Greetings
Welcome to CombsOrgan.com
Download
a printable .pdf brochure of our products and services.
(733K)
Thank you for visiting the new website of Combs Organ Specialists,
a small group of very dedicated organ craftsman and technicians.
We do Rodgers Instruments sales
and service, pipe organ tuning and
maintenance, custom digital / pipe interface organs, pipe
organ rebuilding and additions, re-leathering, custom organ
facade construction, build windchests,
organist training and workshops, and church music consultation.
*Quick Tip - We encourage
you to click on some of the tabs below this box for a quick
overview of what we do, what you can find at this website,
and how to navigate the site easily.
Using our New Website
Finding Your Way Around
There are several ways to move from
page to page at this site:
Accordion Box - The boxes that expand and
contract, including the one this section is contained by
are called "Accordion Boxes". The 6 different boxes contain
general information and links which will lead you to anything
you want to know. You will find these available towards
the top of every page.
Navigation Bar - You will find a conventional
"Navigation Bar", or set of one word links, at the very
top of each page on the site.
Content Links - Within the text of an article or
headline, you will find links that will take you to more
information.
*Quick Tip - If you click
on most of the smaller images, a larger version will be
shown.
Site Content
Once you are comfortable getting
around the site, what types of things will you find here?
Products and Services - Read an overview
of what we do.
Contact Us - Use one of any methods provided:
Mailing Address, Directions to our Shop and Showroom, Phone
Numbers, Email Addresses, one of two contact
forms for sales inquiries or service / tuning requests.
Installations - Many pages of pictures
and detailed information about upcoming, ongoing, and completed
projects.
Testimonials - one of the new focuses of
our website is to include as much feedback from our clients
as possible. We will be adding more and more messages from
the organists, ministers, and others that we work with as
they come in. If you have worked with us and would like
to drop us a line to give us your thoughts, please
do!
Our Products and Services
What We Do
Download
a printable .pdf brochure of our products and services.
(733K)
Rodgers Sales and Service - We are an authorized
dealer for Rodgers Instruments of Hillsboro, Oregon. We
serve most of the state of Kansas, excluding the eastern
edge. Mike Combs started his work with Rodgers as a salesperson
for Mid-America Piano, the Rodgers Dealer at the time, nearly
20 years ago. In 2000, Combs Organ Specialists became the
Rodgers dealership for this area.
For more information about our Rodgers Installations, links
to Rodgers, etc., visit our Rodgers
page.
Pipe Organ Tuning and Service
- C.O.S. contracts with over 100 churches in Kansas, Oklahoma,
and Texas for the regular tuning and service of their pipe
organs. For information regarding pricing, frequently asked
tuning questions, etc., visit our pipes
page.
Custom Woodworking - By looking at the
pictures on the page below, it should be apparent that we
take a great deal of pride in how our installations look,
in addition to how they sound. This past year, our master
carpenter, Dan Miller, came board as a full-time employee.
He has been working for us, on a per-project basis, for
years. Our business has grown to the point where we now
keep him busy building custom casework, windchests, and
church furnishings, 5 days a week. Visit our wood
page for more information.
Pipe Organ Additions and
Rebuilding - Reasons for needing to rebuild an
organ can vary. Old pipe organs can have problems with their
electrical relay and switching systems causing dead notes,
problems with combination actions, etc. They can also have
leather that has decayed - causing dead notes, ciphers (notes
that always play), wind leaks and air noise, etc. Rebuilding
might also be needed to add new stops to an organ. We can
help in any of these situations. See our rebuilding page
to read more.
Organist Training and Workshops
- Much of our organist training happens every time we are
at a church. Whether the visit is a scheduled tuning, sales
meeting, or we are just dropping by to say "hello",
organ talk invariably comes up. Each conversation is an
opportunity for us to teach about the inner workings of
the organ and learn from the organists we work with as well.
More extensive, formal training happens when we install
a new or newly rebuilt organ. Each organist is given ample,
hands-on instruction regarding the operation of a new system.
In addition, we plan and present workshops periodically
to cover more general organ related topics such as registration,
and the organ's place in contemporary worship services.
*Quick Tip - Join our Mailing
List to stay informed of workshops near you. Also, if you
would like to host a workshop at your church, please contact
us. We'd love to come.
