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Instructions for Tuning Military Band Organs
Reproduction of original Wurlitzer documents
courtesy Matthew Caulfield
 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR TUNING
MILITARY BAND ORGANS
Styles No. 147, 148, 149 and 150

For your convenience, place the instrument on two blocks about eighteen inches high, supporting the sides of the case, so that you can see the pipes contained in the bottom of the instrument from below.

This instrument contains 22 Stopped Pipes in the bottom of the case, 22 Stopped pipes and 27 open Violin pipes in the main case, also 3 Brass Trombones, 16 Clarinets, and 16 Brass Piccolos in front. There are stops for the Trumpets, Trombones, Clarinets, and Piccolos, [also] two stops for pipes in the main case: one for the open pipes and one for the stopped pipes. These two stops should be open all the time.

Place the tuning roll in the tracker-frame, and connect the paper with the take-up spool, push the Stop Lever over to the RIGHT, press the Rewind Pneumatic to the right a trifle, and pull the hook down over the screw. The tuning roll can now be moved over the tracker bar from one perforation to the other, and the suction is still on the chest.

Close all the stopped pipes in the bottom and the main case and the Piccolos in front with soft paper, just tight enough so that the pipes will not speak, but that the air will go through the pipes. Close the Trombones, Trumpets, and Clarinets with their respective stops and start the instrument. Then begin tuning the open pipes in the main case according to the tuning sheet. Make the fifths a little flat and the fourths a little sharp. When the temperature has been finished, tune the open pipes in octaves as the tuning sheet indicates.

Then open the bottom pipes and tune them according to the respective open pipes one note at a time, then open the pipes in the main case, then the clarinets, then the piccolos, trumpets and trombones, tuning them as the tuning sheet will indicate.

Test the pipes, and if they do not speak properly you may find dust or a little dirt in the pipes, which should be cleaned with a feather or something similar.


 
 
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TUNING
WURLITZER BAND ORGANS
Style 125

For your convenience, place the instrument on two blocks about 18" high, supporting the sides of the case, so that you can see the pipes contained in the bottom of the instrument from below.

The instrument contains 22 stopped pipes in the bottom, and six stopped and one open pipe, A flat, and also 28 open (Violin Pipes) in the main case. In the front there are 13 Flageolets, 13 Brass Trumpets, 13 Brass Piccolos, and five wooden Trombones. There are stops for the Trumpets, Flageolets, and Piccolos, also one stop in the main case for the open Violin Pipes. The latter stop should always remain open.

Before tuning, close all the stopped pipes in the bottom and main case, also close A flat and the six stopped pipes on the left inner side when standing behind the instrument, with some soft paper, just tight enough so that the pipes will not speak, but that the air will pass through the pipes. Also close Trombones, Trumpets, Flageolets and Brass Piccolos, by pulling the respective stops. 

Place the tuning roll on the tracker frame and connect the paper with the take-up spool. Push the Stop Lever to the right, press the Rewind Pneumatic to the right a trifle, and pull the hook down over the screw. The tuning roll can now be moved back and forward over the tracker bar from one perforation to the other. 

Start the instrument and tune the open pipes in the main case. Tune the Fifths a little flat and the Fourths a little sharp (Temperature). When this has been finished, continue moving the tuning sheet, and tune the open pipes in octaves in the succession as they will sound. When all the open pipes have been tuned, open the stopped pipes in the bottom, and then those in the main case, and then tune them to corresponding open pipes. Then proceed in the same way with the Flageolets, Brass Piccolos, Trumpets and Trombones as the tuning sheet will indicate. 

Test all the pipes and see that the instruments speak properly. If they do not sound clear, it may be caused by dust or some little dirt accumulated in the pipes, which should be cleaned with a feather or something similar.


07 June 2004

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