Baldwin 520 Church Organ

[james]

Does anyone have a complete stop list for this organ? If so, please share it.</P>


Also, what is the date on this organ's production? Is it by the original Baldwin Company in the USA or when Baldwin/Wurlitzer combined, or later went with Viscount?</P>
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Thanks for your replies,</P>
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James</P>

[TheOrganist]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ



Pedal: Sub Bass 16' , Leiblich Gedeckt 16' , Cello 8' , Flute 8' , Acc. to pedal 8' ditto 4'</p>

Accompaniment: Viole 8' flute8' voix celeste II 8' violina 4' flute 4' flute 2' trumpet 8' Acc. to Acc. 4'</p>

General: string to diapason, celest only loud, trumpet to horn, trumpet horn loud, trem. flute light, trem flute full, trem. string diapason, trem trumpet horn.</p>

Solo: flute 8' , viole 8' , viole celeste 8' , flute 4' , violina 4' , flute 2 2/3' , flute 2' , flute 1 3/5' , flute 1' , trumpet 8' , chimes F#2-F4 , Harp F#2-F5 , solo to solo 16' , same 4' , acc. to solo 16' , acc to solo 8'
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[jbird604]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ



These organs were built in the USA during the mid to late 80's, before Baldwin's ill-fated association with the Italians,and are 100% "Baldwin," not Viscount or Galanti.</P>


Even though Wurlitzer merged with Baldwin during this time period, the organ production was not affected. This is a model designed and built by Baldwin and is thoroughly Baldwin.</P>


The 520 is a sweet little instrument, ifnot strictly a classical organ. The pedals are just shy oftrue AGO, the manuals are called "Accomp" and "Solo" .... but the sounds are so warm and lovely that many churches bought them and were rewarded with very satisfying sound. There are beautiful celestes and smooth flutes, keen strings and passable diapason tone, more than acceptable reeds. I believe there are stops as high as 2' and there may even be a super-coupler. But I do know there is plenty of rich full-organ tone when the right stops are used.</P>


We service several in our area and I'm often tempted to try to buy one to have at home just because the sound is so pleasant, if not terribly pipe-like.</P>


John</P>
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[afuller5]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ



James,</p>

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but John's comment caused me to think of a question for him.</p>

John, about 1983 or 1984 not long after I started playing the organ, I played in two different churches (far from each other) that each had identical Baldwin organs. I was wondering if you might (or someone else) might have information on the model. The details may not be quiet correct since this is a 25+ year old memory.</p>

The Baldwin in question had a flat, radiating, 25-note pedalboard (like a home organ) and two 61-note manuals. The stops were controlled via rocker tabs. There were some that were green (I think), but it was not colored by the "standard" theatre/home organ coloring scheme. I seem to recall that there were some black switches that controlled volume levels (like the old Wurlitzers electronic organs) mixed in among the speaking stops. I seem to recall that the upper manual had more stops than the lower manual (again along the lines of home organs). However, there were not any rhythms or auto accompaniment features. I think it had chimes. There may have been an oboe on the upper manual. The bench was padded and covered in black faux leather.</p>

I recall the organ being rather pleasant. However, I was very new to organs at the time. Most of my experience up to that point was on my small Yamaha spinet.</p>

Do you happen to know what model or series this Baldwin was from? I'm just curious.</p>

Thanks,</p>

Allen
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[james]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ



Allen,</P>


This organ sounds like it was a Baldwin Home model 48. They came out on the market around '67 or '68 for sure. I have the spinet model version ofthis time frame, and my Spinet is a 58R. I wish I could get it repaired since it does have some glorious church organ sounds.</P>


James</P>


PS - Glad you joined in on this thread. We are all here to learn.</P>


Jas</P>

[james]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ



The Organist,</P>


Thanks so much for posting this on here for me as well as others. I had wondered about this model since it was different than many of the other Baldwin's designed for church. It was interesting at how the Diapason was like String to Diapason, and such as Trumept to Horn etc. They do have a very nice sound.</P>


