Their work has consistently been of an excellent quality. Their comprehensive understanding of not only Moller organs but also the work of pretty much every company enables them to diagnose problems accurately and fix them correctly. I believe that maintaining good regulation and pipe speech is critical to the effectiveness of any organ, and have been very pleased all these years with how well Fabry, Inc. is able to do this critical work for us. The resourceful, intelligent direction of the project by David J. Fabry, and gorgeous craftsmanship of David G. Fabry, and the diligent work by the entire company produced a result that is truly a showpiece among the many fine organs in the state. I would enthusiastically recommend them, both for routine service, and for major projects.
It is my pleasure to offer these words of testimony on behalf of the Fabry Organ Company, as they have had a long and valued association with the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church for some three decades.
The quality of their work, both in building instruments and in servicing them, is exceptional. Their vast knowledge of the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of the pipe organ is encyclopedic, and when combined with their long years of experience, serves them well in being able to diagnose and correct problems as they arise. Fabry Inc. offers a quick response to calls for tuning or service, their work is always professional and satisfying, and always at a fair price. When my colleagues ask me to recommend someone to maintain their pipe organ, I never hesitate to invite them to make Fabry their first call.
- Paul French, Music Director, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
William Ferris Chorale, Chicago
Fabry Inc. was subcontracted by Wicks Organ Inc. to move the organ from our old church to the new one. They did an excellent job despite having to deal with issues over which they had no control. Their personnel were very easy to work with. I would highly recommend them for anything from routine maintenance to building a new organ.
- David Zarbock, Chairman of the organ committee, St. Peter's Lutheran Church
Fond du Lac, WI
I have worked with Fabry Inc for the past several years - on a small house organ and several major restoration projects on a large organ of 65 ranks at the church where I am organist - Immanuel Presbyterian Church. In my experience, all members of the Fabry team have been responsive and sensitive to my needs/wishes and desires in all the projects. Their quality, craftsmanship and timeliness have all contributed to very positive results. I invite your inquiries and specific questions on my experience with Fabry Inc.
Their work and attention to service and customer satisfaction has been exemplary! At the time that I commenced the position as organist for the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, I was fully aware of the many problems and maintenance issues that were common to both vintage Moller instruments. Being knowledgeable about their expertise in the construction of Moller organs, I called upon Fabry, Inc. for their assistance. It was a very short time afterward that David Fabry, Sr. and Phil Spressart spent four hours of their time at First Presbyterian to assess both instruments. Their attention to service and interest impressed the church authorities, including myself. The realization is clear that much work lies ahead for both instruments. Fabry, Inc. has set forth realistic, achievable, incremental and prioritized guidelines as to the restoration/rebuilding work needing completion. All work completed to date has been done to complete satisfaction and with excellent service. All of their employees/service technicians have been outstanding to work with. This firm has also gone the extra mile to repair additional issues needing attention. With the above being mentioned, it is without reservation that I would highly recommend Fabry, Inc. for any pipe organ service work.
- Donald M. Hill, Director of Music/Organist, The First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, IL
Three generations have sustained the honorable Fabry name with years of exceptional service and support at Christ Presbyterian Church of Madison, Wisconsin. May I say personally that I am grateful for Fabry Organs; their willing effort to perform quality work cheerfully; their long term reliable, care; and, the valued integrity which continues to sustain the Fabry name.
Located in our present building since 1963, a new 53 rank, four manual organ built by the M. P. Möller Company was installed in the new facility by a team that included the much admired, Gustav F.C. Fabry. His son and current President of Fabry Pipe Organs, David J. Fabry, together with his own son, Vice
President, David G. Fabry, have proved over many service years to be the singular, irreplaceable program resource required to sustain vital classical music in the church.
It is entirely appropriate that when the time came recently for Christ Church to consider major restoration work to bring the instrument into compliance with the performance standards of the day, Fabry Organs received the commission to perform that necessary artisan work. Fabry Inc. protects our investment and keeps this majestic instrument singing into the future, and singing much better.
John A. Rafoth
Organist at Christ Presbyterian Church, Madison
since 1965
First Lutheran Church has two organs in the Sanctuary. The front gallery organ dates from the late 1800’s and the main organ in the rear galley was first installed in the 1950’s. There were tonal changes in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Recently, the organs were the victim of a large lightning strike. The front gallery organ sustained the least damage, with the lightning only blowing out the rectifier. We made changes to the 1950’s electrical system by adding fuses, to keep the lightning from reaching the rectifier. A new rectifier was installed and we were able to use the front gallery organ in less than a week. The response from Fabry, Inc. was fantastic. Their ability to ascertain the damage and make practical suggestions to keep our music program running was exceptional.
