Hello. I'm so happy to have found this site. Thank you in advance for helping us out. I'm a pianist who often plays the organ for church. So...of course, I know very little about organs. (I have taken some lessons so I'm slowly learning correct technique). Our church is in need of a new organ. We currently have a Baldwin 600 series that was purchased used about 20 years ago. The last time we had a repairman come look at it he suggested replacing it.
We've formed an organ committee and have started looking. We are a Lutheran church (liturgical) on the gulf coast. Our building seats about 200 members and we are growing, slowly. We are considering a new Allen for around $15-20,000, but we're also considering used instruments. My questions are as follows:
1. There is a big difference in the sound quality between the used and the new instruments. Is there a year in which the sound quality at Allen changed significantly? For example, if we found an instrument built in the 90's would it's be comparable to a new organ? (How about the 2000's?)
2. Phoenix organs can take our current console and essentially rebuild our current organ for about the same price. In theory, we would have a new digital organ on the inside with the same cabinet on the outside. Our current organ was actually a very nice organ and would probably cost around 80,000 to buy a new one that is comparable (so I am told). Does anyone have any experience with this company? What do you think of rebuilding an organ. What kind of problems would you anticipate?
3. Many of our members feel that a digital piano with organ sounds will be enough. I'm struggling to convince them that the keyboard is not a substitute for an organ. Does anybody have suggestion to help me convince the congregation to buy a real organ?
Thank you
We've formed an organ committee and have started looking. We are a Lutheran church (liturgical) on the gulf coast. Our building seats about 200 members and we are growing, slowly. We are considering a new Allen for around $15-20,000, but we're also considering used instruments. My questions are as follows:
1. There is a big difference in the sound quality between the used and the new instruments. Is there a year in which the sound quality at Allen changed significantly? For example, if we found an instrument built in the 90's would it's be comparable to a new organ? (How about the 2000's?)
2. Phoenix organs can take our current console and essentially rebuild our current organ for about the same price. In theory, we would have a new digital organ on the inside with the same cabinet on the outside. Our current organ was actually a very nice organ and would probably cost around 80,000 to buy a new one that is comparable (so I am told). Does anyone have any experience with this company? What do you think of rebuilding an organ. What kind of problems would you anticipate?
3. Many of our members feel that a digital piano with organ sounds will be enough. I'm struggling to convince them that the keyboard is not a substitute for an organ. Does anybody have suggestion to help me convince the congregation to buy a real organ?
Thank you
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