Does anyone have a clue as to what prices are on Allen and/or Rodgers organs? These would be for new instruments ordered from factory or dealer. Installation and taxes would be added.
Their websites have all kinds of descriptions, and at least for Allen, stop lists for several models. But they carefully avoid any mention of prices. I'm assuming at least a three-manual.
Just wondered if anyone knows of fairly recent examples.
Allen has always been very secretive about their prices, and I believe that the factory has never published them. Their reason is that they don't want people to consider buying an organ based on price alone ... they want them to buy what sounds the best to their ears. It's amazing how many people listen with their eyes (on the pricetags). They are not cheap ... but they are built to last and any Allen organ, even those built since 1939, can be serviced with the same expertise, and parts availability, as the current year models.
Having been an Allen technician years back, I know that the dealers are given a 'dealer cost' figure and from there tack on their profit margin as well as delivery and installation. Since each and every installation is basically a custom job (speaker placement, console placement, voicing for the room, etc) it would be difficult to give X or Y numbers that would cover all situations.
You may wish to speak to a local representative to get a ballpark on pricing.
Looking at the Rodgers website, I see they are just as glib about posting prices as Allen is.
Kh ~~.
Administrator
Amateur musicians practice until they get it right ...
Professional musicians practice until they can't get it wrong ...
If I may add, buying an organ, even if electric, should absolutely never be like purchasing an appliance - If you see prices then the "personal haggling" sets in and the race for rock-bottom pricing is foremost - What you're then left with is a pile of junk that ain't gonna make no one happy.
*If a man wants God to hear his prayer quickly, then before he prays for anything else, even his own soul, when he stands and stretches out his hands towards God, he must pray with all his heart for his enemies. Through this action God will hear everything that he asks* -Abba Zeno-
*Protagoras: "Truth is subjective. What is true for you, and what is true for me, is true for me. Your opinion is true by virtue of its being your opinion."
*Socrates: "My opinion is: Truth is absolute, not opinion, and that you are in absolute error. Since this is my opinion, then according to your philosophy you must grant that it is true."
"Improvisational Art": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSxVO3EoCRM
I pretty well figured as much.
Yes, each installation would be its own kettle of fish. Yet, it sounds as if this is done about the same way that auto dealers sell cars. We don't about prices until we have you committed. But for 'standard' models as shown in the websites, one wonders why they have to be so secretive about it.
I am not implying that I am in the market. I live in a condo and have no room for such a thing. To say nothing about neighbors in adjoining units. Just raised the question to see if anybody knew -- and surely there must be some around who do.
They have various and sundry models shown on the websites. Apparently it's possible to custom order some things involved. But they surely don't wait for orders to start an organ from scratch -- they have to keep the employees busy doing something.
Hi dll27, Lars, brCD
Though I agree about the Allen ect politics on sales, I believe that if one wants to sell something has to declare the prices of the goodies, the very high and the lowest.
I too went so many times on Allen's site and got my self pissed off because I saw so many beauties without knowing how much they cost. At least it's annoying.
For example I enjoy Wyvern's site, as not only they declare the costs of their beauties but also they give some extremelly interesting second hand opportunities !
Just adding some thoughts on our discussion :-)
Best
Panos
*It's like a fight with women, which always ends in .... bed.*
F.Kafka, Aphorisms.
I don't know how many times I have visited the Allen and the Rogers sites - I used to get pissed off but now, in a curious way, I can see some merit in there being no prices........Originally Posted by Ghekorg7
Cheers,
CD
*If a man wants God to hear his prayer quickly, then before he prays for anything else, even his own soul, when he stands and stretches out his hands towards God, he must pray with all his heart for his enemies. Through this action God will hear everything that he asks* -Abba Zeno-
*Protagoras: "Truth is subjective. What is true for you, and what is true for me, is true for me. Your opinion is true by virtue of its being your opinion."
*Socrates: "My opinion is: Truth is absolute, not opinion, and that you are in absolute error. Since this is my opinion, then according to your philosophy you must grant that it is true."
"Improvisational Art": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSxVO3EoCRM
From my days as an Allen salesperson (before I migrated into being a technician) the competition was always very fierce. Allen refuses to discount their prices, where other builders may actually do so. More than one sale was lost to brand R because of that ... We had submitted an Allen proposal and ready to close the deal, when the competitor suddenly discounted their bid proposal by, literally, thousands ... unfortunately, the organ committees were swayed by price rather than quality. In several of those cases, the church came crawling back to us (Allen) years later completely dis-satisfied with their 'discounted' organ.
But you know, even pipe organ firms don't post prices on their websites ... each installation is unique, whether it is going to install a fine pipe organ or a digital/electronic instrument ... no two church installs are exactly the same ... nor the same acoustically.
The Allen dealers have price lists ... perhaps contacting them might reveal some 'ballpark' figures at least.
Kh ~
Administrator
Amateur musicians practice until they get it right ...
Professional musicians practice until they can't get it wrong ...
Agree 100% ... each one real or digital is unique.... !! As are our Virtual ones.
I thought many times to e-mail Allen about how I would like my home organ to be and how much's gonna cost but I never did....
Now doesn't matter, as brCD said elsewhere, with that kinda money I could order a real small positif pipe organ, poorer but REAL !
A Walther one would be great !
In the meantime I enjoy my virtual ones.... he he
My best to all of you
Panos
*It's like a fight with women, which always ends in .... bed.*
F.Kafka, Aphorisms.
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