The rear gallery organ did not fare so well. The lightning strike silenced the instrument. I was impressed that the quick response from Fabry, Inc. They were at the church within a day, and began the process of assessing the damage, and formulating a plan to get the organs working, up to standard code, and with preventative measures to guard against further lightning strikes
The reality of the collaboration with Fabry, Inc. is there desire to make sure that all things are done right. Their communication skills with me as we went through the process were right on target. Projects of this nature, when lightning is involved, can have far reaching effects, not always seen upon an initial inspection.
I give high praise to Fabry, Inc. for searching areas and researching problems until they were solved.
I appreciate the skill, professionalism, kindness and pride that they exhibit in their work as craftsmen.
I would not hesitate to recommend them for any organ project—tuning, rebuild, additions, new console, etc. They are a superb team.
Sincerely,
Gregory Gyllsdorff, FAGO, ChM, MFA
Minister of Music
I became Director of Music Ministries at Zion Lutheran Church and School, Marengo, Illinois in August, 1997. I faced an extremely problematic sanctuary organ that had electrical, mechanical and musical issues. The congregation engaged a different builder in November 1998 to bring the organ up to standard pitch; this was a two-day project, including shortening numerous pipes to get them up to pitch.
An Organ Committee was formed in late 2000, and was directed to review the organ's shortcomings and make recommendations for repair. In 2001, the congregation agreed with the Committee's findings and contracted with Fabry Pipe Organs, Inc. to carry out the recommendations. These included rewiring the chests and the addition of a Peterson multiplex relay; a thorough re-winding of the chests, including several new reservoirs and tremolo motors; a completely new all-electric console on a moveable platform; the addition of six ranks of pipes, including a full 32-pipe 16' Principal in the Pedal, and two additional windchests for the additional ranks of pipes.
All this work was completed in 2002. Since that time, the congregation also agreed to replace one rank of pipes due deterioration, and one windchest due to cracking. All work done by Fabry Pipe Organs, Inc. has been of the highest quality and workmanship. Their thoroughness and attention to detail is rare in our time. Today, the instrument is the largest pipe organ in McHenry county, Illinois [46 ranks], and is capable of performing literature from a wide variety of periods and nationalities.
Glenn R. Mahnke
Director of Music Ministries [retired]
Zion Lutheran Church and School
Marengo, Illinois
Fabry Inc. Pipe Organs has been a supplier, re-builder and repair service for Trinity Lutheran Church for more than a dozen years.
I can attest to their enthusiasm, integrity and satisfactory service. They have always fulfilled their responsibilities and duties conscientiously. They are a valued team resource and a technical asset to our music ministry here in Galesburg, IL.
They know their business. We are blessed to work with them.
In service through Christ,
Ruth E. Anderson
Director of Music Ministries
When I began as organist at First Presbyterian Church in 1970, the instrument (III-33 pipe organ) was still being serviced by O. E. Besch, the son of the man who had designed it in 1935 at the Besch Organ Co, a small Milwaukee firm no longer in existence. Eventually he retired and after that I experienced great difficulty in trying to interest various Milwaukee firms to take on the care of this instrument. It was common for them to ignore tuning/repair dates without notification, and at the end of this period the organ had actually not been tuned for over two years. I should say that I am sure there are conscientious organ firms in Milwaukee, but I didn’t happen to find one.
I had noticed the Fabry advertisements in the Milwaukee Chapter A.G.O. journal but supposed that Antioch, IL was too far from Racine for us to consider this firm. But it turned out that the separation is only 26 miles, closer to our church than are many spots in downtown Milwaukee, so I contacted this firm and they immediately set up a time to review the instrument. They did a thorough evaluation of the problems we were experiencing and the cost of repair. We then signed a tuning/repair contract and have been working under that arrangement now for over three years. I have found this firm and their employees to be competent, honest, and open to communication. As an example of this, the chimes had not worked for several years and our repairman at that time could not discover the problem. A Fabry employee diagnosed it in about 10 minutes, and the actual repair didn’t take much longer.
Fabry also got involved with a large project at church that consisted of turning the choir/organ loft into a flat stage. This required moving the console out of a pit on the stage onto a movable platform at one side of the stage. We signed a contract that involved this work, the addition of a modern multi-level combo system, general rebuilding of the 1988 console, rewiring the chests, and re-leathering the primaries. This project gave us an opportunity to observe both the ability of Fabry to coordinate a large project, and also to see the very high quality of workmanship done by David G. Fabry on the console rebuild.
I highly recommend that you consider Fabry, Inc. for your pipe organ maintenance and also for large-scale organ rebuilding projects.
Gerald E. Buck
Organist, 1970 – present
First Presbyterian Church
Racine, Wisconsin