Reuter Organ Company - Lawrence, Kansas

Reuter Organ Company

1220 Timberedge Road
Lawrence, Kansas 66049

Archive Page only
Reuter Organ is no longer at this facility
and is scaling back operations.

Reuter Organ Company - Lawrence, Kansas

Archive Page only. Reuter Organ is no longer at this facility and is scaling back operations. Albert Neutel, Jr, is continuing the Reuter brand on a smaller scope. All contracted projects are being completed in a more modest, local shop. He will also continue maintenance and tuning services, consulting services, and work on selected projects.

In 1919, the 2 year old Reuter Organ Company moved to Lawrence, Kansas from Trenton, New Jersey. To date the pipe organ manufacturer has produced over 2240 organs, 312 of them for Kansas churches. About 10 organs are produced or majorly restored in a year and each project is assigned an "Opus" number. While touring the factory, we learned that the pipe organ in our church (Lenexa United Methodist Church) was built by Reuter in 1981 and is Opus 2020.

In 2001, Reuter Organ Company moved from the original Lawrence location, near Sixth and New Hampshire streets, to a purpose built building which moved the entire operation to one level.

Free 1 hour tours of the place where of some of the world's largest musical instruments are handmade are offered by appointment on week days. They include all parts of the facility from engineering to milling, pipepaking, casework, voicing and assembly.

Reuter Organ Company manufacturing floor
The main floor

Wood milling room at Reuter Organ Company
Milling area where hardwoods are stored and raw lumber is prepared and cut to size

Reuter Organ Company router - Lawrence, Kansas
CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled Router) used to produce highly detailed, intricate wood designs

Casting room at Reuter Organ Company
Casting room - Many of the pipes are made from a alloy of tin and zinc, which are melted together and cast in flat sheets.
Others are made from those individual metals, copper or wood.

Organ pipe making at Reuter Organ Company
Pipemaking - The sheets of metal are rounded, shaped and the seems are welded.

Reuter Organ Company wood working
This is part of the area where the woodchests are produced. They have intricate systems of channels and valves to provide the
proper amount of air to each pipe at the right time.

Reuter Organ Company Voicing to give speech and tone
Voicing - Where adjustments are made to the pipes to direct the airflow through the pipe to create the proper speech and tone.

Reuter Organ Company assembly floor
The Reuter Assembly Room is 45' tall and 2800 square feet. This is where the components of the pipe organs
are completely assembled and tested before leaving the factory.

Engineering at Reuter Organ Company
Engineering

Small pipe organ
The Reuter Organ Company purchases instruments which are no longer needed or replaced and offers them for sale.
This two-manual instrument was originally created for an individual and installed in their home, but is now available.

Reuter Organ Company Map - Lawrence, Kansas
Reuter Organ Company Map

Reuter Organ Company website

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