TESTIMONIALS: Shires pipes among the finest in the word
JAMES ATHERTON, Head Voicer, Nicholson & Co, Malvern, Worcestershire
At Nicholson we have our own pipe shop with Richard Sanders at the helm. With over 45 years of experience with us we are tremendously lucky and proud of him.
However, there are only so many pipes he and his assistant are able to make and therefore it is a great privilege for us that Terry Shires
and his fabulous staff make a large proportion of our new pipework.​ Shire's pipes are, in my opinion, some of the finest in the world. Terry is so very easy to work with and keen to experiment with different scales and materials to deliver exactly what we are after.
The quality of the pipes is exceptional and they virtually voice themselves. If there is anything we want to change or would prefer done differently, they oblige. I cannot recommend the fantastically talented craftsmen enough.
We look forward to placing further orders with each new and exciting project we work on. Shires pipes can be found in our new organs at Llandaff Cathedral, Dean Close School and Auckland Cathedral, above, all brand new Nicholson Organs.
WILLIAM DRAKE Ltd, Buckfastleigh, Devon
We have used Shires Organ Pipes for over 10 years. They have always been very responsive to the demands/specifications which our firm makes regarding different styles and period detailing, appropriate for each new project. The team handles historic pipes with great sensitivity and can in our experience be trusted to restore pipes with a minimal loss of original material. The pipes are a joy to voice and the results are plainly evident in our new organs, restorations and reconstructions.
​RYAN LUCKEY, Vice President and Project Manager, Bedient Pipe Organ Builders, USA
We wanted to let you know that the Oboe was absolutely perfect! It came right into tune and there were only about six notes that needed a touch of regulation. Even in the unair-conditioned chapel at 30 degrees C it was very happy (we tuned the organ sharp so it will be closer to A=440 when it cools off a bit).
​The blend, balance and tonal color were perfect with the other ranks. Our tonal director, Mark Miller is a total anglophile and he loves the authentic English oboe sound you provided for our organ! Many thanks to you and all of your team who had a hand in it! Keep up the great work.
Note: The oboe was made for a two-manual organ in Sewickley Presbyterian Church, Pennsylvania and voiced by David Frostick.
SIMON BROWN ​B.Sc, Independent Voicer, Ark Voicing, Northampton
​
For over 15 years I have been fortunate to voice many thousands of flue pipes from the Shires workshop – and all of consistently superb quality. The flue pipes at Manchester Cathedral, including all the display pipes, are from Shires and it has been a real pleasure to work with the team on such a large project.
WAHL ORGANBUILDERS​, Wisconsin, USA
​
We received some excellent new pipework from Shires, made to match missing or damaged trebles of the Oboe and Dolce Cornet stops on our Farrand and Votey restoration in Louisville.
They are beautiful things! The Dolce Cornet re-uses upper work from an 1850s Koenken and Grimm organ. The Shires crew did a great job matching the mouth form and other construction details.
