Old free organs

albuck

New Member
I have seen many free or very cheap organs on craigslist.
our local vintage audio guy built an amazing tube amp from some old organs.
Does any one have suggestions on what brands or models to look for?
Thanks
 
Any with tubes in. Some have much more prized amps than others but most are useful and the tubes are usually good quality, lightly used old stock.

Allen, Baldwin, Conn, Hammond, Leslie, Lowery, Schulmerich, Thomas
 
and some have different transformers so its more of a bi-amp rig. One part for highs, one for lows. Really hard to generalize, but you will usually get some pretty stout power transformers if nothing else.
 
I think there some 7868 tubes in some Baldwin organs. You may also get some alot of 12AU7s and some 12AX7s.
 
I picked up an organ for $25 that had 84 +/- GE 12AU7's. Every single one tested bad. I think the only thing I salvaged was a piano hinge. Win some, lose some.
 
you will usually get some pretty stout power transformers if nothing else.

The Baldwin I found has a bigger power transformer than the mc240 or citation II.
The tone boards were loaded with Raytheon 12au7's. It used 6l6gc's for op tubes.
 
I scored a tone generator board from some old organ with about 10 amperex ef86, and 10 12au7 on it. I have no idea where it came from, it was just a chassis with tubes, no transformers, the seller had no idea what was on it, there was tube covers on all the tubes, i gambled and won :) if I had the space to disassemble rotten organs I would do it. I would never hack a good specimen though.
 
I have seen many free or very cheap organs on craigslist.
our local vintage audio guy built an amazing tube amp from some old organs.
Does any one have suggestions on what brands or models to look for?
Thanks

Heck yeah! Organs are good donors for tubes & power supplies. Output transformers are usually not the best for hi-fi but you never know. I don't think that area has been fully explored. I love organs that come with full foot-pedal assemblies too. The wood, usually rock-maple, mahogany, cherry, or all-3 mixed, is rightly sized for projects. Plus it has set so long it is as stable as stone. Even the ebonite black pedals are useful as insulator material. There is plenty you can utilize from a free organ for sure.
 
Also, some used Mullard tubes, though branded Hammond or Baldwin, can't remember. I've gotten some with sweet iron, some are even wired for stereo essentially, with two output transformers. That being said, I never worked with them so I don't know if the transformers would work for full frequency hifi use..
 
A rarity is the 1962 model G-1 Thomas organ with record player. Mono of course but was all tube. Pic is from the net.

62 thomas organ.jpg
 
Just saw an old Baldwin today in a thrift. Unfortunately I'm 300 miles from home and flying back. Had 8 6bq5's and a couple dozen 12au7. Too bad.
 
nerdorama, a couple of dozen tubes fits in your carry on. If the price is right........................

BillWojo
 
Some of those Baldwin organ amps are hefty:

Baldwin_PC_40_Powered.jpg
 
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