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My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

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Gerryo

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My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostSun Dec 06, 2015 11:25 pm

I was quite happy with my RODGERS 990, and assumed it would be the last organ I privately owned. However, when a friend told me about an instrument in Texas that was being removed, and replaced with a newer console, I was intrigued. I had always teased some of my organist friends that I would some day have a four manual console, but I never really thought it would happen.

I called the local Rodgers dealer, and he told me yes, the console was indeed available. The clincher was that the church did not want money for the unit. They were really more interested that it be rebuilt, and used again by someone who would appreciate it. The local dealer understood that this was to be a Hauptwerk conversion, and thus he asked and I agreed to allow him to remove all of the electronics and use the good components as a source of parts to repair other instruments. Andrew did a wonderful job in gutting the console for me, and was very careful to leave appropriate wiring harnesses intact and ready for conversion. His careful work saved me many hours of wiring, and ringing things out.

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This is the console in it's old location.

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This is the console in my garage, touching up the finish, and preparing to move into the house.

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Mid way through the wiring. My office was a mess for a couple of months during the conversion.

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And the final result. There are a few things to work out still, but for the time being I am having fun finally playing it.
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engrssc

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostMon Dec 07, 2015 11:57 am

Thanks for sharing, further info from you makes for a good read.

Lighted draw knobs? How are these draw knobs controlled?

Rgds,
Ed
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Romanos

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostWed Dec 16, 2015 5:19 pm

Stunning! Very imposing when you add how it is flanked by the behringers... :D (I only have 5" monitors and often I wish I had 8"ers... not for volume.... good lord knows I have enough of that, but for the gravitas in the manual divisions)
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cvmoreau

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostSun Dec 20, 2015 2:48 pm

Absolutely stunning. You did a fantastic job and I'm truly impressed -- also just a tad jealous! :D

Can we look forward to some recordings on Contrebombarde?

-Chris
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ChangedForever

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostSun Dec 20, 2015 5:09 pm

Whah!! I want one of those!! Beautiful console. I bet many hours will be spent on it with a big smile on your face!! Breathtaking!!

-Mark
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Romanos

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostFri Apr 22, 2016 10:08 am

So we never heard... did you end up wiring the drawnobs?
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Gerryo

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostFri Apr 22, 2016 10:59 pm

I did wire the drawknobs. They are lighted, which in my small office works very well.

I normally use a stop list for this console drawn from four sample sets currently available, and one that has not been released. The knob heads are engraved to match the American Classic style of instrument that I generally prefer. When I use other instruments, I match the stops to the knobs as well as I can.

I know that many prefer other style of control, but this is what I am accoustomed to, and I like it very much.

Like many of our instruments, this totally is a "work in progress", and I probably have as much fun tweaking it as I do playing it!
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Romanos

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostSat Apr 23, 2016 8:13 pm

I think it's great that you did that. I'm fortunate as my Johannus console's tabs had baked in midi output. I match mine as well as I can and in general it works very well. I have a Sweelinck 37 which has a rather comfortable stoplist for a 3 manual instrument. I have 8, 4, 2 principals and flutes on each manual, as well as expected reeds and mutations so I'm rarely at a loss for a stop tab on small-medium instruments. I am MUCH happier when I can use the stop tabs than when I cannot. It is such amore realistic playing experience. Having tabs (or knobs) allows you to "put the computer away" so to speak, and interface with it as though it were not there which is a much more satisfying thing for me.
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engrssc

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostSun Apr 24, 2016 1:38 am

Gerryo wrote:I normally use a stop list for this console drawn from four sample sets currently available, and one that has not been released. The knob heads are engraved to match the American Classic style of instrument that I generally prefer. When I use other instruments, I match the stops to the knobs as well as I can.


I have been exploring a thought of being able to light dimly the stops that are available for a given sample set. When drawn, the stops would light up bright. In other words, when you would load a given sample set, (only) the draw knobs specific to that particular sample set would glow. That way you would know which stops were available specific to each sample set.

Real pipe organ console wouldn't have this issue as there is only a given set of pipes available for that particular installation/opus, not multiple sample sets. Not sure this idea would be practical as it might be hard to see the dimly lit stops in a bright room. Thinking this idea could be an aid to a "guest/sub" organist. Just an idea at this point.

Rgds,
Ed
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ChangedForever

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostSun Apr 24, 2016 10:41 am

Ed,

Great idea - dimly lit drawknobs available for that sample set. During the initial sample load the install pkg could scan to see if you have this ability and load the right drivers. Maybe you should submit this for Haupwerk 4.3.... I'm sure Milan could figure it out.

Back to my Bovenkerk and touchscreens,
Mark
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Romanos

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostSun Apr 24, 2016 9:53 pm

engrssc wrote:
Gerryo wrote:I normally use a stop list for this console drawn from four sample sets currently available, and one that has not been released. The knob heads are engraved to match the American Classic style of instrument that I generally prefer. When I use other instruments, I match the stops to the knobs as well as I can.


I have been exploring a thought of being able to light dimly the stops that are available for a given sample set. When drawn, the stops would light up bright. In other words, when you would load a given sample set, (only) the draw knobs specific to that particular sample set would glow. That way you would know which stops were available specific to each sample set.

Real pipe organ console wouldn't have this issue as there is only a given set of pipes available for that particular installation/opus, not multiple sample sets. Not sure this idea would be practical as it might be hard to see the dimly lit stops in a bright room. Thinking this idea could be an aid to a "guest/sub" organist. Just an idea at this point.

Rgds,
Ed



That is a really neat idea. I figure the stop tabs would have to have the functionality built in however... I'm guessing most tabs are either on or off. Perhaps midiworks.ca could have special tabs built with two led's inside for this reason. Either way, it is absolutely intriguing. I wish there was an easy way to get your hands on small e-ink screens like Johannus is doing now... I've always wanted generic knobs that either had individual matrix displays or the e-ink displays. That would be very neat as well.
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engrssc

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostTue Apr 26, 2016 9:34 pm

Not really a problem to dim (and make bright) LED's. The bigger issue is to select which stops are "involved" with a particular sample set and place them to make logical sense.

Rgds,
Ed
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maestropotvin

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostTue Jun 14, 2016 11:24 pm

Hello Gerryo,

Would you be wiling to send photos of your wiring?

I am in the process of rewiring a Johannus console myself.

Thanks,

Stephane
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ldeutsch

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Re: My four manual replacement for the RODGERS 990

PostThu Feb 25, 2021 12:54 pm

Gerryo,

You should check out my post from today. The organ I just purchased appears to be very similar to yours, though my exterior is finished in oak. The console dimensions and contours look identical. Mine still has the Rodgers electronics and they work very well too. This means I am also using the existing Rodgers combination action which, on my instrument, was a deluxe one with extra pistons and eight levels of memory - which was probably considered infinite in the 1990s!

Do you have the original specifications of your instrument? I have bee doing some research into the custom Rodgers instruments and would love to add this to my collection.

Les

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