Replacing 20 year old organ

[swandak]

Hello Everyone!

I remember a thread in this group about replacing the organ in your meetinghouse. Ours is the original organ and is 20 years old. It has also been acting up lately with increasing frequency. The E-flat pedal refused to play. The volume varies from week to week. It sounds like a couple of the speakers might be blown. 

I have talked to our bishop, who referred me to the agent bishop for the building, who put a request in online through the FM group. Somehow, the E-flat pedal was fixed, but I'm not sure if the request for a replacement actually went up the chain.

Any suggestions? Thanks so much!

Sharon Barrus

[Ryan Ballantyne]

Church policy, is to first repair, and then replace.

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[Harold Stuart]

As I understand it, you have to get to the point where it starts costing more to repair the organ than to replace it.  To that end, you should be quite firm about getting problems fixed while showing a Christ-like attitude.  After all, the organ is a primary worship tool in the church which, when played properly, adds much to the spirit of the meeting.  It needs to be in proper working order.

One thing that is helpful is to offer to be present when the instrument is repaired.  It’s really hard to specifically describe an organ problem to an FM group — most of the time they know nothing about the organ and don’t know what most of the terms mean.  That makes it hard for them to properly describe to a technician the work that needs to be done.  To get a feel for this, ask a random member of your ward what a “Swell to Great Coupler” does.  We speak a strange alien language, folks… :)

Harold Stuart

Cambrian Park Ward

San Jose California South Stake

[David Keller]

Volunteering to be present when the organ technician comes is a good idea.  But it's only worked out for me once in the last 29 years.  

I have learned to talk with the stake physical facilities representative, plus send him an email detailing the problems and what work needs to be done.  The PFR forwards the email to the FM group, who presumably share it with the organ technician.  This usually results in the needed servicing being promptly completed.  It also leaves a "paper" trail documenting work needed.    

David Keller

Provo Peak 8th (Spanish) Ward

Provo Utah East Stake

[Max Walker]

I agree with David. I've had success in the last couple of years providing good, solid, descriptive documentation through the Bishop and Stake Presidency. It helps them to feel informed as they go to the FM group for help. I always include plain language about the impact of the problem, not just the problem description, just in case someone needs help understanding why the repair matters for our worship services. 

[Matt Bengtzen]

I believe that I started one of these discussions previously.  I would like to share some insight.

We too have been having numerous problems with the organ in our building (an Allen ADC-2000).  I have made repair requests several times, including offering to be there when the technician comes.  Not one time has the technician ever talked to me about this.  I am very fortunate that the High Councilor over Physical Facilities is not only a dear friend, but is also in my ward.  He went to far as to have the area FM group manager come over when he was there, and had him convinced to replace it.  But our Stake President put the brakes on that.  Yes, the FM group takes care of them (the organs) or causes them to be cared for, but the Stake President apparently has the ultimate say.

Now, I live in the Salt Lake Valley.  I am blessed to have an organ instructor that is a guest organist in the Tabernacle on a regular basis.  He has played the instrument and agrees that it is in desperate need of replacement.  He even spoke to one of the Tabernacle organists about it, with no success.

My Stake President is a trained organist, and I still cannot get him to see the value in replacing the organ.  It is frustrating and discouraging.  But I have also had to make peace with knowing that it will not get done until he is released.  So I have learned to deal with the hand I have been dealt.

So good luck.  And feel free to email me off list if you would like to discuss this further.

Matt

On Wed, Oct 22, 2014 at 1:31 PM, Max Walker <maxw...@gmail.com> wrote:

I agree with David. I've had success in the last couple of years providing good, solid, descriptive documentation through the Bishop and Stake Presidency. It helps them to feel informed as they go to the FM group for help. I always include plain language about the impact of the problem, not just the problem description, just in case someone needs help understanding why the repair matters for our worship services. 

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