An exciting new keyboard!!

[Steve Bolander]

Technology never ceases to amaze me. I got this from someone who was moving and couldn't take it with them. I'm guessing you forum veterans already know what a Farrand & Votey organ is.

It has a variety of different voices and cool features, including one of those foot exercisers built into the lower section of the unit. And a mirror for acknowledging those behind me who just put a five-spot in my tip jar.

However, I am having some difficulty in finding the USB and MIDI ports, as well as, the line-out audio jacks. But it's gonna be fun learning all the rest of its features. (You might want to tell me you're busy if I ask for help getting my gear to a gig. )

 

[Rayblewit]

From the 19th century . . Wow!
How does it sound?

Farrand & Votey Organ Company - Pump Organ Restorations

 

[happyrat1]

Where's the whammy bar?

 

[Rayblewit]

Where's the whammy bar?

It is not a guitar?

 

[happyrat1]

 

[Rayblewit]

Fair call Gary. .

 

[Steve Bolander]

From the 19th century . . Wow!
How does it sound?

Considering it's about 140 years-old, it actually sounds pretty good.

 

[Steve Bolander]

It is not a guitar?

Are we not men?

 

[Steve Bolander]

Where's the whammy bar?

Funny you should ask. There are a couple of knee-activated levers that I need to get working.

 

[Rayblewit]

Are we not men?

I'm a man!
Gary's a rat.

Funny you should ask. There are a couple of knee-activated levers that I need to get working.

State of the art!

 

[Rayblewit]

(You might want to tell me you're busy if I ask for help getting my gear to a gig. )

Ha ha!
It just dawned on me what you said! LOL!
I will gladly assist man! I will be your roady assistant. Just buy me a ticket to the states.

 

[happyrat1]

I just picked up Keith Emerson's original Hammond from Lucky Man...

 

[BrianT]

Back in the day, I used to refurbish them. Mostly it was rebuilding the bellows but sometimes other things.

The last one I did kinda spoiled me, it was very large, two manual, a bunch of stops, even a set of "bells". I might spring for something like that if it every showed up for sale near me but one of the smaller ones I probably wouldn't.

 

[Gourockian]

My father played a very similar pump organ in our old church for over twenty years, right up until about 1967, when the building had to be demolished due to redevelopment in the area. It actually sounded quite good.

 

[Old No7]

My father played a very similar pump organ in our old church for over twenty years...

I've played one before many times -- glad I didn't do it too often, or I'd look like the image at right.

Old No7

 

[tassiespirit]

Pump up the Jam.

 

[leandrusi]

WE DEMAND TO HEAR IT

 

[BrianT]

I've played one before many times -- glad I didn't do it too often, or I'd look like the image at right.

Old No7

They were definitely not all created equal. Have played some that were quite easy to pump and others that were exhausting once you opened up all of the stops. Sometimes bellows were well sealed, other times very leaky and a whole lot of the air you pumped in squeezed out not doing anything useful at all.

Organ players that played on the very large ones, often in churches, had a guy on the side who's job it was to pump the bellows. I never got to play one of those. (Never had to pump on it, either. LOL!)

 

[Steve Bolander]

Organ players that played on the very large ones, often in churches, had a guy on the side who's job it was to pump the bellows.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll be checking Craig's List for available bellow pumpers in my area. What's the going rate to pay one of these guys? Is it by the hour? By the song length?

 

[BrianT]

Haven't seen pumpers for hire. I suspect it's not one of those high paying jobs with good benefits.

I would guess it would be about as wonderful a job as one of those guys on the medieval ships with all the oars poked out the side where there was a guy (or two) inside just pumpin' on the other end of that oar only there were a bunch of guys... and I kinda doubt they had Right Guard. At least with the organ, there would be music while they work. LOL!