Johannus 50% OFF? Bankruptcy?

[tegshee]

Hello everyone,
Johannus organs are on sale...
No wait, not proper: they are on heavy discount! 50% off...
No wait, incorrect: THIS ONLY APPLIES TO THE US MARKET!!!
Why are they neglecting the EU market??? Or, maybe, the reason is they're going to leave the US market cause they're not selling a cent there due to the economic collapse. Maybe they're leaving the market?
What do you think?

[dll927]

What are these Johannes organs like? A four-manual for $24,995? I don't think Allen or Rodgers would do that.

I just went on their website, and the prices, even before reductions, seem a little out of synch. Either you get what you pay for, or something drastic has happened to the monetary system.

Somewhere not long ago, I read about a four-manual Allen that ran something like $180,000. Is this for real?

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha dll927,

If my memory serves me Johannus has never been as pricey as Allen, even in Europe. They are decent instruments for the money. However, organs by M&O and Walker Technical Company are far superior and cost more but you can get a fabulous Walker that kicks Allen's butt for less then an Allen. Honestly, you have look into Hauptwerk - Currently they offer a C-C sample set(C-C in Metz) that is astonishing and the C-C in Caen will soon be coming to market. So, if you're looking for that *C-C Sound* you're gonna be pleasantly delighted by Hauptwerk - And all for a fraction of the cost of a Johannus, Allen, Walker, Phoenix, and M&O.

There is a possibility that Johannus might be leaving the American market, therefore the Fire Sale - Only my personal view of course. I recently played a nice 3-manual Johannus with a 64' reed stop in the pedal - it did the job of *rattling the rafters.* - Here's the brochure with specification list link: http://www.johannus.nl/wm.php?ws=9;id=813

Cheerio,

CD

[Mat]

Well, I've played 3-manual Johannus Organ (Opus series) and it sounded quite nice. According to the Johannus' price list from 2004 it cost ~ €7,000 so it's pretty far from $180,000 for Allen organ.

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha Mat,

Off Topic: Are you going to hear McCoy Tyner in Wroclaw? Its tonight in your time zone.

Cheerio,

CD

[Mat]

Hi CD,

Unfortunately I was not able to go to this concert...


Cheers

[dll927]

Does anyone have a handle on what Allen/Rodgers prices run? Neither one deigns to include such information on their websites, possibly to avoid scaring anyone away. Yes, I realize price may depend on the particular specifications (what else is new?), but who knows, for instance, what a church has paid for a decent useable organ? And by 'useable', I would mean at least a decent three-manual.

[Krummhorn]

Re: Allen/Rodgers prices,

Our church, a few years ago, had an Allen proposal on the table to augment our pipe organ with digital voices. The console was to be a fully complemented 3 manual drawknob and contain 65 digital ranks. The price (installed) was around $75,000.

Unfortunately, the organ augmentation proposal got wrapped up into a building renovation project that was going to cost $850,000 which the congregation swiftly nixed, organ improvements and all.

As for Rodgers, I haven't a clue except what I know from past years when I was in Allen sales (dealer sales, not factory sales) where brand "R" would discount at the last minute in order to seal the deal ... unfortunately, churches jump at "cheap" instead of holding out for "quality". Oddly enough, 5 years or so later, some of those same churches contacted me about purchasing an Allen.

Btw, there are, imho, some "decent" two manual organs. Although I would personally prefer the convenience of three decks, I have been regularly playing on two manuals for most of my church organist career.

[Markclint]

I don't think so that their company are suffering bankruptcy right now because having sale proper for those kind of organs are their tactics on how to got a lot of sales. As long as the bankruptcy attorneys will declared that their company are bankrupt that's the time that we judge their company but for now on let us cheer their company up nor to judge them.

[wljmrbill]

I played a 3 manual Johannus for 9 years as head-organist at a large Episcopal church in the 1980's. I found it very enjoyable to play. It was a custom installation..so that may have had something to do with the sound etc. seems to me it was around $50,000.00.