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Console Rebuilding/Upgrading

Building organ consoles for use with Hauptwerk, adding MIDI to existing consoles, obtaining parts, ...
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flydeltajets

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Console Rebuilding/Upgrading

PostThu Oct 08, 2009 11:13 pm

Good evening,

I have been using Hauptwerk for the past several months, and in the mean time I have seen several used organs for sale online at reasonable prices ($5-10k). For some of you who are more knoledgable in the industry, what is a typical price range for console renovations by a reputable builder? I really like the sound and layout of the Moller Artistes, but the most of their consoles are fairly old (1950's). If I purchase one of these instruments, I would like to add MIDI (for Hauptwerk) and a solid-state combination action, but I don't want to get in over my head price-wise!

Thanks in advance for any help!
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B. Milan

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Re: Console Rebuilding/Upgrading

PostThu Oct 08, 2009 11:17 pm

Hello,

I've moved this topic to the relavant forum for DIY and MIDI to keep it in line with similar topics.

Thank you.
Brett Milan
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MILAN DIGITAL AUDIO
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engrssc

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Re: Console Rebuilding/Upgrading

PostFri Oct 09, 2009 5:55 am

When you refer to work being done by a reputable builder, one could assume the restoration work would be done by other(s) than yourself?. Many, if not most of us, have done much, if not all this work, by ourselves with help from the many very knowledgeable contributors who frequent this forum.

But to answer your question, "we" would need to know about what your end goals are. Physical questions such as number of manuals, how you want to control the instrument (existing stops or touch screen(s) come to mind. (BTW, many old consoles have been successfully converted for use as a Hauptwerk instrument). Likewise, would you consider retaining the existing instrument's electronics or gutting it in place of just adding the new components. Further, which sample set(s) do you wish to use? Are you considering using real pipes with H/W as an augment?

The space and environment for the finished instrument being another factor here. Folks in this group have been involved with everything from a single MIDI equipped keyboard to massive installations. There are many used already MIDI equipped consoles available from time to time on such as eBay or Craig's list, not to mention private listings, Many classical consoles from churches that have "converted" to a "contemporary" music program are availble very reasonably. One of the cost considerations here, is the moving of such an instrument. On the other end of the spectrum, having a console built to spec has been done by some. Obviously, in addition to some idea of the eventual setup, budgetary considerations enter the picture.

How much available space, not only for the console, needs some planning. Everything from a self contained (in the console) speaker, to elaborate multi speaker installations have been done by Hauptwerkians. As a side note, my wife made the comment when I began my "project" that she was okay with "it" as long as eventually our music room reflected a home environment rather than a store that sells music components. That, actually, was a bigger challenge than the console conversion for me.

Bottom line, pretty much any and everything is doable.

Rgds,
Ed
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tomg3usa

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Re: Console Rebuilding/Upgrading

PostSat Oct 10, 2009 1:06 pm

Hello FDJ,

I did a study for a church to utilise a Möller Artiste unit organ with additional MIDI controlled digital stops and we found that it is possible to use the Möller manuals and the pedal board by adding a Hall effect sensor strip to each manual and controlling the pipes with this system. The system also generates MIDI out and in to control the digital stops.

You first convert the manual to the Opus II keying and combination system. Then add the pipe relay driver components to the Artiste cabinet and send the MIDI information to the computer containing the digital stops.

Hauptwerk is an excellent choice for the digital sound engine and can be configured to run without a monitor screen of any kind. David from Opus II then programs the keying system to know which stops are digital and which are real pipes creating an augmented unitfied organ. Please contact David and see if he has an organ builder in your area who can do this work for you. His website is at: http://66.49.156.192/ and I would be pleased to work with you on the digital stops using Hauptwerk on a PC as the sound generator.

Sincerely,

Tom
http://www.organtechnology.com
Ready to play when you are.
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tomg3usa

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Re: Console Rebuilding/Upgrading

PostSat Oct 10, 2009 7:14 pm

fdj,

I forgot to answer your main question. How much?
In the case of the study the cost including releathering the Moller and converting the console and adding a sound generator (Hauptwerk) the organ professional's quote was around $25,000.00. I believe that of that total the Opus II electronics were about $5000.00 cost with the installation labor being supplied by organ technician. On a DIY basis it may be possible to buy it a piece-at-a-time or just a few and then install those and buy some more. The keyboard Hall effect is $750.00 per keyboard and $350.00 for the pedal board. Then it requires a central CPU board at $300-500 to read the signals and output to the pipe driver boards and of course the MIDI. If you want a combination system you must add the electro-mechanical stop activators and the driver cards for the stops. This gets quite expensive. As I remember, the Möller has no pistons or toe studs either so those must be added.

OTOH if you base it all on Hauptwerk Advanced edition and use Classic's manuals and Classic's pedal board MIDI conversion, I believe you can drive the Möller relays from the computer using the MIDI out function and MIDI out decoders from a third party. The Hauptwerk Computer becomes the pipe keying and combo controller. That can probably be done for somewhere in the $5000.00 range no matter who built the keydesk and stack.

Tom
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flydeltajets

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Re: Console Rebuilding/Upgrading

PostThu Oct 15, 2009 10:00 pm

Thank you all for your responses, this has been very helpful!

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