Schlicker Organ Co.
1959

Unlike other major rebuilds, this organ is not on the Schlicker opus list, and therefore was not assigned a job number nor is it found in promotional literature of the day. Schlicker did quite a few rebuilds similar to this one in the 1950s and early 60s, often retaining the mechanical-action chassis. The recasting of antique pipework on a neo-baroque framework was commonplace among the early tracker builders following a pattern similar to Schlicker's approach with this organ.

The Steere was so heavily rebuilt by Schlicker that it is essentially a new organ with old parts rather than a rebuilt old organ, although the original manual slider chests were retained with electro-pneumatic pull-down action. There are several prepared-for stops, and the organ would be improved with their addition, the organ is already so cramped inside the case, it's hard to tell where these stops would be installed. Although the original facade pipes were repainted in aluminum paint, the original chaste decoration is preserved underneath. The pipes were fitted with slide tuners, presumably part of an effort to re-pitch the organ to A440 and to get rid of expression-type tuning slots.

The original Steer & Turner organ remained unaltered until electrified and tonally modified by the Schlicker Organ Co. in 1957. The rebuild included a new Schlicker-style rocking tablet console, with a number of prepared-for stops which have never been installed.

This describes a rebuild of an existing organ.

Identified by David Lenington