John Smith Organs
(See Accessories page for some ready-built Topsy 3 Parts)
A website for anyone interested in small mechanical Organs
Other buttons - Busker, Senior 20, Universal, Topsy 1, Topsy 3, Tops3 Plans - will take you to pages with details about the organs themselves - so you can decide which one you might like to build - or to the Ordering page when you have decided. The Accessories button brings up a page giving details of a punch for making paper rolls, and a booklet about arranging music oneself. It now also includes some ready-made parts for Topsy 3 that John can supply. The button FAQ takes you to pages giving the answers to 'Frequently Asked Questions'.
There is also a button which will enable you to select videos stored on YouTube which show the organs actually playing, and a buttton marked Outings, which shows places where John may have his organs on display. Finally there is a button for a Links page, where you can find web pages for suppliers of parts and music for John's organs, pages created by people who have constructed John's organs, and other pages devoted to different aspects of the fascinating world of small - and large - organs.
To clear up some common misconceptions, these pages are devoted to 'organs' - that is, instruments with pipes that sound when air is blown through them, just like a church organ, but a lot smaller! 'Barrel Organs' were a common sight years ago, and some did contain air-blown pipes, but the majority of these were actually very large versions of a musical box - as revealed by the 'metallic' sounds that they produced. Another name sometimes wrongly applied to Busker organs is 'Hurdy Gurdy'. This is actually a mechanical violin, where a rotating wheel takes the place of a bow, and notes can be sounded by operating keys to press the violin strings onto the wheel.
Topsy 3 Plans Ready
We are pleased to announce that our latest set of plans
- for Topsy 3 -
are now available
A Topsy 3 Plans page has been added to give details about this
'New Look' package, and any
late-breaking corrections
will appear there.
Also, a
new video
is now available on YouTube, giving a preview of the many features that the Topsy 3 plans contain.
(You are listening to some of the music from this video)
Click here to view it.
(use Browser 'Back' button to return to this page)
On this website you will find details of the various organs that John has designed, and how to obtain packages that will enable you to build your own instrument.
The buttons at the top of each page enable you to navigate around the site, but if this is your first visit, you may like to start by clicking on the History button to find out how John Smith created a world of home-made small mechanical organs.
The buttons at the top of each page enable you to navigate around the site, but if this is your first visit, you may like to start by clicking on the History button to find out how John Smith created a world of home-made small mechanical organs.
Control background music
SALE
A rare opportunity to purchase a John Smith Universal Organ completed and set up by John himself
A rare opportunity to purchase a John Smith Universal Organ completed and set up by John himself