Hallman Tube Organs

[mashaffer]

Is anyone familiar with Hallman organs of the late fourties? Might have a shot at getting one.</p>

mike</p>

[arie v]

Re: Hallman Tube Organs



Hi,</p>

Would this be an amplified reed organ with a tube amp?</p>

From a musical point of view, they were not very good. By now if it was played regularly, the key contacts (made of phosphar bronze) would be in bad shape. </p>

AV
</p>

[mashaffer]

Re: Hallman Tube Organs



I believe it probably is that type. As I understand it they must have been sort of like the Conns but with only one reed. I haven't really been able to find much about them.</p>

mike</p>

[bluetantra]

Re: Hallman Tube Organs



I think you might bereferring to the Everett/WurliTzer Orgatron instruments rather than Conn. WurliTzer Orgatrons have three pickups or "tone screws" per reed, giving them a larger variety of voices. I've read somewhere that Hallman was somehow affiliated with the Mennonite Church. Here's a photo I found of what was said to be a 1957 model: </P>


</P>

[mashaffer]

Re: Hallman Tube Organs



Yes, I was in fact thinking of the Wurlitzer electrostatic reed organs with the reed box tone generators. So not worth driving 400mi to pick one up huh?</p>

mike</p>

[bluetantra]

Re: Hallman Tube Organs

I drove over 600 miles each way to pick up my Series 20 Orgatron and tone cabinet.

[mashaffer]

Re: Hallman Tube Organs



You mean like this one?</p>

http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z223/bluetantra/Series%2020%20Orgatron%20Restoration/?action=view&amp;current=Series20RestorationPhotos 031.jpg&amp;newest=1</p>

I would too!</p>

mike</p>

[Clarion]

Re: Hallman Tube Organs



I am somewhat familiar with Hallman organs. The one you are referencing is probably one of their <U>amplified reed</U> organs.The last time I played one of these, was way back in 1960; and even then the instrument was suffering from the effects of old age . . . like notesthat didn't work, etc. Irecall itas soundinga lot better than I expected for an amplified reed organ, although falling far short ofbeing absolutely wonderful. You mentioned Conn organs, and I would have to say that Conns of even that era sounded better than the Hallman.</P>


The Hallman Company is located in Kitchener, Ontario . . . Conservative German Mennonite country. Surprisingly, they are an electric fence company, rather than organ builders.Itend to believe thatthe organ manufacturing thing was more a work of love, than a commercially viable venue. Starting off with amplified reed organs, in1965 they started building pipe organs under thesupervision of imported German pipe organ builders for about three years. But then, as the objectives of a new generation of company management changes, so do their objectives. [:(]</P>


Hallman pipeorgans are pretty wonderful instruments; and the instrument most preferred by Phoenix Organs for recording their baroquesound samples; and one wonders if the Phoenixpreference forHallman voicing is at least part of thesecret to Phoenix's superiority over their competitors. I have a Phoenix III/44 which is set tobaroque by default. And almost30% of the baroque voices are Hallman derivatives! With so many other great Canadian organ builders, like Casavant and Letourneau available, Hallman is the overwhelming first choice. A partialbeakdown: </P>


Mark Street Hallman, Peterborough 1965 = 13 stops
St. Catharine's Cathedral, St. Catherine's, 1990 Letourneau = 6 stops
St. John's Anglican Church, Peterborough, 1956 Casavant = 3 stops
Eglise St. Vincent, Merignac, France 1994 Guillemin = 6 stops
Christ the King Cathedral, Hamilton1937 Steinmeyer = 6 stops</P>


Whether reed or pipe organ, Hallman organs have earned a positive reputation for building absolute quality instruments! For instance, the Phoenix rebuild of an ancient Hallman in Beaverton, ON:</P>


http://phoenixorgans.com/installatio...nstallation=71</P>


Unlike most recycled organs where replacingthe keyboards is routine; this Hallman in Beaverton was manufactured withsuch quality, that neither the pedalboard, nor the keyboardsrequired replacement; and that's pretty unusual within the refurbishing-old-consoles business. With the Hallman, all that was needed, was merely new contacts. [:D]</P>


Sort of sad that somewhere along the line, Hallman's new hot-shot tone-deaf junior financialanalyst figuredthat the company would be far better off, sticking to their electric fence mandate. [:(]</P>

[bluetantra]

Re: Hallman Tube Organs

[quote user="mashaffer"]


You mean like this one?</P>


http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z223/bluetantra/Series%2020%20Orgatron%20Restoration/?action=view&amp;current=Series20RestorationPhotos 031.jpg&amp;newest=1</P>


I would too!</P>


mike</P>


[/quote]</P>
<P mce_keep="true"></P>


Yep... that's actually my Series 20. I'm still working on refinishing the old girl and sorting out some ciphers, but it is going to be a very nice instrument when I'm done.</P>


</P>

[Nullifier]

Re: Hallman Tube Organs



I bought a model 20 and later refinished it. Quite a job and quite an instrument!! I'd still have it but I bought a TC 6 and didn't have room for two organs!! It was either the 20 or the wife!!!</P>


Al </P>