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Preparing the Swell Scharff III

Blacksburg Presbyterian project · November 2026

Some of the last pipes to work on are those of the SW Scharff III. The Scharff consists of three individual ranks and contains 183 pipes in total. Its function is to add a bright shimmer to the sound. The pitch is high, and these are the smallest pipes in the organ.

Instead of one continuous rank running from the lowest pipe to the highest, the stop uses so-called breaks: the pitch drops at each C as the keyboard rises from bass to treble.

The Swell Scharff III pipes (183) divided into individual ranks

Part of the preparation is reducing the toehole of each pipe. This restricts the wind and regulates the volume.

SW Scharff III pipes in the process of reducing the toeholes

Reduced toeholes to the left

I use several hand tools for this process, but for larger reductions I use a rotating tool to reduce the size of the pipe tip.

Close-up of the rotating tool used

The tool is used in a drill at reduced speed. I move the foot of the pipe in the tool at different angles to form a well-shaped tip.

Once the toeholes are finished, each pipe will be tested and regulated on my voicing chest. The lengths will be roughly cut and the tuning slides fitted.

Working on the smallest pipes of the organ

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