Free to a good home!
If you’re a hobbyist looking to get into Hauptwerk, this may be just what you need.
These were used on my Burning Man Organ Project back in 2002… you can read all about it at the link if you’re curious.
I’ve since upgraded the instrument to a Hauptwerk setup with three manuals and touch-screens, and have no need for these original keyboards, stop tabs, and MIDI encoders.
The keyboards are M.P. Möller (so I was told when I acquired them, but I could be wrong!). Note that some of the keycaps are missing. Three keys were broken at one time – by professional movers of course – but have been re-glued and have held up fine since.
The keyboards are MIDI-encoded using boards from Midi-Organ in Arizona (no longer in business). Ribbon cables bridge the original keyboard contacts to the encoder boards.
The stop tabs and pistons are Syndyne, and were purchased new for this project. They are engraved with markings that correspond to two 20-rank Ahlborn Archive modules, a Model 201, and a Romantic, to create a 40-rank instrument. Later, when Hauptwerk was used instead, colored labels were added to correspond with the sample set I was using, but can be removed.
The stop tab switches (unknown origin) are manual action only, there are no electromagnets.
The stop tabs are encoded to MIDI using two Syndyne LS4601 boards, for 20 stop tabs and . These boards are design to work directly with Ahlborn Archive modules, but Hauptwerk can be programmed to recognize the same codes. I have also used the setup with OrganTeq, although some functionality wasn’t supported (I forget which at this stage, but I could fire it up for a test if you’re an OrganTeq user.)
These boards also encode 15 general pistons, tutti, general-cancel, and “midi panic” which sends note-off commands in case you get a stuck note.
In addition to stop tabs and pistons, the LS4601 boards can encode typical potentiometer-based volume pedals as a crescendo shoe. Because there are two boards, I imagine you could also use one to encode a swell shoe, but I’ve been using a different solution (not included) for my swell shoes.
There are also pistons for Swell/Great MIDI channel selection, which is handled by the keyboard encoders (not by the Syndyne boards), and a Zimbelstern piston, which is not handled by the boards. It was instead used to control a real zimbelstern (which I am keeping, but you can have the piston).
The pedal encoder is needed by my current setup, so is not included here.
All of the above is free to an organ enthusiast looking to get started with a home Hauptwerk or MIDI setup. Perhaps you know of a student who likes to tinker?
(And frankly, like many pipe organ parts, these are free because the use case is limited, the items are used, and there are certain to be headaches. And we wouldn’t have it any other way, right?)
If you are also interested in the Ahlborn modules, I still have them (plus a spare). They have developed a problem that is common to Ahlborn modules, and I’m hoping to fix them up and sell them, but if you are interested in discussing them, please contact me.
Local pick-up in Portland, Oregon. Will fit in most cars. Due to the weight (and difficulty packaging), shipping is not available. If you do not have a vehicle, I can deliver within a 20-mile radius of downtown Portland at no charge.
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