John,

Thanks for your reply.  [1999-05-23(5)]

The "O" roll is a coin piano roll and is intended mainly for use on
coin pianos and orchestrions featuring with at least one extra solo
instrument" OK, this is good to know. This is why I joined the list -
to glean information from those who have been around the mechanical
music world longer that I have...

The "O" roll was never intended to be used on band organ type
machines.  Noted.

I would go with "G" since the melody is fuller and does not utilize the
weaker solo section. The "G" roll (not the similar 4X roll) was
arranged primarily for coin pianos featuring pipes.  OK, I'm not
familiar with this format.  Where might I find more information on this
format?

Wurlitzer's 105 organ is also extremely non-chromatic. How were you
planning to make a piano roll play an organ with such a limited scale?
Now that I understand the purpose of the "O" roll is use in player
pianos, I agree, that it might not be the best decision.

Were you planning on expanding the Wurlitzer 125 scale?  No.  I noticed
that there were many rolls available for the "O" format available from
the California business, that's what prompted the question.  So I can
theorize that they are 1. Having rolls cut for them and 2. They have
retrofitted the "O" roll frame into a "band organ"  correct?  If you
are building a 105 Wurlitzer reproduction, why aren't you searching for
Wurlitzer roll frame and drive parts, and using Wurlitzer 125 rolls?
I'm still in the research process here and have a couple of leads but
nothing solid.  It seems that the frames are as illusive as Art's book.
Also, I don't have $1,000 to simply lay down on a roll frame.  MIDI is
catching my attention.

Here's the bottom line:

I am trying to find the best scale available.  Simply, this is hobby
project for me that I can get my children involved in.  This is their
introduction to how musical sounds are made.  One twin son is very
musical the other more mechanical and I enjoy the sound of the band
organ.  Whether or not this instrument ends up a "replica" of a
Wurlitzer is irrelevant to me.  Let me pose this question to the
list...  If you were going to build a band organ from "scratch" and
borrowed concepts from a 105 plans, which tracker bar/roll frame would
you use?  Which one gives you the most flexibility?  125, 150, 165?
Or is there another scale I'm missing??  What does "fully chromatic"
mean?

-Paul Ward
psward@richnet.net.geentroep [ drop .geentroep to reply ]