Contact Us
At Your Service
Phone Numbers -
Sales Inquiries: (316)-283-6588 Tuning & Service Requests:
(316)-945-3220 or (316)-799-2827
Addresses - Mailing
Address: 410 E. 6th St., Newton, KS. 67114 Shop
/ Showroom: Map
of 304 N Main St Newton, KS 67114-3417, US (open by
appointment only)
Email - Mike Combs:
mikecombs@combsorgan.com
Jeff Combs: jcombs@combsorgan.com
Contact Form - Submit
a quick sales inquiry or tuning / service request using
our contact form
Email Newsletter
Stay Informed
We will begin sending 1 emailed newsletter
per month as part of our website update. Join our list to
find out about dedications, concerts, workshops, and more.
*Quick Tip - If you have an event
scheduled, please let us know so we can help you publicize
it.
Upcoming Events
The Latest
Happy New Year! Welcome 2010! - We are starting off the New Year with several new projects. For the next few weeks, we will be working on a new Rodgers / Pipe Combination organ at St. John's Lutheran Church, Ellinwood, Kansas.
*Quick
Tip - Make sure you join our mailing list to hear about
dedications, concerts, new installations and more!
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Impossible
to Describe
On the morning of February 19, 2006, St. John Lutheran Church in
Russell, Kansas dedicated their new organ during a worship service
filled with majestic hymns, moving scripture, and grateful hearts.
This inspiring service was the culmination of three long years of
hard work, planning, and fundraising by the members and friends
of St. John Lutheran Church.
Beginning in early 2003, the concept of a new organ for the church
began to take shape. The aging Allen electronic organ was beginning
to have major problems and following a wedding that David Rankin
played for, Combs Organ Specialist became involved. A letter dated
3-8-03 provides some general information about new and used pipe
organs, digital organs, and digital/pipe combination organs.
As the dream developed, David began to meet with Pastor Hartman
and the new organ committee. It became very obvious that there was
a great deal of interest in a pipe organ, as many people had fond
memories of the old pipe organ which was replaced by the current
Allen over 30 years ago. After months of planning and trips to hear
new organs, the committee decided to present a plan to the congregation
that called for the installation of a new Rodgers/Pipe Combination
Organ.
This organ would contain real sets of wind blown pipes as well as
many pipe quality digital voices. The congregation voted to move
forward with the project, with the understanding that a contract
would not be signed until all of the money was raised. The fundraising
was nearly complete when a portion of the Reuter pipe organ in Jackson,
Mississippi became available. It was determined that these pipes
combined with some new Reuter pipes would work perfectly for the
new organ. It is truly impossible to describe how wonderful the
new organ looks and sounds. The combination of new and used Reuter
pipes, Rodgers digital technology, and Combs Organ Specialists craftsmanship
and design has produced an instrument that is truly breathtaking
to see and hear.
The following list provides a basic description of the work done
in building the organ, but it cannot describe the voicing that Mike
and David did, or the detail of the woodwork that Dan built that
matches the existing altar furniture, or the visual layout the owner
Mike Combs developed. You will have to see it and hear it to fully
understand the magnitude of this new pipe/digital organ.
Parts, Equipment
Rodgers 958
PR-300 with drawer
11 ranks of Reuter pipes with chests, wiring, blowers
Bottom nine pipes of Great and Choir principal pipes painted gold
Custom interface/relay
Casework around chests only, all pipes exposed
Antiphonal division
Antiphonal casework with pipe faŤade
Double Swell division speakers
Pipe voicing and tonal finish work
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Message
from Eileen Vladar
Eileen was the organist at St. John Lutheran Church
for 60 years until retiring in January 2008.
Hi Jeff:
Nice to hear from you. This morning we had a real blizzard
then this afternoon the sun was shining........only in Kansas!
The Rodgers/pipe combination that you installed for us is truly
a joy to play. I love the organ and our members
love it also.
Several weeks ago we had a Christmas taping in our church which
will be aired on KOOD Public Television in December of 2008.
This was to have been done this past December but due
to an ice storm it was postponed until after Christmas.
We had our choir, the choir from Barton County Community College
as well as brass from BCCC and our bell choir.
The organ teacher from Barton CCC was impressed with our organ.
Hope you will be able to see the program next December as it shows
the sanctuary in all of its Christmas glory and the pipes are beautiful.
I just can't thank you and your father enough. You were
such a great joy to work with and the thought that went into the
appearance of the pipes was just amazing. You
did a great job and we will always be thankful to you for that.
Love and Prayers,
Eileen Vladar |
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