Compiling a list of recommended used organs

[arie v]

Hi all,</p>

I am trying to make a list of good used organs, but need some info. on some models I know little about.</p>

I am looking for the following info.</p>

1) Rodgers organs (digital) built in the early 90s. Models would have been 440, 505, 685 etc. All I know is that they were sort of the same series, and were not PDI. I think there were about 10 different models in all. What distinguished them from one another? Any comments on quality, sound, reliability?</p>

2) Johannus early digitals from the 1990s. These were organs using the ST M114 tone generator chip, and were produced before the Opus/Sweelink/Rembrandt series, which came out around 1996. Any comments as to sound, quality, reliability?</p>

3) Eminent organs from 1990 to 2000. I know there probably were not many that found their way to the US or Canada, but there are some around where I live. These were synthesis organs, and were made in a number of models. </p>

Beyond these, I have seen enough of what most manufacturers have put out, to comment sensibly,</p>

Any help would be appreciated.</p>

AV
</p>

</p>

[Philip the organist]

Re: Compiling a list of recommended used organs

AV,
I would be interested in the final list. If you do not post it here, please send me a PM and I can give you my email.

[circa1949]

Re: Compiling a list of recommended used organs



Weren't any Rodgers made in Oregon, that were digital, branded PDI from the beginning? As a field tech I suppose you know best. But I have a CD - somewhere - mentioned on this page:</p>

http://www.dafferorgans.com/component/option,com_doqment/Itemid,32/
</p>

In 1992, the Naval Academy Chapel leased a Rodgers Organ from R.A.
Daffer Church Organs while the Moller pipe organ was being renovated.
Organist James Dale (1947-1995) made this recording on the Rodgers
Organ in the Chapel.
</p>

Probably not a CD I would have bought, but I found it at a used CD store for $2 IIRC and thought, what the hay. In Maryland there would have been a lot of them floating around. I've boxed all my CDs away, because all my music is now in a linux-based file/music server. So I can't find the CD but I know it talked of the organ as using "Parallel Digital Imaging". And it's from 1992 which is only a couple years after Rodgers started making digital organs, right? The organ sounded ok but the recording and mastering technique, whatever it was, wasn't very good. I don't even think I ripped the CD to my linux box because it wasn't worth listening to. (Mastering a CD in 92 was a big deal, unlike now when anybody can do it - or think they can do it. I remember a musical group I worked for had to send their DAT tapes to France to get it economically done by Nimbus)
</p>

I believe these early Rodgers were software synthesis, that's why they used standard Intel CISC chips. Roland bought them in 87 right, and probably went right to work tranferring technology from their workstations and synths to the organ line.
</p>

</p>

[circa1949]

Re: Compiling a list of recommended used organs



Strange, the latest incarnation of the "e-org" list is all screwed up.
(the one at lowreyforums.com) It lists the 945 as a "TI" transistor organ, when in fact it was the original Rodgers digital model ("DI") from 90. (featured on the CD I mention)</p>

The only complaint known to be common about those early Rodgers digital was they would drop notes during complex passages.* I attribute this to the software synthesis, whereas Allen used a discrete logic hardware synthesis until the Renaissance organs in 1997. Wish there were more [web] photographs of the circuitry from various mid-period digital organs...early Rodgers PDI, Allen MDS, etc. Also would wonder if those Rodgers digitals, since they were software based (or so I'm assuming) had some kind of secret programming interface accessible by a serial cable, that allowed them to be voiced. Or did they use hardware voicing controls for the first few digital models? Of course, everybody now can do software voicing...</p>

http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/9303180.html
</p>

</p>

* edit: by this, I'm talking about the upscale models made in Oregon, like the 945. That there were some Rodgers digitals made in Europe under contract, that were cheaply manufactured, is generally known.</p>

</p>

</p>

[regeron]

Re: Compiling a list of recommended used organs



Ha, for fear of getting into trouble, here is my experience with a Johannus from the late 80's, early 90's. Sorry, I don't know the age or model. It was a 2 manual. It ranks as one of the absolute worst instruments I have ever had to play. There were constant problems with the key contacts; problems that apparently started within the first 4 or 5 years of its life, and continued throughout, despite the efforts of various technicians. I think their work even included replacing contacts at one point - to no avail.</P>


Voicing was poor. The Swell 16' was louder than the Great 16', although whatever the stopname was would lead you to believe the other way around.</P>


The piston system stank. If you pressedany general pistonand then wanted to add a stop, you also had to push the "+HR" [add Hand Registration] piston. If you pressed a general pistonand wanted to REMOVE any stop(s), it was impossible. It just wasn't designed into the instrument.</P>


The sound was mediocre. The flutes weren't really flutey.</P>


There was something on it called "Cathedral", which I thought might have something to do with an internal reverb unit, but I could never notice any difference.</P>


There was another dial which could make one of the manuals slightly sharper or flatter, I think. But... ... WHY? I guess they just realized how bland the sterile sound was.</P>


Other Johannus products [I hesitate to use the word "organ"] might have better track records, but this one sure didn't.</P>


I got to play a newer Johannus, installed within the last 5 years. It looked impressive - 3 manuals, stop knobs that lit up like a Christmas tree. But when you went to pull/push one, they felt like cheap plastic. I think FischerPrice makes better quality plastic products for children's toys.</P>


If given the chance to play a Johannus again, I would opt to just go for supper instead.</P>

[Guest]

Re: Compiling a list of recommended used organs

<DIV>regeron,</DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>The OP asked for help in compling a list of <U>recommended</U> organs, and you have chimed in with an indictment of a whole company, and don't even have a clue of themodel of the organ you <U>don't</U> recommend.</DIV>
<DIV></DIV>

[myorgan]

Re: Compiling a list of recommended used organs

[quote user="arie v"]


[snip] I am looking for the following info. [snip]</P>


2) Johannus early digitals from the 1990s. These were organs using the ST M114 tone generator chip, and were produced before the Opus/Sweelink/Rembrandt series, which came out around 1996. Any comments as to sound, quality, reliability?</P>


[snip] Any help would be appreciated.[/quote]</P>


[quote user="BillG"]The OP asked for help in compling a list of <U>recommended</U> organs, and you have chimed in with an indictment of a whole company, and don't even have a clue of themodel of the organ you <U>don't</U> recommend.[/quote]</P>


Bill,</P>


I saw plenty of comments about sound, quality, and reliability regarding an instrument manufacturer. Isn't that what was requested? Granted, the comment was a bit generalized, but at least it's a start.</P>


AV,</P>


I have been collecting photos, stoplists, information about various instruments for about a year now. Unfortunately, they lean heavily toward Allen and Rodgers, but I do have information on others. Eventually, I hope to create a web page to help people identify their instrument. Ifany of itwill be helpful to you, please let me know.</P>


Michael</P>


P.S. The comment shared about the solder is valid. I've already seensolder fibers shorting outin newer instruments. I only use solder with lead for that reason.</P>