We have been happy to maintain the instrument at Faith Lutheran Church in Quincy MA since 2021. First asked to help complete some outstanding maintenance and tuning tasks, we were glad to then be asked to take on some larger projects.
The instrument began its life as Hook & Hastings Op. 2228 of 1909. It was a tracker with 9 ranks. In the 1950s, Martin Becker electrified the instrument using a new supply house console, new wind regulators, and additional unit pipework. Henri Lehaise and Sons were contracted in 1993 to modify the now 12-rank instrument which included the installation of a new combination action and some pipework changes.
By 2021, the instrument needed help. All chambers were excessively dirty, the console was failing, the swell motor was missing, and several things needed releathering. Over 3 years, Plenum Organ Company has been working to revive this instrument. Our work has focused on everything including the chambers, pipework, and console.
Work Completed Since 2021:
Chamber
- Cleaned, replastered, and painted all walls
- Painted the Swell chamber, shades, and Great supports black to reduce visibility
- Cleaned and restored all walkboards, rackboards, toeboards, and swell shades
- Provided new lighting for safety and ease of maintenance
- Installed new Swell expression motor
- Installed safety handles to aid in navigating the tight spaces
Pipework
- Cleaned all flue pipework, removed paint splatters from past renovation work, and dusted reed pipework
- Provided new tuning slides on flue pipework to allow for more stable tuning and repaired any pipe damage from the old slides
- Releathered Pedal 16' Bourdon
- Installed (12) 16' Trombone pipes to extend the Great 8' Trumpet into the Pedal
- Installed a Zimbelstern (a standard feature in Lutheran hymn-playing)
Console
- Installed new Opus-Two Instrument Control System
- Re-designed the piston layout and provided more thumb and toe pistons
- Installed new console equipment including lights, expression pedals, controls, and pedal key naturals
- Re-designed the stoplist slightly to align the instrument with its Hook & Hastings roots
- Before -
- After -
