8 Wednesday, Aug. 19, 1987/University Daily Kansan Pipe organ firm turns a profit in Lawrence By KATHI POLCAR Special to the Kansar Since 1919, skilled craftsmen at the Reuter Organ Co., 612 New Hampshire St., have built custom pipe organs for churches and schools all over the nation. At the University of Kansas, Reuter organs are found in Swarthout Recital Hall. Danforth Chapel and several of Murphy Hall's practice rooms. The company also built organs for six Lawrence churches. First United Methodist Church, 946 Vermont St., has the largest organ in Kansas, a Reuter with 5,931 pipes. Reuter's methods put the company in a league with only four other organ companies in the United States, said Steve Burk, national sales manager for the company. Every Reuter organ is custom- designed for the place it will occupy, Burk said. The price begins at $40,000 and ends when the customer decides to stop adding ranks of pipes. The average price is about $170,000. Regardless of size, every organ key, pipe and electronic circuit board is hand-tooled. Every pipe is voiced, or blended with the others by hand. Every console and cabinet is custom-built from solid woods. The company is working on its 2,900th organ, Burk said. Many of Reuter's 50 employees have been with the company for years. Marvin Curtiss, supervisor of the pipe-making shop, was trained as an apprentice 37 years ago. He now trains 20-year-old Aaron Young. "We find people with the mental attitude and ability to work with their hands," said Alan Fisher, manager of personnel and purchasing. Frank Smith came to Reuter six years ago with a desire to learn the art of pipe-voicing. "I didn't know if I had the ear," Smith said. He has developed his skill by working with the company's tonal director, Max Mayse, and its former tonal director, Franklin Mitchell. Mitchell is now the company's chairman of the board. To blend an organ's sound, Smith cuts and manipulates each tin-alloy pipe to adjust the air flow through the pipe. Running his fingers up and down the keys, he listens for the nuances, such as attack, tone color and volume, of each note. One 61-pipe rank will take him about a day to blend. "There's more to the music than learning the notes," he said. "I work with the choir (of pipes) so they know their parts." Mitchell and Albert Neutel, formerly factory manager and now company president, bought Reuter in 1980 from descendants of the founders, Adolph C. Reuter and Albert Sabol Sr. The company had some lean years in the late 1970s, but is now a growing, profitable operation, Burk said. "One thing we've had to do is convince people that Reuter is still in business and healthy," Burk said. "We feel we have the highest quality instrument on the market." Above, the pipes of a large organ are assembled at Reuter Pipe Organ Co., 612 New Hampshire St. Included are metal and wooden pipes. Left, the large organ assembly room at Reuter Organ. UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN CENTER Student Activities - 8/20 7:00 p.m. Volleyball, Sundae, Videos * 8/23 Noon Free Meal A KU Student Organization --with this coupon T. J. Cinnamons Original Gourmet Cinnamon Roll $ and Coffee or Milk only 99ยข limit one pet coupe good only at T.J. Cinnamons in Lawrence not valid with any other offer Louisiana Purchase expires 9-15-87 23rd and Louisiana 841-1841 --faculty, staff and students only at the K.U. Bookstore in the Burge Union. The Sebastian* Cellular Skincare Systeme A SKINCARE SYSTEME THAT GOES BEYOND FACE VALUE. The Sebastian *Cellular Skincare System* Today's skin needs a combination of better than simple moisturizing agents to improve the skin's ability to benefit the surface. Based on European cell renewal discoveries, the Sebastian Cellular Skincare System helps to replenish delicate dermal tissue, bind moisture to skin, and even protect against the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays. Headmasters. 843-8808 809 Vermont, Lawrence Compact Disc 10% off (expires Aug.23) --Use this ad as a coupon-faculty, staff and students only at the K.U. Bookstore in the Burge Union. (Cannot be combined with other coupons or used for sale merchandise) GOOD NEWS! The Macintosh Family of fine computer products is now available at the Burge Union. Take advantage of special sales and pricing available exclusively to K.U. Come in and see how a Macintosh computer can help you work faster, better and smarter.