Makin (UK) acquires Copeman-Hart

[arie v]

Hi y'all,

On Feb. 28, 2011 it was announced that Makin Organs in England acquired the digital organ builder Copeman-Hart.

I'm not sure why they would do this, but they talk of economies of scale and synergies between the two companies as being beneficial to both.

I don't know exactly how Makin is related to Johannus, but can say that Makin in the UK sell Johannus organs, and that Makin organs are Johannus organs tailored to English tastes. Makin organs are sample playback type, whereas Cope-Hart are additive synthesis type - rather different approaches to building organs.

My guess this kind of acquisition or merging of firms will not be the last.

AV

[mrdc2000]

Hi Arie,
If I remember correctly, Johannus bought the Makin company in about 2004-2006 and have since built it into the largest organ sales company in Great Britain.
The Makin is built by Johannus in the Netherlands.
The Makin WM-44 or 47 is the premier organ selected by the LDS churches lately.
Makin organs are English cathedral samples for the primary intonation, which proves to be well suitable for North American churches as well, it has been said that the Makin is a perfect match for the Anglican/Episcopalian musical traditions.
Makin organs are sold by Johannus dealers as far as I know.

[cantoris]

Makin were bought by Johannus some years back, and I think that the Makin name is now only badging on organs made by Johannus. I'm told that when the companies merged, the R&D department at Makin was closed down or reduced, and several of their development engineers left and formed Phoenix. Makin's were excellent organs, but are now less well regarded. Copeman Hart have been considered to be the Rolls-Royce of English electronic organs, so it's a feather in the cap for Makin (Johannus) to have taken the firm over. Copeman Hart use a different technology which, although older, is thought by many to be superior to the Makin/Johannus technology in the hands of a expert voices - such as Ernest Hart. Only time will tell how things will eventually pan out.

[Admin]

Copeman Hart use a different technology which, although older, is thought by many to be superior to the Makin/Johannus technology in the hands of a expert voices - such as Ernest Hart.

I rather suspect that the skills of Mr. Hart himself was key to the reputation of Copeman-Hart. The Musicom system provided a distinct advantage in tonal finishing and realism over sample based instruments early on, when memory and processing power were expensive, but that's changed and the short samples of those days have been replaced by the gigsamples of today leveling the playing field.

[j reimer]

If I remember correctly, Johannus bought the Makin company in about 2004-2006 and have since built it into the largest organ sales company in Great Britain.
The Makin is built by Johannus in the Netherlands.

I believe it may have happened about ten years earlier. I became Rector of the Anglican Church in Leura (in the Upper Blue Mountains of N.S.W., west of Sydney) in 1994. That church had a brand-new "Makin", but I was informed by the man who had ordered it, that it was really a Johannus regarding the tone-generating parts. I think he felt "betrayed" by what was actually delivered. Some years earlier he had been instrumental in having a "true" Makin installed in the Leura R.C. church.

John Reimer

[cantoris]

I think you're right on the timing. The 'real' Makin's looked and felt special - the consoles were very well built and looked the part. The Johannus was, in it's day, ok - I've still got an analogue Johannus Opus 230 as a practice organ. The newer Johannus is very continental in it's voicing and this doesn't sit well for the Anglican liturgy. The new models bearing the Makin name have the console build quality of the old oes, but the sound is pure Johannus. I've only played one Copeman Hart and it sounds very good compared to much of the competition. The console is excellent without the 'gadgets' which are sometimes very confusing on electronics. I still rate Phoenix top of the tree. They added a set of digital stops to a very good local pipe organ. They used very large speaker cabinets for the pedal section and the results are amazing. I'd like to try a 'complete' Phoenix sometime.

Nigel

[radagast]

I rather suspect that the skills of Mr. Hart himself was key to the reputation of Copeman-Hart. The Musicom system provided a distinct advantage in tonal finishing and realism over sample based instruments early on, when memory and processing power were expensive, but that's changed and the short samples of those days have been replaced by the gigsamples of today leveling the playing field.

The Musicom system was used by a number of organ companies, so whomever could program it the best would sound the best. One shortcoming of the additive synthesis system is being able to replicate noise components present in real pipe sounds.

[Clarion]

I think you're right on the timing. The 'real' Makin's looked and felt special - the consoles were very well built and looked the part. . . . The newer Johannus is very continental in it's voicing and this doesn't sit well for the Anglican liturgy. The new models bearing the Makin name have the console build quality of the old ones, but the sound is pure Johannus. . . . I still rate Phoenix top of the tree.

Nigel,

I believe that Makin must have been taken over by Johannus somewhere around 1998 - 1999, because Phoenix Organ was already up and running, installing a big honkin' III/55 Church organ in faraway California in the summer of 2000!

When the design engineers at Makin heard that Johannus was going to take over Makin, they were outta there in a flash!! Being industry insiders, they knew exactly what it would mean to work for Johannus, and they did not for a moment, intend to be part or party to anything contaminated by Johannus. And from the ashes, arose the legendary Phoenix!!! :-)

I don't know what Johannus figured they were buying, but they really flubbed the whole effort, without ensuring retention of the brilliant design-engineering team, that had the potential of becoming an even more formidable competitor than the competition they were buying out. As it turned out, Phoenix didn't become a Johannus competitor. With Johannus choosing to remain at the bottom of the heap; and Phoenix at the very top; each cater to vastly different consumers.

Like you Nigel, I also 'rate Phoenix top of the tree!' And I remain so grateful to Johannus for their contribution in making Phoenix the-organ-of-choice for discriminating buyers! :-)

[cantoris]

They are definitely the tops. A local pipe organ builder who has just retired worked with them on digital additions to this organ - http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsear...c_index=K00803 - which I played for a while and also several others. He was a top voicer who would never compromise on quality and was very impressed by the Phoenix work. I just wish I could afford one!

Nigel