Whether mechanical or electric action, all Ruffatti consoles are designed to be comfortable for the player. We want the organist to feel ‘at home’, and to find everything easily understandable and accessible from the very first time he or she sits the bench.

We place great emphasis on reliability. All components represent the top quality that the market offers. We utilize vacuum-sealed electrical contacts, optical sensors, and well-tested control systems.

In the pages that follow you will find interesting information on all the fine features of a Fratelli Ruffatti console.

Design and Functionality:

Ruffatti makes no standard models. Every console is a unique piece, custom-designed and custom-built, esthetically pleasing and comfortable for the organist. Even on the largest consoles, organists are amazed at how easy it is to find each stop or control. Everything is within easy reach despite the size of the instrument.

As is the case with the organ, console cabinets can be designed in a multitude of styles. Following are some examples of consoles, both for mechanical and electric action organs. In all of them, it’s easy to see the original and inventive design “touch” that makes them unique.

Keyboards can have different designs, with keys of different shapes and measurements. Often, the key coverings are made of natural bone and ebony, but other choices are possible.

The ebony sharps, with their descending shape towards the back, allow easy access to the thumb pistons above.

Upon request, we offer tracker-touch keyboards that simulate the touch of a mechanical action. The initial resistance decreases as the key is pressed, for the benefit of good articulation. The following parameters can be adjusted:

• The initial resistance
• The contact’s “firing point”
• The total depth of the key travel

The pedalboard can be concave and radiating (A.G.O. specification) or concave and straight (B.D.O. specification), with oak keys and chromatic coverings made with solid ebony. The pedal resistance, as well as the “firing point”, are individually adjustable.

The platform for movable consoles is of solid wood parquet, and can be made in different styles.

An exclusive feature which is available on request is the height-adjustable console. The two photos below show that the entire upper part of this massive four-manual console can be raised or lowered by more than two inches, changing the distance between keyboards and stops from the pedalboard. The organist can do this by simply pushing a button. Combined with the height adjustable bench, this represents the simplest, most effective way to personalize console dimensions for a truly remarkable fit for every organist, regardless of height.

Fratelli Ruffatti selects the best console control systems available on the market, often cooperating with their producers to obtain the most advanced, user-friendly features for its instruments. Operational features of the console systems offered by Ruffatti include:

• personalization of “memory sections” for each organist, with password-protected access
• recording and playback
• multiple tuttis and crescendo sequences, which can be personalized by the organist
• Transposer (for electric action organs)
• Diagnostics

A touch-screen operated system is also available, that displays icons for the various functions. It includes accessories such as a clock, a metronome, color and light intensity adjustment for the screen, and choice of language for the titles.

Reliability is guaranteed. Circuit boards are standardized and can be easily replaced.

Components are of the highest quality available on the market. Let’s analyze a few examples:

The stop knobs are considered to be the highest quality components available for this function. Contrary to the traditional system based on magnetic attraction, they work on the principle of repulsion. This important feature ensures a very prompt response due to fast initial motion, and a very quiet operation due to the lower repulsion force at the end of the travel.

Contacts under the keys are made of solid silver. Although they can oxidize, silver oxide is a good conductor of electricity, and therefore a good contact is always guaranteed. In addition, the contacts are designed in such a way that their motion has a self-cleaning effect.

Toe-studs feature a lighted display. They are individually machined on the lathe at the Ruffatti shop. They are indestructible, reliable and silent, and their contacts are sealed.

Our movable consoles are connected to the building’s electrical lines by means of a normal electrical cable, and to the instrument by a plug-in computer-size cable. By disconnecting the plugs, the console can be moved with no risk of damaging the cables, a frequent problem with movable consoles.

Easy access is guaranteed to all parts for maintenance. Keyboards can be lifted up one by one to access the contacts and other adjustment points. Sides can be opened to gain access to the stop drawknobs.

The stop knobs are accessible for maintenance both from the side and the top.

A small, radio-connected tuning keyboard is available, which will operate the console remotely. Only one person is therefore necessary to tune or perform maintenance, which provides savings for the customer.