James</P>

[jbird604]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ



Allen,</P>


The Baldwin you describe could be one of several, but the technologies of various Baldwin modelswere all pretty similar back then. If it had a 25-note flat pedalboard, it might have been a 711 or 720, which were the smallish "church" models back then, even though not AGO and missing a lot of the features we normally desire in a real church organ. I believe the 711 was built in the 70's and had 12 master oscillators and a rotating speaker for the flute channel. The 720 was an updated version of the 711 with a single master oscillator and transposer, and the rotating speaker was replaced by Baldwin's electronic tremolo.</P>


As James suggests, you may have been playing one of the 48 series, which came in home and church varieties, not much difference. (However, if I'm not mistaken, the 48 series had 32-note pedalboards, though not true AGO, slightly narrowed.)</P>


The older 46 series was similar except it had tubes instead of transistors.</P>


Does anyone know if a website exists somewhere that shows all the Baldwin models? It would be interesting to see them all laid out in some kind of order.</P>


John</P>
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[afuller5]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ



James and John,</p>

I think John may be correct about the instrument. As I recall the organs looked and seemed newer than the late 1960s.</p>

I, too, would like to see a website of all Baldwin models.</p>

Thanks,</p>

Allen
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[james]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ



Allen</P>


No other organs fit this description except the ones I mentioned. There were on the market several years starting in '67 and ran for maybe 5 years at least as many of the Baldwin models did. The later models after this series did not have the dark green coloring in the percussion section. I have the Baldwin Church Organ model 48C, and the two tabs that control the two percussions, Chimes, and Celesta are in a maroon color. All organs after this series by Baldwin especially the home models had percussions color coded red. We had a long time Baldwin dealer here in town, and I knew the various organ on the market from way back in the 50's on.</P>


James</P>

[jbird604]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ



I yield to James. I missed the part about the green rocker tabs.</P>


Interesting. Do still wish there was an online museum showing all these models.</P>


John</P>

[Guest]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ

Many thanks for all of this information on vintage Baldwins. I played an old reliable Baldwin every Thursday for Vespers during my college years in Boone, NC (early 1970's) and like others, I'd love to see some photos or specs for these old organs ... just for the memories.

[OrgansR4Me]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ



I know John is very seldom mistaken about Baldwin models and yes wouldn't it be nice to have an archive similar to the Electone Zone which features so many models. When I was 8 (and a P.K.) my father selected a 45 because we had a very modest church budget but that was the totally tube edition. The 46 had tube amplifier with transistor generators. Most later OrgaSonics were cut down editions of the 46 line James and the sound was basically the same. I have my CT2 today because that's as close as I've been able to come in this area to the 46 or 48.</P>


In Ft. Lauderdale about two years ago there was an auction for a very nice 48C but the price was too high considering moving costs at that time. Fortunately, movers are not very busy here in Florida now and prices have become very affordable. I've done my last two moves (local) for just $75 plus tip.</P>


Baldwin appeared to dominate the church market because of price point for many years. Unless there was someone of considerable means in a church (most of which inmy early years were thrilled to have attendance break 100) Allen was just something to dream about. My father used to speak of seeing his first Allen on display in a store behind velvet ropes. No one was even allowed to touch it unless they were prepared to buy!</P>


Regards to all. I've been under the weather again and not really getting any repairs accomplished. I've even come to the point of being willing to part with a few pieces but for myself and also a friend representing an estate, we are finding you can't even give away organs right now!</P>

[jbird604]

Re: Baldwin 520 Church Organ



The mention of the Allen behind velvet ropes reminds of my first time to see an Allen in a showroom. It was elevated on a platform withelegantplush decor all around it. Obviously intended to convey the "high-end" nature of the instrument!</P>


I was just a high-school kid at the time and the only organs I'd ever played were Hammond or Baldwin. I remember thinking Allen must be some sort of unattainable organ that mere mortals could only dream of!</P>


John</P>
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