Reeds

Making reed pipes has become extremely rare among organbuilders. It requires complicated machinery, skill, and a great deal of know-how. At Fratelli Ruffatti we design and make all of our reed stops as individual entities, introducing all the variables that make each sound unique and correct for the artistic and acoustical needs of each instrument.

The metal for the reed blocks is poured, just as it was done centuries ago. After casting, each block is individually machined to fit its corresponding foot. This ensures the ultimate structural stability, a feature which greatly contributes to the stability of tuning.

Each block is individually machined to fit its corresponding foot to ensure structural stability

 

Reed shallots are individually machined to create their front opening.

 

The shallot tips are then soldered utilizing bars of solid silver. This type of solder provides a high resistance bond.

 

 

 

Every conceivable model can be created or reproduced, as in the case of historical reproductions which are created utilizing the hand press, or rare models from various organbuilding traditions.

 

The signature stop of Fratelli Ruffatti is the beautiful Trompette en Chamade, with brass resonators that look like real orchestral trumpets. The resonator’s end piece is manufactured on the lathe and then soldered with silver solder to ensure a perfect, undetectable bond.

 

 

 

 

Many of our instruments include reed stops of very large size.
The following video shows the hand crafting of one of these stops, a 32-foot Bombarde.