Vowles Organ in Blaenau Gwent on eBay

[jcrouch55]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280711734581#description


Looks in quite a state!  £600 starting bid would be optimistic I think.

[Barrie Davis]

I knew a Vowles in Wooton Basset and it was a very pleasing sounding organ, dont let the condition put you off.

Barrie

[David Pinnegar]

Hi!

I note that both the writers above have -1 negative "Karma" ratings as do all three Moderators and forum administrators. I wonder what their sins were?

Is it simply a measure of a perversly postive difference a writer has actually made in influencing opinion against the grain? So Barrie - and Jcrouch55 please continue making comments such as the one above and don't take the ratings to heart!

On a serious note, the seller does say that the organ is "complete" and irregular keys on the manuals may be cured by a box of new leather buttons, although if the pull-downs are corroded there's more work to do . . . K-A whose link is on the front page of this forum can aupply such things off the shelf.

A tracker instrument is not rocket science!

Best wishes

David P

[Holditch]

There does appear to be quite alot of fresh air behind the display pipes however to the right of the swell box.

I was considering asking the vendor for more internal photos of the pipe work

Best Regards
Marc

[diapason]

I've played quite a few Vowles organs over the years.  They are still plentiful around Somerset, Bristol and South Wales.  The largest I know from personal experience is the three manual in Holy Nativity, Knowle in Bristol.  There is another three manual in Holy Trinity Barnstaple on the IBO redundant list.  Generally, Vowles built good workmanlike instruments.  Very Victorian in specification, but reliable and perfectly good for their main purpose - service accompaniment.  I would guess that this one could be restored to playing condition without too much work, but, of course professional organ-builders don't come cheap (nor should we expect them to in view of the long training and high craft skills involved).  The starting price is, as has been previously mention, probably optimistic.

Nigel

[jcrouch55]

David P

Thank you for your comment.  I had noticed the "-1 Karma" and do wonder what in 7 posts has been considered worthy of such judgement.  I do in fact wonder why the opportrunity to judge a contributor is included at all. It is not something I have seen on other messageboards; I have normally seen the option to judge favourably an individual post rather than poster.

Anyway I will continue to use the site regardless.

Best

Jeremy

[Jonathan Lane]

Regardless of any particular issues with this organ, in my experience Vowles organs are in general very worthy instruments and far better than many instruments in small churches. 

Jonathan

[Jonathan Lane]

On a serious note, the seller does say that the organ is "complete" and irregular keys on the manuals may be cured by a box of new leather buttons, although if the pull-downs are corroded there's more work to do . . . K-A whose link is on the front page of this forum can aupply such things off the shelf.

A tracker instrument is not rocket science!

Indeed tracker actions are not rocket science.  You may be more likely to receive a prompt delivery from Laukhuff or Heuss.

Jonathan

[dragonser]

Hi,
has anyone posted links to the suppliers of parts for Organs that were mentioned ?
I am sure that tracker organs are not Rocket Science but I wouldn't underestimate the amount of work that a used instrument might need. This is where it would be nice if there were more training courses about, even a short course for beginners !
I feel that although sometimes a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, sometimes it is a useful thing as well !
I guess that unless you actually inspect any instrument it may be difficult to know how much work it may need ?

regards Peter B

A tracker instrument is not rocket science!

Indeed tracker actions are not rocket science.  You may be more likely to receive a prompt delivery from Laukhuff or Heuss.

Jonathan

[Barrie Davis]

Sorry for the one liner I was dashing to the Crem to play for a service at the time. Vowles made fine organs for accompanying and David is quite right in saying that Tracker action isnt rocket science. Leather buttons are cheap and easily replaced, I wish the keys on my ep were as easy to regulate.

Barrie

[Jonathan Lane]

Links below as requested.  Barrie is right to say that leather buttons are cheap, but they tend to come in bags of 1000. Price in the 2010 K-A price list was £76 + VAT (I don't have the current one with me, its paper and in the workshop!)  When you start to add these up with new tracker wires, felt, and other so called consumables you quickly get into the £1000's brackets.  That assumes of course there are not major issues with soundboards and bellows needing releathering, etc.  However, I agree with the sentiment, and we hope, at some point in the future to run training courses and information courses, when of course, the business has grown sufficiently.

Links to sites.

http://ottoheuss.de/en_produkte_index.htm

http://www.laukhuff.de/

http://www.kimberallen.8m.net/

for electrical parts, the best UK firm is AJ&L Taylor: http://www.ajltaylor.co.uk/

Jonathan