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Well,guys,...my Rodgers organ is home now! Trying to upload a piucture,but the site tells me the file is too large!
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Late 1980's Rodgers Essex 640 -
Congradulations. Hope it will bring you alot of pleasure. -
You can resize images in the GIMP - free graphics program. Usually about 450 x 600 or so will render the correct file size for the forum. (I'm curious to see it, too.)
https://www.gimp.org/downloads/-- I'm Lamar -- Allen TC-4 Classic -- 1899 Kimball, Rodgers W5000C, Conn 643, Hammond M3, L-102 - "Let no man belong to another who can belong to himself." (Alterius non sit qui suus esse potest -) ParacelsusComment
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Congratulations, Dewey... I'm very happy for you! :->
Bill MillerComment
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That is one of the best-sounding of all analog Rodgers organs, IMHO. Not sure what is different about late 80's models from the earlier analogs, but somehow they just finally got the voicing "right" -- especially on the unit reed. The swell trumpet chorus has the sweetest sound, and just perfect attack and decay. Sounds so good it's hard to believe a digital trumpet could be much better.
Good set of features on that one too, though "blind" capture is one of my pet peeves. You'll figure it out in time, and may want to simply set yourself a series of 5 increasing levels on the pistons, since you can't see what they are doing, and setting them is sort of a pain. But the console is very nice, and the keys and pedals are superb.
Though the flutes and diapasons are unified, there are surprisingly sweet tones from both ranks, and for most playing the unification is not highly obvious. Good chiff and such too.
The internal speaker system on this one is also "just right" for some reason. I have played a number of them and never seem to get tired of the sound, even with the speakers so close to my ears. I can't say that about the older digital organs from anybody, which tend to wear on my ears and my nerves after a while.
So have a great time with it and keep up the good work!
John
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*** Please post your questions about technical service or repair matters ON THE FORUM. Do not send your questions to me or another member by private message. Information shared is for the benefit of the entire organ community, but other folks will not be helped by information we exchange in private messages!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Birds...97551893588434Comment
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I love it's sound,...really nice sound coming from console speakers! The church that gave this organ to me REALLY took great care of it,and I intend to keep it THAT way! My ears never tire from the sound being so close. The Lord knew what he was doing having this organ just waiting for me! Allen is STILL a good organ,though,...I'm not going to fault them,..and that would have been my preference,BUT the Lord had other ideas!Originally posted by jbird604 View PostLate 1980's Rodgers Essex 640Comment
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You're very fortunate, Dewey. Some of the older Rodgers analogs do not sound very good as self-contained. But yours was made late in the analog era, and the keying parameters and certain aspects of the voice formants had all been tweaked to perfection in this model. The first time I played one I thought for a moment that it was a digital, given the highly authentic reed sound on the swell. And the internal speakers are just right -- not too bright, spreading the sound in a pleasant way. Early digitals with speakers in the console are usually painful to my ears, but this Rodgers is truly sweet and fun to play.
It may well last you for years or even decades, as there isn't that much to wear out and the parts inside are mostly generic, should anything need replacing. At some point you may want to have it tuned and regulated, or learn to do that yourself. It is fairly simple to maintain, though you need a helper when you are ready to tune and level the stops.
Don't let it bother you that some of us diehard Allen fans are prone to dismissing non-Allen organs. We do love our Allens, and love all the advantages of Allen ownership, but many of us have proudly owned and played other brands as well, and recognize that there are lots of fine organs out there from various builders.
Keep up the good work. And play your organ every day!
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I don't want to go on and on about this,but long story short,...I've already lost all credibility with one Allen guy,...I was told I just cannot change my position overnight. He says that Rodgers will never match Allen on sound,and a few other things I can't remember. Regardless of what he says or thinks,...I love my Essex 640! He can't seem to buy the fact that I have heard an Allen or two that didn't sound as good as a comparable Rodgers organ. Allens are good,too,and that would have been my preference,but I love my Essex 640,too.Late 1980's Rodgers Essex 640Comment
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Dewey,
Rather, you have "lost all faith in one Allen guy." Good, bad, and ugly examples exist of all organs out there: Analog, digital, pipe, combo, or Hammond. Application and installation of each type of organ make a huge difference and can make or break an organ.
Michael -
I'm an avid Allen fan. Whenever I get the chance to advise someone on what brand to look for in the classical / church organ field, Allen is always first on the list. That is NOT to say that all others are bad though. There are plenty of brands that have made great sounding organs over the years. But with other brands, it is more critical to get the right model, from a good era, like you have there. All companies have made some stinkbomb models, including Allen.
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Michael,....I have lost all credibility with him! He feels that just because I have been gifted a free organ which happens to be a Rodgers that I get the feeling they are SUDDENLY better than Allen,and telling me I just cannot change my position overnight,..like I don't have the right to have a change of heart. I like both brands,and both Rodgers and Allen have some good organs out there. He has also said that no one probably will not ever take me seriously anymore to anything I say! It's like,...in his eyes,....Allen ALWAYS make perfect organs,...or it seems that way,...and if the organ is NOT an Allen,it's no good!Late 1980's Rodgers Essex 640Comment
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Still waiting on some amazing pictures!Until The Next Dimension,
Admiral Coluch.
-1929 Wangerin Pipe Organ Historian
-Owner 1982 Rogers Specification 990 -Owner 1988 Rodgers 760Comment
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