Jeff Classical Pipe Organ Project

 Console

Last Update
2011-12-19

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The console of a classical pipe organ is just as much a piece of art as the pipes themselves. A lot of thought goes into them and a lot of workmanship is required in building one that plays well. The professional organist also came to demand some standards in order to be able to play several organs without having to re-learn each instrument every time.

For that reason, the organist community has developed some standards. The most popular is probably the standard promoted by the American Guild of Organists . This standard is thus referred to as the AGO Standard Console Specifications. It defines such things as manual keyboard positions, size of keys and pedals, order of stops, order and role of couplers, depth of key depression, weight of keys, etc..

Since I wanted to play something fairly standard, I quickly ruled out the use of individual MIDI keyboards. The next option was to get ready made manuals and a pedal board. Although attractive, this option would leave me with the need to build some sort of table to hold all this equipment. But more interesting was the option to get an old console. In searching the web, I calculated that this option was just about as expensive as getting new components anyway. And my first lucky strike was to find a console only 100 Km from were I live!

Console before refurbishing

This was a very attractive solution, as I could easily see the console before deciding to purchase it. I was concerned about the overall size and weight, since I live in a modest home. In particular, I was limited by the width of the doorways in the house. My first visit to see the console was actually a bit disappointing. Although it was apparently perfect from the point of view of playing and from the point of view of work required to convert to MIDI, the console was 3 inches wider than my doorways. I could only use this console if I could take it apart to move it.

My second lucky strike came soon after. The seller of the console was actually an organ builder. While I was pondering on my decision back home, he contacted a woodworker that took the console apart. When I called him back, he told me he could deliver the console as soon as I wanted it! The deal was sealed.

The specifications for this console are:

Brand	PELS
Origin	Belgium
Built	1961. It has serial #532
Original installation	Pipe organ at Ste-Germaine Cousin Church in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Montréal, Québec (Canada)
Material	Oak & oak veneer on plywood
Where did the pipes go?	Mostly to scrap. Some of the buffet was sold to a movie company and featured in the movie Silent Hill
Width	1,61m
Height	1,29m
Depth (without pedal board)	Original 0,83m, Modified 0,762m (see Construction page for details)
Keyboards	Great, Swell and Pedal
Stops	Original 23, Modified 51
Couplers	9 + Tremolo
Combination controls	2 on Great, 2 on Swell, 2 on Pedal, 2 for full organ, 1 Tutti
Other	Expression and Crescendo pedals

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