A local band I like

[Orang Goreng]

I somehow feel there's a natural connection between offsets and organs. If necessary, I'll cram stuff down your little throats to convince you of my point. Here's the MySpace site of a local band I like, zZz. No guitars, just organ and drums with vocals. These guys regularly tour Europe, the US and recently even did Japan as opening act for Fatboy Slim. You might want to check them out if they're ever in your neighbourhood.

http://www.myspace.com/zzzsoundofzzz

Favourite song here:
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/ondemand/13723592

[mezcalhead]

Hey, I'm digging this. Sounds like Jim Morrison trapped in a disused underground rail system with Add N To X.

Speaking of organs, do you know much about them? One of the walls in my music room is taken up by this incredibly heavy wood-panelled organ we inherited from my wife's grandfather .. it's proudly labelled "THOMAS SOLID STATE". I can find next to nothing about it on the internet. I haven't played it for a couple of years but I remember it sounding okay, not great. I'll probably try it when I'm recording in a few months, it might come in useful for something.

[Orang Goreng]

Speaking of organs, do you know much about them?

Not really, and then mainly about combo organs, not the spinet models. Most of what I know comes from here:
http://www.combo-organ.com/

Thomas Organ is a major American manufacturer of electric organs though.

[fullerplast]

Thomas offered a line of guitars in the US briefly in the early 70s. They were Gibsonesque semi-hollows with pointed horns (like Barney Kessel) actually produced by Welson (accordian/organs) in Italy. The same guitars were also marketed as Wurlitzer in the US and Dynachord in Germany.

I think timing was their failure in entering the guitar market, by that time the boom was over and whatever demand was left for low priced guitars was filled by Teisco.

If you're on Jeopardy, there's a miniscule chance this info will come in handy...

[Orang Goreng]

produced by Welson (accordian/organs) in Italy.

Welson made some great offsets as well (http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/welso ... index.html), I'd like to get my hands on one someday. BTW, that organ I use for an avatar is also a Welson.

[fullerplast]

I like this one, kind of a Jazzmaster meets Swinger meets Burns:

[Orang Goreng]

Or Custom/Maverick:
http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/welso ... index.html

[mezcalhead]

Thanks for that link .. I love the sound of Farfisas.

Every time I search for Jaguars on ebay a Vox Jaguar organ usually pops up. Do they sound similar to a Farfisa? I'm sure I could make good use of either, as I had the obligatory several years of piano lessons as a kid so I at least know my way around a keyboard.

I have the impression that our organ is junk .. but it's got sentimental significance, so I'm not likely to be allowed to dispose of it any time soon.

[fullerplast]

Or Custom/Maverick:
http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/welso ... index.html

Yeah, more like Maverick/Custom than Swinger. I forgot they used the XII body, which the Welson closely resembles moreso than the Musicmaster.
Funny... my book says 1967 for that model, which would predate the Maverick by a few years.

HEY! IS THIS A GEAR POST NOW????  WE OWE JAY $30 EACH!!!

[fullerplast]

Are those Welsons still knocking around Europe, and if so, are they reasonably priced or "vintage-priced"?

[Orang Goreng]

HEY! IS THIS A GEAR POST NOW????  WE OWE JAY $30 EACH!!!

PAY UP!!!

[Orang Goreng]

Are those Welsons still knocking around Europe, and if so, are they reasonably priced or "vintage-priced"?

I rarely see them. A local shop had one for years, I think it was somewhere between € 300-600.

[Jay]

I'll glady accept cool electric guitars in lieu of a cash payment. 

[Orang Goreng]

Vox Jaguar organ usually pops up. Do they sound similar to a Farfisa?

A jaguar essentially is pretty close to half a Vox continental. IMHO Voxes sound a bit posher than the Farfisa compacts. More sine wave, less sawtooth. But I own neither, so I'm probably not all that qualified to answer this.

[mezcalhead]

Sawtooth is good .. works for Stereolab, anyway.

I'll glady accept cool electric guitars in lieu of a cash payment. 

Hmm, $30 is about 1% of a vintage JM .. shall I chop a little piece off one of mine and send it to you?