Dave Clark asks what screen material was used by Wurlitzer on its band
organ tracker bars, and what might be used today instead.  I assume
that Wurlitzer used the fine-mesh brass screen that I have always seen
on Wurlitzer tracker bars; has anyone seen anything else?  The brass
screen is thick enough that there can be problems in getting the
tracker bar to seal if your gasket leather on the bar or on the back
piece is old and without its original nap.

A modern material that is, I think, superior to the brass screen is the
synthetic material used for computer glare screens.  Its mesh size is
finer than that of metal screen and the strand size is finer too.
These qualities contribute to better dust-filtering capacity and better
air movement past the screen.

Moreover, glare screen material seems to take a permanent seat on the
back gasket and does not exhibit the annoying tendency to fall away
from the pins that hold it and the tracker bar in place when you are
removing the tracker bar for cleaning.  We use a good-quality, plump
camel-hair brush to clean the dust accumulation off the screen material
and find that the dust brushes off easily without having to dislodge
the screen.

In short, this glare-screen material is one of those (few) modern
substitutes for original material that works better than the original
did.  Dave, if you give me your address and tell me what size tracker
bar (single or duplex?) you have, I'll send you a screen (or two, if
duplex).

Matthew Caulfield