Keyboards and Pedalboards

Whilst a few organ builders still manufacture their own keyboards and pedalboards, the majority source these components from several supply houses around the world. By far the largest manufacturer in the world is the Italian company of FATAR who manufacture keyboards in dozens of different designs for instruments ranging from digital pianos and synthesizers to church organs. Their "ecclesiastical" models were developed over many years and can be found in many commercial pipeless instruments. 

The alternative to the FATAR class of keyboard is the typical solid wood keyboard as manufactured by such companies as P&S, Lauckuff, and several other specialist manufacturers worldwide. These are designed for use in either pipe or pipeless instruments.

However, in the last couple of decades, a new manufacturer based in Germany called UHT has come to prominence and they produce very high quality keyboards that are available in a number of different styles and finishes. Using a similar frame construction to FATAR, their keyboards are wooden cored and possess a quality of touch that is as good as any keyboard available. Although they are designed with pipeless organs in mind, they are also used by pipe organ builders where a purely electric action is required. As a result of their superb products, they can be said to have become the leading keyboard manufacturers in the world with a "Rolls-Royce" product.

Pedalboards are more likely to be manufactured "in house" and whilst some of the one time major suppliers (such as Kimber Allen) no longer offer pedalboards as component parts, there are several other sources for this particular component including the UHT company mentioned above. Various different designs of pedalboard are available from the several supply houses ranging from the typical straight B.D.O. style pedalboards of the Continent to the familiar British and A.G.O. specified radiating and concave models.
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