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Makers of Wurlitzer Tracker Bars
By Matthew Caulfield

Don,  Until he started making organs that operated via MIDI -- 
offering roll operation only as an option -- Don Stinson had to be
getting new tracker bars from somewhere ... or making them himself.
Don was close-lipped on the subject the one time I heard him asked
about it years ago.

Steve Lanick, Pittsburgh, Pa., used to make authentic Wurlitzer tracker
bars, even down to the square holes rather than the round ones commonly
found in new bars.  He would break more than one broach in the process
of broaching out the holes in a bar.  In fact Steve made complete roll
frames until OSHA regulations put his machinist out of business,
according to what he told me.  They weren't cheap, but they were as
good as originals.

Regrettably, age has caught up with Steve, and I don't think he is
active any longer.  I know Joe Hilferty was helping Steve to sell off
the pipe sets he had made for never-completed organs.

Matthew Caulfield (Irondequoit, New York)


(Message sent Sun 17 Oct 2004, 15:28:28 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Bars, Makers, Tracker, Wurlitzer

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