Schoenstein & Co. is the oldest and largest organ builder in the Western United States.
We began as installers for the greatest American organ builders, learning through experience with every detail of their instruments. As we built more new organs, our leaders traveled to influential instruments and firms near and far. The result is six generations of applied hands-on knowledge, all in the service of expanding the tonal color and dynamic range of the pipe organ.
The Schoenstein family began building organs in the Black Forest of Germany in the mid-nineteenth century, with branches in Odessa, St. Petersburg, Berlin, and Stuttgart, among others. In 1868, Felix F. Schoenstein came to San Francisco representing his father and brothers. By 1877 he established his independent firm – the most consistently steadfast and successful company in the history of organ building on the Pacific coast.
Due both to our then-remote location and to our founder’s inventiveness and curiosity, a policy of continuing study and training by constant exposure to past and current work of other organ builders became a tradition. Each son of each generation was sent to train with other firms. For example, Felix’s son, Louis, worked for E.M. Skinner. Louis’ son, Lawrence, and later his grandson Terrence, joined Aeolian-Skinner.
During this period, the company served as West Coast installer for some of the greatest American organ builders, including those mentioned above. Installing new organs and renovating others damaged after the 1906 earthquake gave the firm a wealth of practical knowledge. All the while, our service department, the largest in the West, brought us experience tuning and repairing nearly every make of organ in America.
Our continuing study has included numerous overseas trips to discover the tonal secrets of past master builders. Because the organ’s mechanism must serve the music, we have spent decades perfecting the Schoenstein Electric-Pneumatic Action. An organ must be a finely tuned machine with Swiss watch accuracy if the organist’s musical interpretations are to be realized. It is with the perfection of seemingly insignificant small parts that a precise and responsible organ action is achieved. Therefore, we give serious attention to all details of the organ building process, with equal weight given to parts seen by many and parts seen only by us.
More than a century of practical experience and research has given us a perspective that is unique. This is one reason why we are so often engaged as consultants to evaluate organs and develop plans for renovation.
In 1977, Jack Bethards purchased the company from the Schoenstein family. Bethards brought together his love of organ building and experience in symphony orchestras to develop the Symphonic Organ sound we’re known for today. His background in business management set the firm on a path of best financial and management practices, something that ensures the company can spend the time necessary to build every organ to its full potential.
Bryan Dunnewald assumed the position of President and Tonal Director in 2024 after several years at the company and a long relationship with Bethards. Dunnewald’s work as an orchestral conductor and church musician in some of the most renowned institutions continues to deepen Schoenstein’s ties to the wider music world and practical, inspiring instruments.
Today, Schoenstein & Co. is large enough to provide several skilled artisans in each department and the finest facilities and equipment, yet small enough for management to devote personal attention and energy to every project. This starts with painstaking tonal design, and includes every step of the building and installation process, concluding with meticulous tonal finishing.
Although our primary work is custom-building organs to the very highest standards of artistic and mechanical quality, renovation of existing organs, particularly those of historical merit, continues to be an important part of our work. For example, we are proud to have been selected to renovate many Aeolian-Skinner instruments, including the Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle organ. We have also provided new Schoenstein consoles for fine organs such as the Aeolian-Skinner at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco.
Facilities
In 2004, it became clear we had outgrown our San Francisco factory. We moved our corporate office and main plant to its current home, a modern, state-of-the-art 30,000 square foot building in historic Benicia, 35 miles northeast of San Francisco. Known as a gateway to the Napa Valley wine country, Benicia was a nineteenth century California capital, and provides a pleasant atmosphere for our staff and visitors. We are particularly proud of our equipment and plant layout, which promote the most accurate and efficient methods for our craft. We have assembled an array of wood and metal working machinery representing the very best names in the industry – HOMAG CNC, Oliver, Whitney, Northfield, Buss, Mattison, Moak, Tannewitz, Root, Besly, Monarch, and Bridgeport – among others. Our 42-foot tall erecting room with bridge crane is large enough to accommodate any size project with ease.
Our home from 1928 to 2004 is one of the few purpose-built organ factory buildings in the world. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is San Francisco Landmark No. 99. We sold it to Otherlab, a research and development firm that does advanced high-tech projects. The brilliant staff of Otherlab are very proud of the building’s heritage and dedicated to its preservation. This quaint 6,500 square foot building, located in the heart of the San Francisco’s Mission District, still looks as it always has and contains many pipe organ artifacts.
