Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > January 2001 > 2001.01.29 > 04Prev  Next


Band Organ Tuning Stability
By Bill Masterman

Hi all,  In response to Bill Finch's post in 01-28-01 MMD regarding
tuning stability, I too have encountered the same problem.  I am not as
lucky to be able to store the band organ indoors where the temperature
is constant.  Its home is in the garage, here in Washington state.
I have kept the garage heater set to 58 degrees F. in an attempt to
hold temperature and humidity.  We are now facing an electricity
crisis, so last week, I turned off the heat.  The garage would then
cycle to about 45 degrees overnight, and top out around 58 degrees by
day.

I turned the organ on the other day, and it sounded horrible.  So I
left the heat on for 24 hours to maintain the old 58 degrees.  Guess
what, the organ STILL sounded horrible, with the flues and reeds not
returning to their original tuning.

To make things more confusing, a friend nearby stores his Wurly 153 in
an unheated garage all year round, and the organ sounds great every
summer when he rolls it out!  Could it be that his pipe work is
sealed a bit better, or?

I have been thinking of putting my little home-made Bruder in a
trailer, anyway.  Then maybe I could use a thermostat with a small
space heater inside the trailer to maintain the temperature all winter,
without having to heat the whole 500-square-foot garage.  Would this be
a good idea?

I have not owned the organ long enough yet to see what will happen when
it hits the summer heat in the garage.  I cringe at the thought of
having to do a tuning before I throw the organ on the truck and take it
places this summer.  Any thoughts?

Bill Masterman
Tacoma, WA

 [ If the tuning adjustments don't shift, because the wood expands and
 [ contracts and may allow slides and stoppers to move, then the organ
 [ should be in tune again after both the temperature and the relative
 [ humidity inside the organ have _stabilized at the same conditions_
 [ as when the organ was previously tuned.  The builders and maintainers
 [ of portable organs take special care so that the tuning adjustments
 [ don't shift position due to vibration and the cycling humidity.
 [
 [ The organs enjoyed most at public events are the organs which play
 [ in tune and all the pipes work properly.  When the organ is in good
 [ repair usually only the reed pipes must be tuned to match the flue
 [ pipes as the temperature and humidity changes throughout the day.
 [ The ranks of flue pipes should need no attention unless vibration
 [ disturbs the adjustments.  It seems that your friend's Wurlitzer 153
 [ organ has been well restored and maintained.  -- Robbie


(Message sent Mon 29 Jan 2001, 14:59:25 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Band, Organ, Stability, Tuning

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page