Restoration: A 120 year old reed organ (Part 2)

Photos and videos showing the complete restoration of a Story & Clark reed organ made sometime after 1899. Part 2 begins to work on the upper action of the organ and shows details of restoring the pallets (the individual valves for each key).

[@PianoDave1865]

Nice repair technique on the sticker!

[@fernlintner65]

Sir, my mother (83) has a beautiful reed oregon that we have had all my life. My mom was the lead piano player in our church since the age of 12 when she got married she married a navy man and that oregon has moved with us everywhere. It does play but has a leak in the bellows. How would I go about learning it’s history?

[@billooms6507]

The Reed Organ Society has a database that can be searched for more information on similar instruments. If you can find the serial number, you will be able to learn the approximate date if was made.

[@MalangBachaOfficial]

Sir can i put this reeds in Indian harmonium . I have from 1880 working fine but i am thinking to take reed from it and put it on harmonium reeds. I would love to if it can work on harmonium before I destroy the history. Thank you

[@billooms6507]

Reeds are different sizes. I don't know anything about Indian Harmoniums, but I suspect that the reeds are different.

[@roniesanderson]

Good day Sir, what do you recommend for repairing broken reeds (4' flute)as no one seems to make them anymore.

[@billooms6507]

Broken reeds are nearly impossible to repair. Generally, you have to find someone with a collection of old reeds that are kept for just that purpose. You might post an inquiry on the FaceBook group "Reed Organ Tech". You will need to know the make of the organ (as well as model if possible) and dimensions of the specific reed(s) you need.

[@roniesanderson]

@Bill Ooms Thanks for getting back to me. I suspected that this would be the case. I actually have a fair few 8' reeds but as is often the case it's the smallest ones that seem to fail. I'm surprised that no one has kept the tooling for these because new reeds would be a great market to have. I think this shortage of reeds in particular would probably spell the end for many over time, which is a shame.