Monroeville, Ohio
St. Peter's Lutheran

Organ by John H. Sole, 1895

On-line Update from Larry Claus, March 14, 2006


I have been doing reed organ restoration at a museum in Michigan for six years and have great 
interest in mechanical (tracker) pipe organ preservation too.  Another gentleman with pipe 
organ building experience and I are repairing this organ (authentic historical materials/techniques 
and minimal work)with the help of parishioners.  

The swell chest has suffered some water damage from a leak in the roof, but we believe it can be 
repaired and be made usable.  If not, it will be left as it is and placed back in the organ.    
We already have the great division made playble with minimal work.    

The blower (unique in itself) has been rebuilt and the reservoir is still quite functional and 
will be essentially left alone.    

Given its age and situation, the organ seems to have stood up well and was very well contructed with 
quality materials.    The pipes are generally in very good condition after all these years.    
It appears to be tuned about 50 cents flat of 440.    

One of the stops (bellows signal) is nonfunctional and fixed.    Another is a puzzle as it has a 
label of swell to great (a duplicate of a functional swell to great stop next to it) and appears 
to have not been connected on the other end to anything inside the organ for many years (based upon 
dirt and darkened wood).    

Two combination pedals - one full organ, the other partial organ/partial cancellation of full. 
   
Entire organ under expression with one shoe, mechanical linkage, with shutters in the wall above the 
keyboards.