[ In Digest 980104 Bruce Clark wrote: ]

> Subject: Band Organs All Sound Different
>
> First of all I will say that I am no expert in the field of band
> organs at all.  I have tuned and worked on a few....The majority of
> people have no idea if an instrument is in tune or not (even some
> musicians!) ...

> I have tuned band organs, and within some of them I find identical
> ranks of pipes.  We call these Celeste ranks in a pipe organ.  One
> set of pipes is tuned perfectly, and the identical rank of pipes is
> tuned slightly sharp.  When played together these two sets of pipes
> create a beautiful rolling effect.

> ... How many people know that telephone bells (when telephones had
> bells) that the two bells were tuned differently?  One slightly
> sharp to contrast with the other, which gives the telephone ringing
> carrying power.  The same effect applies to duplicate sets of organ
> pipes. ...


Dear Mr. Clark,  Thank you for writing such an interesting piece.
I have never seen a band organ with a Celeste rank (excepting a
"tremolo accordion").  In which makes/models did you encounter such?

The Wurlitzer instruments most familiar to me, have such drastic
economy of design:  incomplete chromatics, melody/counter-melody/
accompaniment are made from very few ranks, usually only one of any
type pipe construction.  That is, only one rank of string pipes at a
given pitch, etc.  A Celeste rank would be an extravagant luxury.
And I believe, a most happy one!  :-)

I should expect a Celeste to be found on larger instruments.  Unless
the on-pitch rank ever plays alone, the original scheme may have been
to tune the two to straddle the pitch so the net effect would sound in
tune with the rest of the organ.  :-)

By the way, my telephone (bells/rotary) has saucer bells, engraved "A"
and "B", tuned a major third apart.  Bell "A" is tuned flat to E (using
A = 440 Hz) and bell "B" is tuned sharp to G.  The E is so flat, and
the G is so sharp, that it's actually between a (equal tempered) minor
and major 3rd, but closer to a (just tuning) major third.  It's almost
pleasant, in all its acoustic glory!  ;-)

Thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge and experience.

Regards,
Robert Linnstaedt

 [ Bruce might have found the Celeste on a European Fair- or Street-
 [ organ, possibly one converted to play Wurlitzer music rolls.
 [ -- Robbie