About us
Here is a little background on our history and philosophy...
Wigton Pipe Organs is a small company dedicated to the construction
of pipe organs of high quality. We believe that our small size
gives us the flexibility to provide the ideal organ for almost any
given situation. Not being bound by standardized designs, we are
able to custom-build organs according to variations in budget,
architecture and musical needs.
We specialize in instruments with mechanical action, although we
have specified electric action where a tracker isn't possible, or
when there is an existing electric-action organ of high quality.
We enjoy building new organs, but do not hesitate recommending a
rebuild when a church cannot afford a new organ large enough for
the room.
Our basic approach is to first analyze all the uses for a potential
instrument, and come up with a specification that will fill those
needs in the room. Then, if the budget won't hold up to a totally
new organ, we consider other possibilities.
In some instances, the result has been a "new-old" organ, such as
our project in Fremont, Ohio. That church found itself with most
of the pipework from its 1890's Farrand & Votey tracker organ, and
a handsome case, but nothing else. We designed an augmented
stoplist, retained all the original pipes and case, built a new
console, action and windchests. The church now has a "new" organ
which will play 19th-century music well, and a great deal of the
music of other periods.
Our smallest new organ is a 37-note table organ used for
accompanying Gregorian chant. Our largest is the 3-manual 52-stop
tracker in an 18th-century French-style case at Old St. Mary's in
Detroit. In between have been many projects, both new and rebuilt,
in which we've been given the opportunity to show our flexibility.
We enjoy a challenge!