Show me your organ!

All instruments that aren't guitars (or bass guitars).
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actionhotdog
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Re: Show me your organ!

Post by actionhotdog » Sat Sep 28, 2013 6:41 pm

Magnus Reed Organ

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Kinx
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Re: Show me your organ!

Post by Kinx » Mon Dec 11, 2017 10:39 am

We are using few vintage Weltmeister organs in our band ( http://atavists.bandcamp.com/ ), my personal favorite is TO-200/5
pictured here in the studio control room with Korg MS-10 on top of it
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since they are still somewhat cheap here in Czech Republic, I tend to buy them often - most of the time it is cheaper to replace the broken one than to get it serviced. Me and our keyboard player mantain a small "collection" of eastern-bloc combo organs, consisting mostly from Weltmeisters and Vermonas (ET-6 range) - half of them is used for spares and other half is used regularly for gigs and studio recording, sometimes it is hard to pick one that's working :) I dig these over Farfisas and GEM combo organs, since they have much better built quality, great built in accutronics reverb (pretty strange thing for a DDR made instrument from early 70s) and I like that nasty, honky tone - Farfisa sounds somewhat mild and tame in direct comparison.

My other long time favorite soundwise is Crumar T1 - half "hammond emulator", half bass mono synth (great fat bass sounds, bit like minimoog D, but more aggresive), it can do both cheesy CO sounds and somewhat decent hammond emulation. Huge drawback of these Crumars is reliability - our keyboard player has two of these and just prior our recent recording session, both broke down, even though we try to take good care of them and they are never taken outside. I tend to use it a lot over our records for bass sounds.

Rarest one we have is Jolana Combo1 organ from around 1966 .
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Jolana brand is known for their electric guitars, but they made few organs as well.These are super rare, this particular one is the only fully working one I have even seen. It has really aggresive and gnarly sound, it almost sounds like it has some kind of fuzz over it all the time :) Sound range is pretty decent given it's age and pedigree, built in accutronics reverb is also present (this must have been super tricky to get in communist country) - however it is super fragile and I am too afraid to take it out of my studio.
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It has to be played regularly, since the keyboard contact board detoriates while not used and key tracking can be somewhat sketchy after long period of "stand by" time.
Check out my band, The Atavists ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG-HZtrljMg

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Zork
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Re: Show me your organ!

Post by Zork » Mon Dec 11, 2017 3:32 pm

This thread reminds me I really have to fix my Philicorda . I love this thing but since I spilled beer over the keys it has some issues... :fp:

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mgeek
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Re: Show me your organ!

Post by mgeek » Mon Dec 11, 2017 4:56 pm

Wow that Jolana combo is amazing...

My most desired Czech keyboard is a Klavifon...ever come across those?

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Kinx
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Re: Show me your organ!

Post by Kinx » Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:37 am

mgeek wrote:
Mon Dec 11, 2017 4:56 pm
Wow that Jolana combo is amazing...

My most desired Czech keyboard is a Klavifon...ever come across those?
I actually sold mine about a month ago !

here's quick video of the one I had

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adk2po8FPMg

It was really clean for it's age, but I didn't find much use for it, since it had no touch dynamics. I really liked the first octave, reminded me of my rhodes mark II somewhat :) but the rest was too tinkery for me. I would rate it below old Hohner Clavisets, which was built similarly. They are becoming quite rare nowadays indeed.
Check out my band, The Atavists ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG-HZtrljMg

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mgeek
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Re: Show me your organ!

Post by mgeek » Tue Dec 12, 2017 2:57 am

Kinx wrote:
Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:37 am
mgeek wrote:
Mon Dec 11, 2017 4:56 pm
Wow that Jolana combo is amazing...

My most desired Czech keyboard is a Klavifon...ever come across those?
I actually sold mine about a month ago !

here's quick video of the one I had

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adk2po8FPMg

It was really clean for it's age, but I didn't find much use for it, since it had no touch dynamics. I really liked the first octave, reminded me of my rhodes mark II somewhat :) but the rest was too tinkery for me. I would rate it below old Hohner Clavisets, which was built similarly. They are becoming quite rare nowadays indeed.
Do you mean Weltmeister Claviset, or Hohner Pianet? ;)

Perhaps you can tell me how the key action works, is it a plucked tine like the cembalet/claviset or a sticky pad thing like the pianet?

I saw one youtube demo that made it sound super gritty (and that's why I want one) but maybe I should hold out for a hohner pianet n. I've had a weltmeister and it was a bit too tame and bell like for me

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Kinx
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Re: Show me your organ!

Post by Kinx » Tue Dec 12, 2017 5:24 am

it is a plucked tine system, like Cembalet. Sorry about the mix up :) I actually don't find it gritty at all, the grit you probably hear comes from an amp. As I mentioned before, the bass octave is cool, but the rest is too plunky and bell like. I also found the keyboard action way too hard for me to play - I am no keyboard player, but I can definitely play my other keyboard instruments with more subtle touch, I always had to hammer hard on the Klavifon :) I believe that this could be solved with some proper maintenance.

I have been interested in Weltmeister Claviset for a long time, despite some friends of mine discourage me from it. I don't have any room for it anyway, as I am currently beginning restoration project of Rhodes Mark II stage piano - I have already sorted out the hammer mechanics, but tonebars are rusty and about 50% of pickups needs rewinding - this will be a long winter :D
Check out my band, The Atavists ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG-HZtrljMg

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Re: Show me your organ!

Post by mgeek » Tue Dec 12, 2017 9:52 am

Kinx wrote:
Tue Dec 12, 2017 5:24 am
it is a plucked tine system, like Cembalet. Sorry about the mix up :) I actually don't find it gritty at all, the grit you probably hear comes from an amp. As I mentioned before, the bass octave is cool, but the rest is too plunky and bell like. I also found the keyboard action way too hard for me to play - I am no keyboard player, but I can definitely play my other keyboard instruments with more subtle touch, I always had to hammer hard on the Klavifon :) I believe that this could be solved with some proper maintenance.

I have been interested in Weltmeister Claviset for a long time, despite some friends of mine discourage me from it. I don't have any room for it anyway, as I am currently beginning restoration project of Rhodes Mark II stage piano - I have already sorted out the hammer mechanics, but tonebars are rusty and about 50% of pickups needs rewinding - this will be a long winter :D



haha! Sounds like both of us need to not bother with the Claviset and Klavifon, respectively then! Claviset is definitely the same sort of thing- not enough dynamic, bit limited because of it. I'm gonna hold out for a Hohner Pianet N.

Rhodes project sounds fun, good luck! My Current keyboard project is this: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... 1773223390

Super obscure UK made combo organ. It is in semi-working condition, and sounds pretty wild- like the combo you described above, almost as if it's running through a permanent fuzz. Great little weirdo...unfortunately it's got a constant hum...I don't know what I'm doing really, but gonna try replacing the power caps and see if that helps

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MrFingers
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Re: Show me your organ!

Post by MrFingers » Tue Dec 12, 2017 1:41 pm

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My Leonhardt Portable Reed organ. Operates on a vacuum created by 2 bellows.

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