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Engineering for Residence Theater Organ
By D. L. Bullock

Dick Berry wrote, "I am interested in the best approach to winding,
stop list recommendations, relay suggestions and any overall ideas."

You have a substantial project on your hands.  Congratulations on
having the instrument and the space.  That is a problem sometimes.
You are welcome to call me at the shop or home to consult as I have
time to talk to you. I have installed several instruments including the
one I am presently working on going into the old East High School in
Denver.

You need to think about having more reservoirs than it came with.
You must have a separate reservoir and tremulant for the Tibia and
depending on the layout of the chests, the strings, flutes, diapasons,
and each reed should each have its own reservoir and tremulant.  Tibia
should use a 6 inch PVC line and others should have 4 inch lines.
Whatever size windline is used from reservoir to chest should be the
size of the tremulant line.

If you can get a Wurlitzer tremulant and reservoir for the Tibia, you
should be able to get satisfactory results from other types of
reservoirs and tremulants on other ranks.  If your organ has a
reservoir that had 5-6 ranks on it, use it for static and get smaller
ones so you have no more than 2-3 ranks on any reservoir.  The Pedal
pipes should have their own reservoirs and they are not tremmed.  A
separate reservoir can be used for percussion, swells, and relay if
any.

The preferred reservoir is the three valve type with one ball valve,
but not all theater organs had this and it is not totally necessary.
All organs do not have to be Wurlitzers.  Some of the finest
instruments I have heard have been Morton, Wicks, or Page.

D. L. Bullock
Piano World,  St. Louis
Dallas Pipe Organ Service



(Message sent Thu, 05 Mar 1998 02:16:52 -0600 , from time zone -0600.)

Key Words in Subject:  Engineering, Organ, Residence, Theater

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