Allen Contemporary Console Dates

[myorgan]

Folks,

I just saw this listing on *Bay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Allen-ADC-42...-/272033981222), and noticed the ADC vintage organ had a contemporary console.

So, does anyone know how long Allen produced, marketed, and sold the contemporary console? Curious minds want to know.:confused: I thought it went out with the MOS organs, but evidently not.

Michael

[tucsondave]

I just worked on an MDC Classic 42 with a CC. I don't think they went beyond that.

td

[jbird604]

When I sold Allen in the 80's, the (M)ADC-420 and 520 were in the contemporary console. The ADC 1000 and 2000 were also in that console, at least in the beginning. I know that we installed several of the 420, 520, and 2000 in LDS churches in that console right off the bat, and I've gotten a few of them back in recent years to fix up and re-sell.

I think it was in 1985 that Allen introduced the much more attractive "T" console which quickly supplanted the contemporary in all MADC models. At the same time, the ADC 1000/2000/3000 models were discontinued and replaced with the 1100-2100-3100 series that came in "T" consoles. So that was probably the end of production for the contemporary, though it's possible a few were shipped as late as 1986.

When was it first used? Well, I know that the original single-computer MOS-1 models in 1971 were in that console, though back then it had a folding top lid (or no lid at all on the very cheapest ones) instead of the roll-top that came out later in the MOS era.

I don't think there were any analog organs in that exact console, though I could be wrong. There were those really "modern" Carousel Allens in the late 60's in a console with a similar silhouette, the sloping side panels. It wasn't exactly like the contemporary console of MOS and early ADC; it was much more peculiar and really did look like a "spaceship" with its top section almost completely un-attached to the lower section, being held in place by a metal bracket at each side. The top really looked like it was floating above the bottom without any support, if you looked at it from straight in front of it.

So, I'll say the contemporary console as we know it was used from 1971 to 1985, give or take a year.

[myorgan]

As always, excellent information. I have played (what I thought to be) an ADC-420 at Air Force Chapels in Ohio and Maine, and they were in the T console. For that reason, I guess I thought the contemporary console had been discontinued with the MOS era, but obviously I was wrong.

You guys are a wealth of information! Thank you.

Michael

P.S. Here's an ADC-420 in the T console: http://orlando.craigslist.org/msg/5362264779.html

[jbird604]

Michael, that link shows a 420 in the contemporary console. For clarification, here are a couple of pics. The first is a pic of an Allen early ADC model in a contemporary console. Note the sloping sides. The other pic is an Allen 2160 in the "T" console, showing the squared-up sides.