|
|
Tuning & Maintenance services are provided by the company to churches in the Northeast, particularly The New England states, New York and New Jersey. We offer emergency assistance to any church within a 150 mile radius of Chester, Connecticut regardless of whether the church is a regular maintenance client, or not. In crisis, please feel free to email: info@aco-mail.com or call our shop: (860) 526-5844 or office at: (860) 526-3450. Maintenance breaks down into several categories:
TuningFor average tuning services, we offer a
semi-annual contract for tuning and minor maintenance. Typically, before
Christmas and Easter, Additionally, we can provide tuning on an as-needed basis for a church that does not desire to maintain the organ regularly. This type of service should be booked well in advance of the "busy season" for us, (i.e., the weeks preceding Christmas and Easter.) Scheduled MaintenanceFor some larger churches, we also book a few or several visits a year to perform routine maintenance. On an older instrument, especially a larger organ, routine maintenance ensures longevity and reliability. The tasks performed include routine cleaning; small releathering projects; (before they become larger, more expensive releathering projects) and even shellac refinishing, painting, and polishing. The point is: An organ represents the largest single investment in material possessions that a church will make, aside from the building itself. Good stewardship requires that the congregation maintain and cherish what forbears have given. Proper maintenance, like a car that has oil changes and tune ups every few thousand miles, keeps the machine running well. Tuning (as gasoline in a car,) keeps the organ running, but does not necessarily mean that it is running smoothly. Scheduled maintenance is one concrete investment into the future of the instrument. Cleaning ProjectsEvery ten years, or so, an organ should be cleaned thoroughly. This means that most of the pipes are removed (usually pipes that are 4' and shorter,) and all chests are vacuumed, and polished. Dust in mechanism is never good, and while organs are more tolerant than say computers, an instrument will work better and sound better after it is cleaned. Bits of dust and debris do get into the mouths of pipes, and this does cause pipes to speak incorrectly, the general tone can become dull and in worse case, can even cause dead notes. During the cleaning project, we adjust mechanism as required, and when the pipes return to the organ, we set the temperament and thoroughly tune the instrument. Cleaning projects on a regular basis (in most cities, we find once every ten years to be adequate,) are another positive investment into the future of the organ. These projects are quoted in advance. Any major problems found are documented and reported forthwith for review. Mechanical OverhaulAn organ that is twenty years or more is a candidate for mechanical overhaul. If well-built, an overhaul might consist of the following:
Small To Mid-Size Projects
|
|
we visit the church and tune the organ, we can correct
many small items (dead notes, wind leaks, etc.) if given some notice beforehand.