Reed Organ Repair and Restoration - DIY Info & Resources 

I strongly recommend studying some resources about reed organs BEFORE jumping into taking one apart to fix or restore it. In general, reed organs are relatively robust and easy to work on compared to other keyboard instruments like antique pianos. However, there are some common "newbie" mistakes that can be avoided with knowledge from those with experience. This can save many hours of fixing your mistakes, some of which may be difficult to resolve and may damage some of the otherwise pristine original condition of your antique instrument that previous owners took great care to preserve and maintain. 

In case you don't bother reading any links on this page, at least read the list of common blunders to avoid at the bottom of this page.

As a first step, I encourage joining the Reed Organ Society (ROS). I'm very grateful for this supportive community of dedicated reed organ enthusiasts. They are very generous with their volunteer efforts. There are ROS Quarterly publications that go back to 1982, providing a vast wealth of knowledge from which you can learn. You might meet someone in your area to meet up with and work on your reed organs together.

For online resources, a good introduction to start with is Jim Tyler's "Aunt Maude" summary on the Reed Organ Society website: 

Jim also has a video series on repairing reed organs that used to be sold on CDs. However, Jim is now retired and these are no longer available, to my knowledge. I hope to find a used copy.

I've also learned a lot from reading and taking notes from these sources: 

The American Reed Organ and the Harmonium, book by Robert F. Gellerman. 

I believe this is out of print. However, you can find used copies from online sellers as well as electronic copies from Kindle, Apple Books, Google Play Books, etc. There are several editions, try to get the latest edition.

Pump and Reed Organ section of the Organ Forums: 

Casey/Kenneth Pratt’s Mason and Hamlin website:

Casey/Kenneth Pratt’s Videos

Key cleaning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEjfD44lGng

Replacing cloth hinges on swell shades:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0v5b6uQ5fs&t=369s

Pallet valves:

Rodney Jantzi's Videos

Hide glue: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IssOeWUBzk

Rebuilding exhausters: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znMhNqHrD2c

Tuning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_UbF_a327M

Various videos including cleaning the reeds and troubleshooting some common issues:

~~~

Rodney Jantzi's website of restorations. There are hundreds of photos there: 

Darragh Connolly's Youtube Videos on wood refinishing:

Bill Ooms' four-part video series showing restoration of his Story & Clark reed organ:

I found it helped to get a visual learning experience from Macon Campbell's Youtube series. This was his first restoration, but he had guidance from others with restoration experience. Not all the methods used are recommended by those with many years of experience, though Macon states this as a disclaimer when deviating from some typical practices: 

The reed organ: its design and construction, a practical guide for craftsmen with instructions for making, including chapters on tuning and voicing, etc. by Milne, H. F. (Herbert Frank), 1930. 

The info in this book seems limited. However, it does have many diagrams that help understand how reed organs work. You can sign it out at the Internet Archive on a voluntary donation basis:


I've learned there can be more than one way of working on reed organs. I lean toward using historical methods similar to how the reed organ was originally built as much as possible, but also being practical and keeping the time and costs reasonable. I also take the approach of "if it isn't broken, don't fix it". I try to keep my reed organs in close to original condition where possible.

I am still learning what my own approach will be for future work and do not have enough experience yet to endorse a particular approach in general. Take your time and use the above resources at your own risk. Ask for help whenever you are uncertain and to check if you're on the right track.

If you don't feel up to the DIY approach, and would prefer to hire someone, try contacting local piano and pipe organ technicians. Some of them have experience working on reed organs. If that fails, reach out to the reed organ communities mentioned above to see if you can find contacts in your area.

Long-Term Care of Your Reed Organ

A reed organ can last many, many decades after a restoration with minimal maintenance if it is protected from the main factors that cause them to deteriorate more rapidly:

Affecting the action and bellows:
* mice
* rapid and major humidity fluctuations
* overly dry, humid or dusty environments
* smoke/soot

Affecting the case:
* direct sunlight 
* potted plants 
* smoke/soot

Some Common Restoration Blunders to Avoid
In case you don't bother reading any links on this page, at least read this list of some common blunders to avoid:
  1. Don't mix up the order of parts or assume you'll remember where they came from. Carefully document the location and order of items when removing them so they can be re-installed in the exact same location/order. You may not be reinstalling them until many months later. This includes:
    1. Pitmans (rods below keys that open pallet vales). If mismatched, you will spend a long time levelling the keys after.
    2. Keys. 
    3. Key guide pins.
    4. Reeds.
    5. Screws.
    6. Small wood block supports, metal linkage rods, etc.
  2. Don't tear off the bellows cloth if they still hold enough air for the organ to be reasonably playable, unless you are doing a complete overhaul for other reasons. Replacing the bellows cloth involves some cost and time that you will need to plan ahead for.
  3. Don't start with tearing open the bellows cloth to replace it if there are some leaks in the wind system. First check the reed pan for cracks that may need sealing. Then check the gaskets under the foundation board. Then check if the pallet leather and bellows cloth need replacement.

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Table of Contents

  Introduction and About Reed Organ Repair and Restoration - Info & Resources c.1890 Doherty Reed Organ - Chapel Model 1907 Doherty Reed Organ - Chapel Model  Farrand Organ Action   1960s Briscoe Harmony Chord Organ Spare Parts Inventory (more info to come)
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