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We accept no responsibility for any unfavorable consequences resulting from following our advice

Overture

Happy Holidays to All! I hope your New Year will be happy and healthy.

As you see, I am combining two issues again. (Your “subscription” is not counted by issue number but by the number of mailings to you). This is necessary since I just moved and am living in a tiny cabin. My house still needs a lot of work until it is habitable. Right now it’s full of boxes, etc., and a lot of the things that I need are in storage. Hopefully I’ll finish the work next year. Anyway, right now it’s hard to do anything; write, even get to the computer, etc. I thought that I’d be done long ago, but things keep happening. I wrenched my knee badly, that is slowing me down and now we have over a foot of snow and it’s cold, cold, cold…

I would love it if some of our members would write a little story about their Schober experiences for publication in Organ Notes.

SAVING SCHOBERS

When Fred Henn started our group the main purpose was finding means to complete partially built organs after Schober stopped selling the kits necessary. He was successful in his endeavor. Now it is important to save completed Schober organs. When it is necessary to give up a Schober it is nice to know that someone will benefit from the time, effort, expense and love that was put into building it. So… if you see an ad in Organ Notes for a Schober that needs a good home, please tell everyone you know about it. Hopefully a new home will be found. This is an important function of our group.

A LETTER FROM LARRY SMITH

Alex, I guess you're in VT permanently. The fall must be very nice, but do you have 4 wheel drive for winter?

I recently encountered a situation, which I'll pass on to see if you have heard of it. I noticed one key was about 1/8 inch higher than the rest. I took off the Schober nameplate strip, and on the 3/4 by 3/4 strip behind it there were pieces of black & gray plastic which had fallen out of the end of the rectangular tube that supports the key. The missing plastic spacer had caused the key to pull up.

But, several other keys had small pieces of plastic laying on the 3/4 strip, although not enough to allow the key to rise up. Hard to say if a grandkid was too energetic, or if the plastic is deteriorating???

I made a little spacer from some brass material and made a friction fit in the tube to align the key. If it doesn't work, a small piece of hardwood would also work. This was on the upper keyboard, so you have to be careful of not interfering with the percussion contact wires when putting in a spacer.

Have you heard of this? Thanks, Larry Smith in Idaho

MY ANSWER

I sent Larry an e-mail telling him that I thought the pieces he found were dried out rubber bushing. These are still available from Organ Service Corp., www.organservice.com, Phone: (800) 457-4480. Part # 72320-236. See Organ Notes, issue 70, December 2001 which lists other keyboard part availability.

INTERESTING WEB SITES

found by Richard McBeth

Tricks for the pipe organ:

From 1928 Theatre Organist's Secrets by C. Roy Carter—"A Collection of Successful Imitations, Tricks and Effects for Motion Picture Accompaniment on the Pipe Organ"

Go to: http://theatreorgans.com/tosecrets/

And another:

After you listen to the first selection play "My Other Hobby", Mac

"Greetings, Fellow Students.

I am always delighted to find a great musical selection that gets my feet tapping and my adrenalin pumping to play.

If one searches the Internet for TPO videos, YouTube is at the top of the list for providing great content to a large audience.

While searching YouTube's vast collection of TPO goodness, I stumbled across this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=f1FSCXwbDwc

This video, from a gentleman named Willard Pugh, is from a series by Jim Riggs at the Paramount Studio 4/24 Mighty WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ. It is a recreation of a Jesse Crawford arrangement of a Hayden Wood song entitled "I Love To Hear You Singing".

You can see the rest of Willard's videos featuring Jim Riggs at the Mighty WurliTzer here:

http://youtube.com/user/WillardPugh

This short video is a complete TPO education in a small package. Not only does it show proper fingering, but second touch and good pedaling are also on display as Jim gives this classy old gal a real go. It is a feast for the eyes and hears, too. And the song will make you happy whether you study to learn it or just listen for pleasure.

You owe it to yourself to save this video to your hard drive. Though the quality of the video is limited due to the way things must be compressed to fit YouTube standards for fast downloads, it is a fine example of how to properly play a TPO to get the most out of it. And you do not need the paws of Lugh the Long Handed to play the King of Instruments. Notice how small Jim's hands are. He makes it look so easy, but if you spy the part of his face in the frame, you can see the concentration needed to pull this arrangement off with the precision he delivers.

I bring this clip to your attention because it is the current lesson I am working on. For two weeks solid I have been studying this clip in hopes of learning this fine piece of music from one of the true giants in the Land of the King. Please join me. Class is in session. Let's have some fun!

The Bone Doctor Principal, TOA

HELP NEEDED

By any chance do you know where I might obtain a copy of the schematic diagram for the Schober Electronic Tuning Fork? One of the ICs in the divider chain of my primary unit has failed and I need to look at the diagram in order to select an appropriate substitute chip (since the original logic family has been discontinued).

Thanks

JC White

jcw1231@pacbell.net

Ed. Note: I was sent the instructions for the “tuning fork” by one of our members when I needed them. I would also love to get the schematic. AK

SCHOBER RECITAL ORGAN

FREE. A Recital with Reverbatape, percussion is available. It has some problems.

Contact:

Dennis Wiens

Shevlin, MN 56676

denny@gvtel.com

Phone: (218) 785-2285

ORIGINAL SCHOBER CONSOLETTE ORGAN

A tube Consolette is available for free.

Contact:

Ken and Janet Goehner

Independence, Missouri 64055

Phone: (816) 254-4604

kenjangoe@aol.com

SCHOBER THEATRE ORGAN

A Schober Theatre Organ is available for free. Everything works except the percussion group. Console is pristine. 15 Miles SW of Portland Oregon.

Contact:

Vern Martin

K7MSE

vernpeg@juno.com

Phone: (503) 640-4178

SCHOBER CONSOLETTE II

A Consolette 2 is available for free. Has a few dead notes but in general working order. On Long Island, NY.

Contact:

Ray

raywulff@optonline.net

Alexander Kruedener
73 N. Lamphear Road
Jamaica, Vermont 05353
Phone: (802) 874-4894

Email: kruedener@juno.com