Our Team

Charles Kegg - Tom Mierau - Bruce Schutrum - Phil Laakso - Joyce Harper - Phil Brown - Michael Carden - Fred Bahr

History

Kegg Pipe Organ Builders is located in Hartville, Ohio which is in the Northeast part of the state, close to Canton. It was establish in 1985 by Charles Kegg to address the needs of those institutions that desire an electric action instrument of high quality design and construction, coupled with the tonal skill and care that can only be accomplished with proper training. Mr. Kegg trained for eleven years with Schantz, Casavant, and A.R. Schopp's Sons, and is responsible for the final voicing of many Schantz and Casavant instruments ranging in size from 4 to 132 ranks. It became clear to him that there was a need in the industry for a builder of electric action instruments that were intelligently designed to bring careful chest design, pipe scaling, and voicing to a segment of the industry that frequently neglected these important steps. The goal of the company is to continue to offer uncompromising instruments at fair and reasonable costs to those organizations that desire a truly musical instrument.

Tonal Philosophy

The primary duty of a pipe organ used in worship is to support congregational singing. The second duty is to accompany soloists and ensembles. The third duty is to play organ literature. A well-designed instrument, even a modest one, should be able to do all three.

A Kegg Pipe Organ is designed to play American worship services. It is not copied from a notable builder of the past, for no great artist becomes great by dogmatically copying another's work. Rather, the past must be drawn upon for inspiration, and balanced with the requirements of contemporary worship needs and American acoustical environments. A fine Cavaille-Coll organ sounds splendid in a reverberant French room, but the same organ would be quite overbearing in a typical small, dry American space. Therefore, one must strive to duplicate the effect of such instruments, rather than the instruments themselves. This requires an understanding of scaling and voicing which only time and experience can provide.

The Kegg Pipe Organ relies on foundation stops to provide volume and support. Upperwork provides color to this support. Drawing a Great Mixture does not double the volume of the chorus. It adds sparkling color. The Great Principal has a nobility that only a fine Diapason can possess. It is rich and full without being muddy. Principals are never bearded. Flutes and strings add allure. Chorus reeds blaze with rich, balanced fire. Tapered shallots are used frequently. Color reeds pique the ear to delight.

Above all, a Kegg Pipe Organ blends. All stops come together to weave the musical fabric. The result is a sound that surrounds and lifts the congregation in support throughout the dynamic range. A Kegg Pipe Organ provides an expressive, attractve, and worshipful sound.

"Combination" instruments where electronic voices play a significant role are not built by the Kegg company.