of an Apollo reed organ has meant no contest Are you really sure?! I had one of these for a few months once - it nearly put me off playing for life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Ball Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 Are you really sure?! I had one of these for a few months once - it nearly put me off playing for life! Hehe. Well obviously I'd prefer to have the pipe organ in the house, but it's simply too big for our new music room and we'd prefer to put the car in the garage and guests in the loft! I have fallen in love with the reed organ, however. I've replaced and made airtight the trunking from the 'sucker' box, which I've made more sound/vibration proof, and regulated the touch depth and it is lovely. I enjoy the resonance and feeling of being in touch with a real instrument that teaches you how it likes to be played. The colours are remarkably good too, especially the caged full swell, meaning I happily work hard on romantic rep for ages, whereas a chiff-machine or digibox would have bored me hours earlier, no matter how 'sensitive' the action. As for pre-1800 music, the light, early-firing action when uncoupled is ideal, and the slight tendency for the Great reeds to 'bounce' when you play uber-staccato makes me really work to relax and keep fingertips in touch with the surface of the keys to control the release. A useful discipline. The prompt-speaking Swell Gamba and Great Dulciana are all you need to practice well into the night without disturbing sleeping children or the neighbours. It's also a joy to have a console which is ergonomically perfect; I've played too many small new pipe organs over the years which give me back or leg ache. The only thing I'd change is to swap the RCO pedalboard for a Franco-German straight/concave one, which I find more comfortable and 'all-purpose'. The slightly heavy touch of the action when coupled also gives me a good workout. It was ideal when preparing for a recital at Tewkesbury Abbey last week, which I have hitherto always felt exhaustingly heavy when the divisions are coupled. Not so now! I do wish the Apollo's reeds were more easy to tune, however. I have an annoying bottom G on the pedal Bourdon which needs a few ounces of brass scraping off! Best wishes Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newnham Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Hehe. Well obviously I'd prefer to have the pipe organ in the house, but it's simply too big for our new music room and we'd prefer to put the car in the garage and guests in the loft! I have fallen in love with the reed organ, however. I've replaced and made airtight the trunking from the 'sucker' box, which I've made more sound/vibration proof, and regulated the touch depth and it is lovely. I enjoy the resonance and feeling of being in touch with a real instrument that teaches you how it likes to be played. The colours are remarkably good too, especially the caged full swell, meaning I happily work hard on romantic rep for ages, whereas a chiff-machine or digibox would have bored me hours earlier, no matter how 'sensitive' the action. As for pre-1800 music, the light, early-firing action when uncoupled is ideal, and the slight tendency for the Great reeds to 'bounce' when you play uber-staccato makes me really work to relax and keep fingertips in touch with the surface of the keys to control the release. A useful discipline. The prompt-speaking Swell Gamba and Great Dulciana are all you need to practice well into the night without disturbing sleeping children or the neighbours. It's also a joy to have a console which is ergonomically perfect; I've played too many small new pipe organs over the years which give me back or leg ache. The only thing I'd change is to swap the RCO pedalboard for a Franco-German straight/concave one, which I find more comfortable and 'all-purpose'. The slightly heavy touch of the action when coupled also gives me a good workout. It was ideal when preparing for a recital at Tewkesbury Abbey last week, which I have hitherto always felt exhaustingly heavy when the divisions are coupled. Not so now! I do wish the Apollo's reeds were more easy to tune, however. I have an annoying bottom G on the pedal Bourdon which needs a few ounces of brass scraping off! Best wishes Ian Hi Ian Glad to hear that you like the Appollo. As to the out of tune reed - is it just a build-up of dirt? Or some other damage? Free reeds rarely shift much in pitch. Every Blessing Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Willis Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 As to the out of tune reed - is it just a build-up of dirt? Or some other damage? Free reeds rarely shift much in pitch. Quite right: take them out and soak them in Horolene - try here http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trk...-All-Categories DW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Ball Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 Quite right: take them out and soak them in Horolene - try here http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trk...-All-Categories DW Duly ordered! Ta. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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