Is there asbestos in old pianos?
Asbestos was widely used in many brands of Pianos and may not have stopped in most countries until the late 1970’s in North America or as late as the 1990’s in the U.K. and some other countries. However some piano manufacturers indicate that their pianos never contained asbestos.
How does an organ blower work?
The motor compresses air and puts it into a closed system of ducts called windlines, which transfer the air to the organ chambers. The air then enters reservoirs that have valves inside to regulate the airflow to a constant pressure. The regulated air is then delivered to an air-tight windchest.
What is a pipe organ worth?
The cost of a pipe organ can be as low as $30,000.00 for a used instrument relocated to a new home, to millions of dollars for a new instrument built for a major church or concert hall. The range of cost for a pipe organ for a small to medium sized church is in the area of $200,000.00 – 850,000.00.
What is an organ blower?
One of the least glamorous parts of your pipe organ is its blower. This is the device that supplies the wind enabling the pipes to sound. It’ s an electrically powered turbine that maintains a steady wind supply for the organ.
Are old pianos worth anything?
Antique pianos and organs can be valued anywhere from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. It is important that sellers realize the real value difference between a restored instrument and an unrestored instrument.
How do I get rid of an old upright piano?
Check to see if your local trash or junk removal service, charities, and recycling facility accepts pianos or offers piano disposal service. Schedule a pickup time with piano movers. Clear a path for the piano movers to carry the instrument through.
Does a pipe organ need electricity?
Traditional pipe organs use a mechanical structure to feed wind into pipes, using their action in response to movement of the manual keys, but there are also organs that direct wind using only electric signals.
Do organs require electricity?
Most organs, both new and historic, have electric blowers, although some can still be operated manually. The wind supplied is stored in one or more regulators to maintain a constant pressure in the windchests until the action allows it to flow into the pipes.
What is the most expensive pipe organ?
The 7,000-pipe organ in Lausanne Cathedral is one of the most expensive instruments in the world, but experiencing its sheer power and unique harmonics is priceless.
How long do pipe organs last?
Although the initial expense of an electronic substitute is often less than that of a pipe organ, the relatively short life span (15-20 years) makes the pipe organ a wiser long-term investment and a better example of prudent stewardship.
What generates the wind for an organ?
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called wind) through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard.
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Pipe organ.
| Developed | 3rd century BC |
| Playing range | |
|---|---|
| Related instruments | |
| see Organ | |
| Builders |
How do pipe organs produce wind?
How sound is produced. A pipe organ feeds wind into pipes, causing the air to oscillate and produce a sound. The pipes stand in line above the box referred to as the wind-chest, with wind fed from below into the pipes the organist wishes to use to produce sound.
How much is a 50 year old upright piano worth?
SO – What’s my piano worth?
| Piano Type | Age | Approximate Value Range |
|---|---|---|
| Steinway & Sons | 40+ years | $1,000- $15,000 “shell value” |
| Steinway & Sons | 5-10 years | Around 80% of new $60,000 to $90,000 |
| Steinway & Sons | 10-20 years | 60-70 % of new $45,000 to $70,000 |
| Steinway & Sons | 20-30 years | 50% of new $40,000 – $60,000 |
Are ivory keys worth anything?
Ivory keytops are not valuable.
Because the trade in ivory is completely outlawed around the world, the keytops are not valuable. But even if it was legal, remember that only a thin veneer on top of the key is made of ivory. The entire key isn’t made of solid ivory.
Is there a market for old pianos?
One of the most popular ways to sell a piano is to use an online marketplace. The most popular places to sell a piano online are eBay, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. A simple search on any of these platforms yields tons of pianos of all shapes, sizes, and price ranges.
How did old pipe organs get air?
Pumping wind with organ bellows. Later, devices known as bellows and originating in ancient Egypt came to be used for pumping the air on which pipe organs rely (referred to as “wind”). Organ bellows are shaped like a wedge.
How did organs get air before electricity?
There is always air being pumped into the windchest when the organ is switched on. In the days before electricity someone (an organ blower) had to pump the air into the windchest using bellows. This was hard work. Large organs would have needed more than one organ blower to do this job.
Why are church organs so big?
Organ pipes are made from either wood or metal and produce sound (“speak”) when air under pressure (“wind”) is directed through them. As one pipe produces a single pitch, multiple pipes are necessary to accommodate the musical scale. The greater the length of the pipe, the lower its resulting pitch will be.
Why do organs sound scary?
So we established that the timbre of the organ and the sheer volume of the instrument play a part in the spooky factor. The musical key is another. Horsley said in the western world we are conditioned to think of music written in a major key as happy, while music in a minor key as spooky or sad.
Where is the best organ in the world?
The organ at the Cathedral of St Ouen, Rouen in France.
What is the most famous organ piece?
Johann Sebastian Bach – Toccata and Fugue in D minor
Considered to be the most famous work in the organ repertoire, it’s no surprise there have been several varying analyses of this piece.
How often should a pipe organ be cleaned?
once every ten years
Cleaning is generally performed once every ten years or so, during which time a considerable amount of dust can collect. There can be a notable change in the sound when cleaning is performed.
Where do pipe organs get their air?
A pipe organ feeds wind into pipes, causing the air to oscillate and produce a sound. The pipes stand in line above the box referred to as the wind-chest, with wind fed from below into the pipes the organist wishes to use to produce sound.
What wood is used for organ pipes?
There are several kinds of wood that can be used to make pipes. The ones mainly used are spruce, pine, maple and oak. The picture to the far right shows the finished pipes of a complete organ stop. It is also called a rank of pipes, in this case it is a Subbass 16′ – one pipe for each tone / key.