Services
With a wide experience of organ building, Mander Organs are able to offer an extensive range of services to their clients. We also have Organs for Hire.
New organs
With a long list of new organs built in churches and concert halls around the world, we are always keen to hear from potential clients to discuss options for new organs. We have experience working in a range of different styles of organ building and can tailor the tonal design of the organ to suit the clients’ needs and wishes. Visit ‘Our Work’ to see the many examples of organs we have built in recent years.
Rebuilds and restoration
We have carried out several successful large-scale rebuild projects in recent years, most recently at Kings College, London and Waltham Abbey, Essex. We are always happy to provide our recommendations of what could be done to improve an existing instrument. We also have a considerable amount of experience in the restoration of historic instruments dating back to the 18th century. When instruments are restored, extensive research is carried out in order to ensure that once complete, the instrument reflects faithfully the stage in its history to which it is being restored. We have also amassed a wealth of experience in the particularly demanding area of the restoration of purely pneumatic action instruments.
Tuning and maintenance
We offer tuning and maintenance services within the Greater London area, and occasionally further afield. Clients have the choice of regular tunings, several times a year to cover seasonal changes, or tunings as requested. While most organs we work on are tuned to equal temperament, we are also able to offer tuning to many other temperaments according to the clients’ needs. We are equipped to be able to rectify most faults onsite, as they occur.
Site cleaning and overhaul
We can offer site cleaning and workshop overhauls to maintain an instrument’s optimum performance.
Voicing
Our Head Voicer, Michael Blighton, has considerable experience in many different styles and types of pipework, ranging from high-pressure tubas to gentle flute and string stops.
Pipe making
Metal pipes are made to exacting standards in our well-equipped metal shop. We cast our metal in various proportions of tin and lead on a casting bench made of Portland stone, which is covered with a special heat resistant cloth called Nomex. Once the metal has been cast, it is planed on a drum-planing machine, which was specially made from a section of North Sea gas piping. It is the largest in Britain, and as well as planing the material to uniform thickness, it can also burnish the material to a mirror finish.
Hire organs
We have a selection of Continuo organs available for hire. We have been hiring organs for concerts and recordings for more than thirty years, giving us unrivalled experience at home and abroad. Our instruments can be tuned to a range of pitches and temperaments to suit the clients’ needs. We are happy to discuss any needs a client may have.
Protection from building works
We have frequently been asked to cover organs when work is planned in a building. This usually involves covering the instrument with a layer of Polythene and we can, if required, keep the organ in a playable state whilst it is covered. We are happy to discuss potential options for protecting instruments with our clients.
