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MMD > Archives > November 2000 > 2000.11.22 > 04Prev  Next


Rebuilding Wurlitzer 125 Band Organ
By Howard Wyman

In Mechanical Music Digest 001120, Ron Brazell had questions about
a Wurlitzer 125 band organ.

> First of all, is there (was there) any method of adjusting the
> distance between the tops of the rods which push the valves in the
> wind chest and the fingers on the vacuum pneumatics?

There should be a wooden rail just above the pneumatics and about
halfway back from the end of the pneumatic.  In this rail there is an
eyelet screw for each pneumatic with a wooden button with felt pad
which rests against the top leaf of the pneumatic.  Adjusting this
screw limits the upward position of the pneumatic and thus the distance
between the tops of the rods and the pneumatic fingers.  By the way,
each rod should have a leather nut screwed on the end of it so that the
finger hits the leather rather than the end of the rod.

> Second, how much action (lift?) should there be for the vacuum pouch
> valves.  Mine seem to have only about 1/32" and this doesn't seem
> like it's enough to allow sufficient vacuum through into the
> pneumatics.  Looks like someone added gaskets which are too thick
> to the valve tops

I believe you are talking about the amount of valve travel.  If so,
about 1/32" is correct.

> Third;  does anyone have a chart which would tell me which hole
> in the tracker bar goes to which flute, trombone, drum, etc.

Looking at the tracker bar and reading from left to right, the
holes are:

First hole - nickel trip
Second hole - Snare drum (slightly above the other holes)
3-7  Bass notes G, C, D, E, F
8-16  Accompaniment notes G, A, B, C, C#, D, E, F, F#
17-30  Melody notes A#, G, A, B, C, C#, D, E, F, F#, G, A, B, C

(Note the odd placement of A#.  It seems that is should have been
after the G and A but it isn't.  I have always been curious as to why
Wurlitzer put it out of sequence.)

31-43 Trumpet notes E, F, F#, G, A, B, C, C#, D, E, F, F#, G
44  Bass Drum
45  Rewind

Keep in mind that the pitch of the organ may not be A = 440.  For
example, in the Wurlitzer 105, all pipes are one whole step below
standard pitch.  That is, a pipe marked G would sound the same as an
F played on the piano, a pipe marked C would correspond to B-flat on
the piano, etc.

Howard Wyman


(Message sent Wed 22 Nov 2000, 17:42:56 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  125, Band, Organ, Rebuilding, Wurlitzer

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