Leslie Model 45 organ speakers just about free.

[darkblue94]

Okay so it's not as if I didn't already have more ongoing projects than I can currently handle but...Got a call today from a friend says he's at a house sale and looking at two big speaker cabinets that he's never seen the likes of before. He wants either my opinion on them or to let me know about them. From his description I suggest that they a most likely organ speakers and sure enough he says oh yeah there's an organ here too. He says no brand or model info on boxes but he can see tubes around back on the bottom. They want $10 each so I tell him the tubes are worth that or more most likely. Since it's one mile from my place I go to have a look. It's a pair of Leslie Model 45 organ speakers one of which has the type 47 tube amp with two KT88 tubes, a 12AU7, a 5U4GB rectifier tube and an OC3 tube, whatever that is. These have Jensen 15 inch woofers and some revolving horn tweeters. Needless to say I quickly handed over the twenty bucks and called my cousin with the F250 and hauled them home. Would be a shame to gut them but I envision a wild tube amp powered subwoofer system. The amp should handle the bass I would think. Any ideas anyone.

 

[cubby01]

Yup, shame to gut them. They would be a blast for a musician that wanted a certain sound.

 

[hammr7]

Great score! They are probably more valuable intact than anything you could make out of them. Leslie units are used by all sorts of musicians. The Hammond B-3 doesn't get its reputation as the best rock, pop, blues, jazz organ ever without a Leslie. The 45 and 47 (shorty version of the 47) are single speed variations of the 145 and 147, which are among the most desirable of the Leslie units as far as musicians are concerned. Leslies are extremely modular, so going from a single-speed unit to a dual-speed unit (if it wasn't already done) may be as simple as swapping out a motor assembly.

Value depends on a lot of things, including both funtionality and cosmetics, but you should do some serious research before even considering gutting them, as their sale to the right musician(s) might fund a number of great tube projects. The Leslie section of the Captain Foldback site can provide you with a great deal of info. Beyond that, you need to check out you local musician or pro audio forums rather than hi-fi audio for potential buyers.

Good luck.

 

[drew_t]

+1 to everything hammr7 said.

Also, did you check what kind of organ it was?

 

[darkblue94]

Thanks folks, it is a Wurlitzer but I didn't investigate further. I agree that it would be shameful to molest these beauties. They are in the best condition one could hope for. It was suggested to me that I could donate these to a church or such and declare a tax deduction of current market value which would be better to me than chopping them up. I'll look at that option tomorrow as well as explore the musician market.

 

[arts]

Post them in a music trade publication or forum. Then buy the biggest,baddest answering machine you can find

 

[byoungman1]

Yep, I'd advertise the Leslies on your local CL and find an appreciative new home. Nice examples like the ones you have are sought after.

 

[GordonW]

Holy crap- MOTHER LODE!!!

Some musician out there with a Porta-B or similar Hammond organ or the like, will fall over themselves for those Leslies...

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[arts]

I'm just glad I don't have to help carry these (or that damned B3) anymore!

 

[zandru]

Greetings D Blue 94,

If you go and chop out the amps etc! the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present & Future will come for you and get Medieval on your Ass.

Peace & A Very Merry New Year……….Cheers……………..

 

[GordonW]

I'm just glad I don't have to help carry these (or that damned B3) anymore!

There's a reason that a LOT of B3s have been cut down to "Porta-B's" now!

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[arts]

There's a reason that a LOT of B3s have been cut down to "Porta-B's" now!

Regards,
Gordon.

Ha,good one Gordon! Same reason I seem to use my B15 & B18 instead of the SVT anymore. Chiropractors aren't cheap!

 

[ah11199]

That was a great deal. I need to find something like that for my A100!

I wouldn't gut them, they're valuable enough to be worth selling whole.

 

[darkblue94]

Thanks to everyone, you should all know that I completely agree that these Leslie's should not suffer any chopping up. I will make sure that they go to a good home and are loved for many more years. I feel a sense of responsibility to see to this. I will however sink whatever profit that is derived from these will go to a suitable tube project. I must admit that I would like to snag the Tung-Sol KT-88's out of the amplifier.

 

[j free]

Steal of the year-don't you dare gut them. They look very clean, and unusual to have the rear covers too, usually they get pulled. If you sell them intact you should be able to get a very nice tube amp/project.

 

[gadget73]

The 0C3 is a gas discharge regulator tube. Think calibrated neon lamp and you've got the idea.

Nice score. Now you need a wheelie Hammond to pair them with, and some study lessons from the late great Jon Lord.

 

[darkblue94]

j free, I'd say this is the runner-up for steal of the year. Trophy goes to the Barzilay cabinet with McIntosh C22 and MR71 hiding inside, matching speaker cabinets with vintage JBL components that I got in January for $165. Sadly the MC240 amp was MIA but come on now it would be silly to look a gifthorse in the eye, wouldn't it? Sold off the JBL components and Barzilay cabinet for more than I paid for the whole deal so net is McIntosh tube gear for free. I guess it would be fair to say that I've had a pretty good year.

 

[hammr7]

You can take the Tung-Sol's, just replace them with something decent. The replacements can be new, since most musicians find a way to blow up tubes from time to time.

Be careful on the charity thing. Normally when you donate an item like this to a charity, you can declare the lower of their actual value or what you paid (including expenses)..

Even if you got a big tax deduction, thats only worth between 25 and 35 cents on the dollar in actual tax savings for most. You should be able to find musicians, or even local pro audio flippers, who will gladly pay 60 cents on the dollar.

 

[darkblue94]

Okay so I pulled the Tung-Sol 6550 tubes to have a closer look and wouldn't you know they're original 1960 dated USA made. I guess the think to do is replace them with re-issue Russian Tung-Sol and keep these suckers for myself for future use or for trade bait. I've got a new friend that's got a Rega Planer 3 turntable soon to go up on the trading block. We'll see how this plays out but it's looking good for me.

 

[gadget73]

See if you can find some way to test those before you get too carried away with replacing them with new. Its possible they are half dead and not worth keeping. I kinda doubt it, but it would suck to buy someone new tubes in trade for a useless set.