Organ donor

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:14 pm

Hi folks,
A friend of mine offered me a '70s Baldwin organ for free. I didn't want to make it seem blatantly obvious that I would gut the thing for parts, so I didn't dig around the back of it. I don't however, think he cares what I do with it. Where they still made with tubes in the '70s, and if so is there anything good in there? Please say yes!!!!
Jim

Cantplay · Post by **Cantplay** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:44 pm

Last one I raided had lots of green 'Baldwin' labeled rca 12a*7 tubes.

Not sure what year it was.

Also grabed the nice alnico speaker.

John

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 4:18 pm

Bummer.....I was wrong, it is a Kimball solid state. So there goes that idea.

At least I'll scrounge the speaker, reverb, and iron out of it. The iron looks puny, the reverb pan is quite large, an Accutronics unit. I hope I can use it in a future project. Better luck next time.

Cliff Schecht · Post by **Cliff Schecht** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 6:42 pm

I salvaged a buddies organ recently (Baldwin?) and didn't get a lot of useful stuff out of it. Of course all of the PT's are useless for tube but I keep them around to build makeshift bench supplies and such. I got a steel chassis that might become an amp and a crap ton of 0.39mH-0.68mH inductors that I'm going to try out in a wah. Also I scavenged the foot pedal because it had a rocker that controlled two pots (AB pots no less).

I pulled the reverb out of this thing a good while back to test my 6G15 and 6G16 builds. While it does work as a reverb, the impedances of this tank were way off (I think it was designed for SS drivers/buffers) and it didn't sound for shit up against some real Fender reverbs (one spring vs. Fender three springs). I'll bet the tank you found is the same deal and won't work very well with tube amps..

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 6:00 pm

Thanks Cliff,
I was wondering about the usefulness of any of the parts. As it is, the organ functions. It seems kind of pointless to destroy it when some 'ol lady could be jamming down on it

I doubt I will do anything with it. Maybe take it to a habitat for humanity or something.

Jim

LeftyStrat · Post by **LeftyStrat** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:31 am

I clicked on the subject thinking someone was asking for a kidney.

It's also what my kids say whenever they see someone on bike without a helmet.

Cygnus X1 · Post by **Cygnus X1** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 3:08 pm

Three, yes that's 3 Baldwin 56A organs and/or chassis have managed to find me.

I have been making Spitfires from the sidecar portion using the output tranny, and a 30 watt 2x 6L6 high gain design using the other standup OT.
They are set up with 5U4GB, (6) EL84's, and (8)12AX7's originally.
TONS of great clean wire, T-style standup terminal strips,
a lesley copy, some usable wood, (2) alnico 12's and 1 alnico 10...

But I would think a 70's would be at least partially SS.
Mine are late 50's to early 60's.
I love them!

M Fowler · Post by **M Fowler** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 3:20 pm

I've used four donor organs so far and the iron in them is outstanding.

There are so many organs for sale in my area or give away, but usually what happens is no one wants them so the organ end up on the curbside during May clean up week where another TAG member Benoit and his buddies get to them before I do.

These aren't Hammond B's they are unwanted electronic junk that we salvage in our own way. If I find a working good sounding tube organ I will be keeping to play not to tear apart. Just wanted the keyboard players to understand my position on the matter.

Oh an Estey is another good organ to salvage, I made a Marshall 18w Plexi out the last one.

Mark

passfan · Post by **passfan** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:37 pm

I grab organs all the time. Nice vintage tubes, transformers and sometimes Sprauge BB's. Don't give up Jim; they're worth it when you find the right ones.

rdjones · Post by **rdjones** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 7:23 pm

I haven't salvaged anything from Baldwin yet, so of no help with what might be ss/tube or useful.
If it's complete and working maybe a church, school, recreation or senior center, or similar place could let it live a bit longer before being parted out.
A Habitat project is a nice idea.

I have salvaged several Hammond chassis, and recently 2 Thomas organ tube chassis.
The organs seem to have single secondaries on the output transformers, much like vintage Fenders.
2 otherwise nearly identical 6BQ5 OTs from Hammonds are 7500:4 and 7500:8.
One was a reverb amp (I think), it had 7500:4.

Lately I've been scrounging organ and HiFi chassis for capacitors.

rd

Reeltarded · Post by **Reeltarded** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 7:41 pm

LeftyStrat wrote:I clicked on the subject thinking someone was asking for a kidney.

It's also what my kids say whenever they see someone on bike without a helmet.

My brother's benefactor was a motorbike wrecker.

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 12:52 am

LeftyStrat wrote:I clicked on the subject thinking someone was asking for a kidney.

It's also what my kids say whenever they see someone on bike without a helmet.

Clever play on words eh?

Well, at least you guys are giving me hope that I will stumble across one eventually. The inner scrounger is coming out in me. I work in the medical profession, and I noticed a couple of million dollars worth of obsolete lab equipment sitting on the back dock tonite on my way out. Hanging by a couple of screws was an aluminum part that would make a perfect chassis! I thought better of snagging it though...damn security cameras. I'll go down tommorow and schmooze the lab director lady and see if I can get it.
Thanks guys,
Jim

M Fowler · Post by **M Fowler** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:46 am

Jim

I worked in a hospital for 17 years and the med tech guys grabbed all the old tubes and parts years ago. I'm meeting with one of the old retired techs soon to buy out his electronic stock.

We even had a tube radio transmitter system still working today donated to a local college many years ago. I was drooling as that was rolled out.

The day the old telephone switch board rack was being removed I tried to get engineer chief to let me have the rack limiters and power amps but he said no they have to go to salvage and employees cannot buy them.

Rat Bastards

Mark

Cliff Schecht · Post by **Cliff Schecht** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:58 am

I deal with that at school. Lots of vintage radios from the 40's and 50's laying around in need of some TLC. But I can't buy anything, it all has to go to auction in some long surely very tedious process.

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 10:51 pm

Went today and talked to the facilities manager. He said it would be too hard to get it off as it is an exhaust vent for the cooling fans on the piece of equipment. He said he would try to get it for me if it wasn't too much trouble.....

I am bringing a tool kit with me Fri. when I go back to work. If its still there, that suckers coming off! My kit will include a ski mask, a can of black spray paint, (for the security cameras), a cordless drill with goodies, and some wrenches. Just kidding.....whatever, there not that expensive...by the way it is 1/8" thick, measures 8"x 2"x20".
Damn!

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