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**Guest** · 07-13-2008, 06:06 AM

Re: Introduction .....New here and 1st time pump organ owner.

Good looking instrument. Conratulations. Nice woodwork.

**soubasse32** · 07-13-2008, 06:12 AM

Re: Introduction .....New here and 1st time pump organ owner.

Welcome to the Forum Daniel!

Mason & Hamlins are fine pump organs. I notice you call it a 'peddle' organ - I don't know if that is a term used in your country, but I know these as pump organs, and one is said to pumpa reedorgan.

*Stops: Diapason,viola,Box Humana,Baritone Solo,Flute,Melodia. (i think ive spelt them right as a little hard to read)

One correction: that would be a Vox Humana - the so-called 'Human Voice' stop. [:)]

Rebuilding a pump organ is a pretty big job. Some reed organ websitesare very critical of do-it-yourself rebuilds, often because of things a first-time rebuilder may not (or can not) know about the art of rebuilding these things.

Here are some resources to help you get some of the information you might need:

Reed Organ Society Included on the Links page is a link to a reed organ restorer in Australia who may be able to assist you should you have questions.

The Reed Organ Man Afascinating site which documents the rebuilding process of a Vocalion with step-by-step photographs.

Since you have someunusual pianos you may alsobe interested inthis website: Piano World

Good luck and keep us posted! [:)]

**back52887** · 07-13-2008, 06:59 AM

Re: Introduction .....New here and 1st time pump organ owner.

Dan'l,

Welcome aboard. I second all soubasse says about M H instruments. 

About your stoplist: Therewill be as much sound out of your instrument as many melodions with more stops showing. That is because many of the extra stops arejust mutes on the same set of reeds, your's does not appear to have them.

The diapason(left Half of the Keyboard)and melodia(right half)are 8' pitch (same octave that a piano plays in) and the viola and fluteshould be4' Pitch (plays 8va higher). TheVox Humana shouldactuate a paddle wheel above the 8' reedsspun by a pneumatic motor which imparts a pleasant tremelo to those voices. Unfortunately the mechanism is a point of vulnerability and on many organs they have been disconnected, or when drawn, shut down the whole instrument.On a few makes, the vox humana is a separate set of celeste reeds.

I haven't run across a "baritone Solo" stop. It might possible be a 16' (octave Lower) voice in the treble and might draw the 8' along with it. We would be intrested in what you determine is it's effect. From the angle of your pic, I can't see the knee kickers under your clavier, but they must be there. They may simply be a left and right expression controls, but more likely the left is a crescendo control (adds stops w/o drawing them) and the right is a general expression.

Have Joy is you acquisition[<:o)][8]

Lee

**myorgan** · 07-13-2008, 01:46 PM

Re: Introduction .....New here and 1st time pump organ owner.

[quote user="soubasse32"]

*Stops: Diapason,viola,Box Humana,Baritone Solo,Flute,Melodia. (i think ive spelt them right as a little hard to read)

One correction: that would be a Vox Humana - the so-called 'Human Voice' stop. [:)][/quote]

Welcome to the group, Daniel. It's a little hard to read the old english text on the stops, and often a capital V looks like a lowercase b!

Your Mason & Hamlin is very similar to mine, but yours is in much better condition. I also had a pedal down when I got mine, and it was an easy fix, as the pedal strap was broken. If you go to a fabric store, you can probably find the strapping, and it will be very inexpensive.m You can probably re-use the screws.

On a more "technical" note, American reed organs are generally referred to as pump organs. They are generally a suction bellows system--pulling the air across the reeds. European reed organs are generally referred to as harmoniums. They are generally a pressure bellows system--pushing the air across the reeds. Pumping pedals on the European organs tend to be much wider than those of American reed organs.

To further clarify another comment, the levers under the keyboard for both knees are generally referred to as "knee swells." Named such, because they are operated by the knees, and they are called swells because they open and close a cover on a set of reeds to allow the sound to get out (much like the Swell chamber of a pipe organ), or to "swell."

Again, welcome to the group, and I hope your time here is profitable.

Michael

**myorgan** · 07-13-2008, 01:46 PM

Re: Introduction .....New here and 1st time pump organ owner.

[quote user="soubasse32"]

*Stops: Diapason,viola,Box Humana,Baritone Solo,Flute,Melodia. (i think ive spelt them right as a little hard to read)

One correction: that would be a Vox Humana - the so-called 'Human Voice' stop. [:)][/quote]

Welcome to the group, Daniel. It's a little hard to read the old english text on the stops, and often a capital V looks like a lowercase b!

