Baldwin Organ Information

[Guest]

Hello,

Does anyone have any information on this organ? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/2166470145.html. I'm wondering if it's suitable for a small church and also if it is difficult these days to get Baldwin organs repaired since the company is out of business. I appreciate any information. Thank you.

[davidecasteel]

Well, if the pictures actually are of that model, it is idenfied as a Baldwin 530. I was able to find a page about a 630 and it is a frequency-divider instrument, so I'd expect the 530 to be one, too. That is very old solid-state technology, but it can be quite satisfactory in its sounds, especially in a space with some reverberation. I'm pretty sure there are some folks on this board who have experience with that model--hopefully they will provide some more information.

David

[arie v]

Hi,

This is an odd duck. Looks like Baldwin casework, but keyboards, stop rail, controls look like Viscount stuff. I don't know what a Baldwin 530 is, as I have never seen one. It does look like an organ that may be 15 to 20 years old.

It is true that Baldwin is out of business, but there is still some support for Baldwin organs - just not as much as there used to be. If this is really a Viscount organ, then there will still be some kind of support.

In any case, the asking price is too high. Half the price or less is more reasonable, and that assumes it is in good working order.

AV

[Guest]

Thanks David and AV for the information. It's especially interesting that it appears to be a hybrid.

[jbird604]

I agree with Arie... an odd duck. I sure don't recall a Baldwin 530. A 520, yes, and a 630, as David notes. But I'm positive this picture is not either one of those.

It is surely made by Viscount, as it appears to be one of the Alpha series models from the early 90's when Baldwin was re-branding Viscount organs for sale in the US. They actually have decent sound, and it looks like it has some good features.

Not sure about the capture action. It may be a blind system, but the pistons are settable. OTOH, if the rocker tabs are lighted, the pistons probably are similar to what Rodgers and others use today, and the capture action would work in the standard manner.

Should be suitable for a small church, especially if it's replacing an old clunker of some kind. At least it's fully AGO.

[Guest]

Thanks, John. This is all very helpful information.