Free Estey Pipe organ

[Royal]

About 9 months ago, I responded to a Craig's list ad about an Estey Pipe organ. It was in a "pack house" and they said that the ad was premature in that they couldn't get to the organ until they got the house cleaned. Well, they just contacted me and asked if I want it. I do not. I have not seen it. It is rumored to have been removed from a Church in the Kinston, NC area about 40 years ago. It is at a home in the Kinston area. I do not know (nor does the owner) if this organ is complete. Don't know the model/serial #. 2 manuals. If you are interested in a project, here's your chance. They told me "In a couple of weeks it will all be taken to the landfill". Send me a PM if interested and I will put you in touch with the owner.
Roy

[ELPFan15]

I'd like to have it, but I can't put it anywhere, or restore it, just save it from the landfill.

EDIT:Well, I have storage space, a little money, and, possibly, a place to install it.

[NYCFarmboy]

an organ in storage that long is going to be a basket case. There are SO many pipe organ available for free or next to nothing. My advice is to try and find an operating pipe organ.

I'm going to be out in North Carolina in a month.....but I won't have a truck to haul anything back..if anyone wants I will stop by and visit and see what condition it is in etc.

I DO NOT want it for myself, but I'm driving right by Kingston. so if anyone has a serious interest, I'd be happy offer my 2 cents on whats there if arrangements could be made.

[cantornikolaos]

I keep making posts and they keep not appearing! Ugggh!

I am interested as I know of 2-3 churches in need of a pipe organ and the newly founded St George Monastery in Belen, NM will also need a pipe organ. If you're going to be in the area, I'd really appreciate some recon and photos! IF the organ is Tracker, I definitely want it! It it's something else, I'm still interested. Even if it's only good for pipes.

It should be a crime to throw a pipe organ away!

[ELPFan15]

Could you take a look at it NYCFarmboy? I'd really like to have it.

[Royal]

OK Guys, here is as good as I can do re this organ. I drove up (75 miles) to meet the owners and look at it today and I do believe that as NYC suggests it may be too far gone. I am not familiar with pipe organs and am also not interested in it. I am only trying to make sure that nobody wants it before they "take it to the dump". They want it removed within about a month since the property is being sold.
It is a roll top 2 manual full AGO pedaled Estey Pipe organ #1623 made in 1918 and installed in the Methodist Episcopal Church in Nashville, NC. It was removed by persons unknown and stored in a tobacco barn for the last 40+/-years (possibly more).
The "stop" list is Tremolo, Saliciona, flute harmonic, open diapason, bourdon, oboe, great to pedal, swell to pedal, swell to great, swell to great 16, swell to great 4, swell to swell 4, dulciana 8, melodia 8, gr. flute d'amour, gr open diapason, ped ge???kt 16, pedal bourdon 16.
The organ console itself looks somewhere in the poor to good range. Some of the wood has split and the whole thing will probably need refinishing. A few of the keys will need replacing. There are some holes to the right of the keyboards for ????
Most of the organ components are in several piles and I would be very suspect that it is all there. There are a few hundred pipes mostly wooden. I could not get in to a few of the spaces to see exactly what is and is not there. The blower assembly, if there, is buried under a lot of other stuff. In addition to the console, there is a bellows/wind chest etc pile. There are also 3 piles of pipes (a "pile" is not a pipe organ term, it is simply a very descriptive way of describing how they are stored). It is quite confined and would require moving a lot of stuff and a lot more effort than I am willing to exert to get a complete inventory. (These things are heavy. I'm 70.)
I took some pictures and if I could figure out how to post them, I would. In the meantime, send me a PM if interested and I will send you the pics.
I have saved, restored and found homes for many organs, rebuilt several player pianos, overhauled many an auto and truck engine. I'm (was) a pretty handy nuclear engineer. This project is intimidating, but the scariest thing about it is the answer to the question "is it all there?". Who knows?? It's free! (kinda)
Roy

[ELPFan15]

PM sent. I don't know if you've gotten it or not.

[cantornikolaos]

Who would do that to an Estey pipe organ?!!?

You're a handy Nuclear engineer? Does that mean you have a better idea of how bad the situation is in Japan than the rest of us?

God save Japan!

[radagast]

It should be a crime to throw a pipe organ away!

You are making the assumption that because it's a pipe organ that it must be good. Just isn't so. That's like saying it would be a crime to throw away a Japanese car. Some Japanese cars are well made and some are not.

[cantornikolaos]

I have bad news for me and good news for anyone else who wants the organ. There are obvious logistical issues with taking a pipe organ from a tobacco barn, storing it in SC and trying to find space for a workshop and transporting it to NM to be housed in a chapel that is not yet built.

If someone else can arrange for the removal of this organ and save it from scrappage, that's good. I've always been fascinated with pneumatic action organs. I'd love to see one preserved! Unfortunately, it can't be me right now.

[cantornikolaos]

Actually, I do think it should be a crime to scrap any useful vehicle. Seeing those old Datsun commercials makes me love my old 720!