Your Mason & Hamlin is very similar to mine, but yours is in much better condition. I also had a pedal down when I got mine, and it was an easy fix, as the pedal strap was broken. If you go to a fabric store, you can probably find the strapping, and it will be very inexpensive.m You can probably re-use the screws.

On a more "technical" note, American reed organs are generally referred to as pump organs. They are generally a suction bellows system--pulling the air across the reeds. European reed organs are generally referred to as harmoniums. They are generally a pressure bellows system--pushing the air across the reeds. Pumping pedals on the European organs tend to be much wider than those of American reed organs.

To further clarify another comment, the levers under the keyboard for both knees are generally referred to as "knee swells." Named such, because they are operated by the knees, and they are called swells because they open and close a cover on a set of reeds to allow the sound to get out (much like the Swell chamber of a pipe organ), or to "swell."

Again, welcome to the group, and I hope your time here is profitable.

Michael

**Guest** · 07-13-2008, 02:41 PM

Re: Introduction .....New here and 1st time pump organ owner.

Thankyou to everyone who has welcomed me so far! , it was the biggest and best welcome ive ever got on a forum...wow :)

In regards to my M&H , i was planning more on just cleaning up and fixing the broken strap ect.I have no plans as yet to take apart as i would have no idea on what I'm doing.I do have some experience with the "older styles" of doing things and as ive been working on players for some time , i am experienced with Hot hide glues , leather and bellow recovering ect.What i wont be touching is the reeds or linkage , as I'm surely to break or bugger them up.

In regards to myVox Humana , when i look in the top it still works.When i use the stop it starts to spin and it a nice piece of very old leather.

Here in Australia I'm not 100% sure of the correct terminology of these instruments.As player pianos are called Pianola's for any brand here , but in other countries are only called in conjunction to the actual piano having an Aeolian player system installed , wheres as all others are called player pianos.

Ive only know them as pump organs (some people here will even call it a pipe organ) , so if i use any wrong terminology i hope you can forgive a new comer till i get this all in the correct sayings :)

I read with interestMichael's post about the air either blowing or pulling across the reeds.I'm not a 100% of which mine is?.I'm guessing with the 2 versions as one is USA made and the other UK made?.My instrument could of been imported from either country , but when i peddle I'm sure I'm causing pressure to build , and not a vacuum.What is the best way for me to confirm this? , i will be removing the rearsoon to clean and repair whats required.

I took a look at the Reed organ site and found a picture identical to mine with the same features.It has a serial number 76214 and is dated 1870.I have 2 serial numbers one under the lid which is 74366 (like a sticker) then i have another stamped in the case that reads 53781 , i was just wondering which one do i refer to?.Could anyone confirm that the age of mine is also 1870?.

In regards to my knee swell it just has one and its on the right side underneath.It has a clip that locks it closed , when i unlock it , it just free swings on hinges and there is just one button on the front of the knee board area.I was just wondering is this the correct set up? , should the knee swing be connected to anything?.

Thanks to everyone for the help on here , i really appreciate it all.

Regards Daniel :)

**myorgan** · 07-13-2008, 04:10 PM

Re: Introduction .....New here and 1st time pump organ owner.

[quote user="Dan-from-Oz"] In regards to my knee swell it just has one and its on the right side underneath.It has a clip that locks it closed , when i unlock it , it just free swings on hinges and there is just one button on the front of the knee board area.I was just wondering is this the correct set up? , should the knee swing be connected to anything?.[/quote]

Daniel,

Regarding the knee swell, there should be a lever which comes down from underneath the keyboard. As you use your knee to press the lever toward the right, it will catch on that lever andmove it to the right, opening the swell mechanism.

Mason & Hamlin was probably made in the USA, however, it could have been imported at one time or another. As the world becomes more mobile, there's no accounting for why an organ is located in a particular geographical area.

Glad we could be of service. Have a great day.

Michael

**soubasse32** · 07-14-2008, 05:31 AM

Re: Introduction .....New here and 1st time pump organ owner.

Mason & Hamlin would be of the American type, operating on suction. One way to tell the difference:whenplayingan Harmonium you will be able to control the volume with your feet;pump harder or faster and the tone will get louder (assuming you have expression turned on). The tone is often sufficient to fill a vast church, and tends to sound a bit more like an accordeon. I personally preferHarmoniums to the American type of reed organ because the tone is so much more expressive. However, Harmoniums are rare in the USA asthey typicallywere imported from France.

The American-type of reed organ has a fixed volume - the reeds only speak at one dynamic level. As you've discovered, you can only modify the volume via the knee swells - the right one controls the treble; the left one, the bass.

As Michael mentioned, the knee swells will swing freely until you push them far enough to engage the pin that controls the swell mechanism.

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Introduction .....New here and 1st time pump organ owner.

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