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About MOS
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 Maryland Organ Service began in 1972 as a "retirement plan" for James Henthorn. At that time, he, a lifelong church organist and physics graduate of Johns Hopkins University, having spent most of his career life as an engineer at Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and at the Bendix Corp., decided that "fixing 3 or 4 organs a month" would be a good way to occupy himself in his retirement.
He was wrong.
Not only did he fix many more organs than that "3 or 4 a month" but he also was delightfully surprised to find there was a great market for organ repair.
From 1969 or so, until 1972 Mr. Henthorn repaired organs on a "side job" basis. During this time he began to establish himself as a technician for many manufacturer's. By the mid 70's he had accomplished being "factory Authorized" by almost every major manufacturer and had achieved "Master Technician" status with the Hammond Organ Company.
During the 80's he achieved status as a member of the "Baldwin Master Organ Guild" and joined as a charter member of MITA (Musical Instruments Technicians Association) International.
On December 31st 1995, James E. Henthorn, Jr. retired from "active" service with MOS, although he still occasionally provides me with a helping hand as I did for him so many years ago.
It was during the summer of 1975 that I, at age 5, began my career. Crawling into the chambers of a pipe organ, I tuned my first pipe.
It took almost 30 minutes! Now I can tune an entire rank (61 pipes) and more in that time.
From there, spending summers tagging along on service calls became a tradition. It wasn't long before I started "toying" with electronics and reading technical manuals. I continued to do more mechanical work, holding keys, taking off and reinstalling organ backs, etc. By my high school years I had enrolled in a 3 year "Computers, Electronics and Robotics" course offered through the school system, and concurrently was instructed in "Vacuum Tube Technology" by my grandfather, Mr. Henthorn.
In 1988 I became a full fledged employee of Maryland Organ Service. Though I left in 1994 to work at a local pipe organ restoration shop. I returned in winter of 1995-96 to take the reigns of Maryland Organ Service.
In 2005, MOS was absorbed into Speakeasy Vintage Music. MOS became a new service mark, focused on the same high quality restorations that Speakeasy was already known for in a new market; Institutional. Our first Opus was the reconstruction of a 1960's Allen installed in St. Vincent DePaul church in Baltimore.
With the former controls ravaged by age and a rodent invasion, the system was disassembled and converted to digital control. This allowed the console a heretofore unknown degree of freedom, no longer being tethered by the large and cumbersome cable that had been used in the original installation.
 Time Line
1921
 James E. Henthorn, Jr. Born in Baltimore, MD. 1939
James Henthorn enrolls in Johns Hopkins University as a Premed Student, later changed to Physics. 1943
James Henthorn graduates from JHU as a Physics Major, Math Minor. 1943-1944
James Henthorn attends graduate school at JHU, while working in the spectroscopy center on NDRC (National Defense Research Council) research. 1944
Joins the staff at Hopkins APL (Applied Physics Laboratory). 1944-1952
Works at the APL developing advanced models of the "Proximity Fuze" 1952
Leaves APL for a new job at Bendix 1952-1972
Works as an Engineer at the Bendix Corporation. Work includes design and construction of everything from radios transceivers and radar systems, to NASA tracking stations and Nuclear powered Submarines (He was part of the team that developed the control systems for the nuclear reactor aboard the Nautilus, the US Navy's first nuclear powered sub). 1970
Theodore E. Thompson Born in Baltimore, MD. (the son of Mr. Henthorn's 2nd daughter) 1972
Mr. Henthorn starts "Sight and Sound Service", soon changed to Maryland Organ Service. 1975
Mr. Henthorn begins training a new generation of technician, who calls him "pop-pop". Mr. Henthorn is awarded "Master Technician" status by the Hammond Organ Company. 1978
Ted Thompson, having developed a pastime of reading service manuals, begins his apprenticeship in earnest.1986
Ted Thompson enrolls in a 3 year electronics course at school 1988
Ted Thompson becomes a full time employee of Maryland Organ Service, marking the end of his apprenticeship. He begins "flying solo" taking on a percentage of the service work himself.1990
Ted Thompson temporarily takes over as head of MOS while Mr. Henthorn is treated, successfully, for cancer. 1993
April 14th - Ted and Deborah are married.1994
Ted Thompson leaves MOS to take a job at; and train with David M. Storey. 1995
February 16th - Ted Thompson achieves "Factory Authorized Technician" status with the Roland Corporation USA. While at David M. Storey Ted Thompson works on the "Old Otterbien" and "St. Leo's" restorations in Baltimore, MD. December 31st - James Henthorn retires from active duty at MOS 1996
Ted Thompson takes over as head of MOS MOSweb web site project begins 1999
MOS relocates to Halethorpe, MD.2004
Ted Thompson accepts a part time position at Speakeasy Vintage Music as acting General Manager.2005
Ted Thompson becomes General Manager and Lead Piano Technician at Speakeasy Vintage Music.Maryland Organ Service becomes a division of Speakeasy Vintage Music, focused on in shop restoration of electronic organs.Feburary 17th - Wife of almost 12 years, Deborah Lynn Thompson, passes away from complications of strep pneumonia.Today
Ted Thompson lives in Dover Pennsylvania with his son Richard.
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