Allen AO?????

[SuperOktav]

I'm trying to figure out what model the organ in my church is. It was installed in 1984. I guess it should be an ADC model???? But all I can find inside the console is</p>

AO-4*** (forgot the other numbers[:$]). It also look like the date on the custom wood finish paper that is attached inside says 1981 on it, this really confuses me because as far as I know the organ was installed brand new in 1984. Anyway, are there any models that are called AO? It doesn't say anything else on the little black and gold plate that is attached inside. Thanks.
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[jbird604]

Re: Allen AO?????



Super,</P>


The "AO-xxxx" number is (IIRC) just a number assigned to a console as it went through the factory, sort of a production order number, likea serial number but only a temporary designation. Probably doesn't mean anything.</P>


The 1981 date on the finish tag mightjust mean that the color was first approved in that year. Perhaps the dealer had his own variation on the basic oak or walnut that he wanted used on his consoles, which he had specified in 1981. A console built in a later year could have been ordered in that color without submitting a new sample.</P>


If your organ wasbuilt in 1984, then it is surely an ADC model. However, dealers sometimes keep an organ in stock forquite a while, perhaps even years, before selling it. This isn't good policy, but sometimes a dealer orders something that just doesn't sell and he uses it as floor stock, sells other organs off it, etc., and finally drops the price a little and it finds a permanent home.</P>


If that happened with your organ, it might be a pre-ADC model, perhaps a MOS-2. But you can ascertain the date of manufacture by taking off the back and looking at any of several components, power supplies, AC distribution boxes, etc. These major sub-assemblies are normally stamped with a date code. The code will be a letter followed by two numbers, such as A84. That code indicates January 1984, the letter A meaning the first month of the year. "B" would mean February, "C" means March, etc.</P>


So look for such a stamp (in pink or white paint or ink) and you will know when it was built. Be aware that some things in the organ will have been swapped out, but you'll probably see 5 or 6 of these stamps if you look around. The AC distribution box is unlikely to have been replaced and its date code should be correct.</P>


The model number of an Allen organ was always on a metal plate inside the console until the very recent years when they moved the plate to the outside rear. If you raise the top lid and look at the rear stretcher, bass end, just above the back cover, you should see the metal plate. The model number will be stamped, not painted or inked, so you may need to shine a light on it to read it.</P>


If you can post a photo I can probably ID it.</P>


John</P>
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[SuperOktav]

Re: Allen AO?????



Thanks JBird. I figured the "AO" had nothing to do with the model type but that was the only letters and numbers I was able to find. I know which metal plate you are talking about and I will get a picture of it for you this coming weekend. One thing I did notice while peeking inside the console was tons of dust on everything. Apparently the dealer doesn't do any cleaning inside the console when they service the organ. I was always under the impression that electronic connections should be kept clean[:S]
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[myorgan]

Re: Allen AO?????



[quote user="SuperOktav"] One thing I did notice while peeking inside the console was tons of dust on everything. Apparently the dealer doesn't do any cleaning inside the console when they service the organ. I was always under the impression that electronic connections should be kept clean[:S] [/quote]</P>


I just brought my newest organ home last night (ADC-4300-DKC)from a Catholic church which closed. Tons of dust everywhere!!! Then I realized--Catholic services often use lots of candles and incense, so the organ may have obtained the dust from there. Also, if the heating system is central air, that tends to blow dust around. Odd that it makes its way inside the organ so easily, though! Cleaned it out tonight.</P>


Good luck with your organ!</P>


Michael</P>

[SuperOktav]

Re: Allen AO?????



OK Iooked at the metal plate inside the console. Besides the patent numbers, this is what it says</p>

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SYSTEM SERIAL NO</p>

903 3DKC 47326</p>

Does that help? I will post a picture of the plate tomorrow but that is all that's on it. There is no reference to ADC or MOS on it.
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[jbird604]

Re: Allen AO?????



Mystery solved. What you have is a MOS-1 organ, quite an oldie, but one of the better ones.</P>


"System" is Allen terminology for"model," and itis a 903-3DKC. This means it is a 3-computer, 3-manual model with the so-called "dash 3" voicing -- the principal 8 and flute 8 exchanging channels. This puts the 8' and 4' members of each chorus in opposite channels for some added separation and clarity.</P>


The first two computers (probably labed A and B in the console) are the dual computers for the swell/great/pedal stops. All stops are "doubled" in that all stops are being generated simultaneously by both A and B computers, which would normally be very slightly out of tune with each other. </P>


This gives a nice chorus effect to all stops, and there is a "celeste tuning" control for the swell and possibly the great also. Using this control spreads the tuning of the two computers further apart so that a rich celeste can be created from any given stop.</P>


The "C" computer is dedicated solely to the choir manual.Since there is only one computer making the choir stops, there is no "doubling" for chorus effect. Celestes cannot be created in the usual manner, but Allen incorporated a "celeste effect" on the choir manual that forces the computer to generate each note twice, once at normal pitch and once at a sharp pitch. This makes a good celeste, but the drawback is that the computer can only make 12 notes at a time and you are using 2 for each key down, limiting you to 6 keys that can be played at once -- this is only in effect on the choir manual, and only when you are using "celeste effect."</P>


Some 900 series organshad a special chiff on the choir manual that was totally different from the standard MOS chiff. It worked by keying certain stops percussively at the same moment that the stop you have drawn is keyed in the normal manner. The results were variable -- sometimes a pretty nice effect, sometimes not. This chiff had the same drawback as the celeste effect -- it used 2 of the available 12 slots for each key depressed.</P>


So you have a pretty decent organ. I used to service one of these before it was destroyed in a tragic church fire. I thought it sounded quite nice.</P>


John</P>
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[SuperOktav]

Re: Allen AO?????



Thanks for the info. J-bird! I really appreciate the help.
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Yes she is an oldie, but fortunately my church has decent acoustics which really help. The organ also has a set of Deagan Chimes. </p>

Just for anyone interested in the sound, here is a little recording I made in December just for fun. Important note, I am in the early stages of learning the organ (my mom is one of the organists in my church and naturally I became interested in learning) and this was totally last minute so don't mind my simple playing. </p>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk53mdW85wk&amp;fmt=18

[jbird604]

Re: Allen AO?????



Very nice! It does indeed sound good in there. That's a beautiful church too. Thanks for posting it. (And your playing is great too.)</P>


John</P>