Hows a Conn 716 for organ sound?

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

I am looking into getting a free Conn 716. It is in good shape but has 3 dead keys on the lower manual. What is wrong with it? Is the organ worth driving 3 hours for? </p>

Any opinion on the sound of the organ? Is it good compared to other organs such as Allen and Rodgers of the 1980's? </p>

Any one have a stop list for the organ or a owners manual would really help!</p>

Thanks [img]file:///C:/Users/Brandon/AppData/Local/Temp/100-0178.jpg[/img]all![img]file:///C:/Users/Brandon/AppData/Local/Temp/100-0178.jpg[/img][img]file:///C:/Users/Brandon/AppData/Local/Temp/100-0178.jpg[/img]</p>

[Clarion]

Re: Hows a Conn 716 for organ sound?



The 716 was an absolutely great sounding organ for the era, whichI would guess to be somewhere around 1970. They were selling at that time for $13,500, compared to Hammond H-100's selling for $4,500. 'Course, way back then, having a Conn Artist 7xx was merely something I only dreamed about, in an era when $13,500 represented at least a year's salary . . .not to mention divorce!! [:$].
</P>


Pedal
Diapason 16
Bourdon 16
Octave 8
Bass Flute 8
Flute 4
Posaune 16
Great to Pedal 8
Swell toPedal 8
Swell toPedal 4</P>


Great
Diapason 8
Rohr Flute 8
Celeste 8
Dulciana 8
HarmonicFlute 4
Nazard 2-2/3
Block Flute 2
Mixture II
Tromba 8
Swell to Great16
Swell toGreat 8
Swell toGreat4
Chimes

Swell
Bourdon 16
Geigen 8
Rohr Flute 8
Celeste 8
Salcional 8
Harmonic Flute 4
Nazard 2-2/3
Block Flute 2
Tierce 1-3/5
Sifflote 1
Trumpet 8
Vox Humana 8
Swell to Swell 16
Swell unison off
Swell to Swell 4

Then there's a bunch of extra stuff like:
Tremolo L
TremoloF
Chorus off
Flutessoft
CelesteF
Swell Geigen F
Swell TrumpetF
Reverb I
Reverb II
Flute Reverb
Flute sustain
Flute chiff
Flute Motion Slow (I built-in Leslie)
Flute Tremolo</P>


Basically the most playable electronic organ of the decade; and the first to address the weakenesses of the pedal division so common with instruments ofthat era. With it's independent tone generation for each note; and the ability to somewhat randomize note frequencies with the chorus control, it was one of the most pleasant sounding instruments I've ever heard; a sound that I would characterize as English/American Romantic.</P>


While playingmy new-fangled digital organ which encompasses a number of independent specificationssuch as English Romantic, French, Baroque etal; I'veoft wonderedhow really great it would be to have one of those old Conns sampled, and included in the organ specs! For me, that would be absolutely thrilling! Having mentioned it to my organ mfg, I'm somewhat less convinced, that they figured that would be a good idea. [:S]</P>

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

Re: Hows a Conn 716 for organ sound?

Thanks for the info. I guess I will be looking farther into getting this organ if it is that good!

[Victor Jules]

Re: Hows a Conn 716 for organ sound?



What's the rest of the story here, please? Did you buy the Conn -- was it adjudged a good deal? (What do you do with an alluring but old electronic organ with dead notes?)
</p>

So glad to see others feel as I do about the Artist -- a former student bought one 20+ years ago (I believe it was already "old" then) and I, a pipe organ snob, was bowled over by what a joy it was to play.
</p>

What's such a Conn worth today? A local dealer wants to sell me an Artist in allegedly excellent working condition for $3,000 including home delivery and setup.
Do that, or pay a couple thou more for one of the used Rodgers or Allens approved by experts in this Forum? </p>

Thanks!</p>

[Clarion]

Re: Hows a Conn 716 for organ sound?



[quote user="Victor Jules"] What's such a Conn worth today? A local dealer wants to sell me an Artist in allegedly excellent working condition for $3,000 including home delivery and setup. [/quote]</P>


A Conn 716 in working order is now worth absolutley $0.000 (zero). Dunno where you live, which might havesome effect on price; but $3,000 for delivery andsetup (pluggingit into the wall) sounds a tadexpensive! [:S]</P>

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

Re: Hows a Conn 716 for organ sound?



Never got an organ. I have fallen far from the organ world. I have not played the organ for weeks now. My rodgers lay silent at the moment. I can not get it fixed, and- well I could not even play it, so not really worth selling.</p>

I guess I am just starting to disappear from the organ world. Oh well. I still want to go to college for the organ, but I will never have access to an organ until then.</p>

[Victor Jules]

Re: Hows a Conn 716 for organ sound?



Whoa, Brandon -- is it that bad? You have several organs at your church??? Too far to go for practice? Your msg sounds tragic!</P>

Try the nn-working Rodgers in Freecycle -- somebody just might want to take and tinker with it. </P>

 </P>

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

Re: What has been going on with Brandon Tuomikoski?



The CATHEDRAL of which I used to play at, has 4 pipe organs. The grand Pasi, 2 smaller Bedients. And a Holtkamp Martini practice organ.</p>

 The cathedral is many many miles away, and my parents are not that interested in driving down there. </p>

And if I practice there, my good friends there will start asking questions why I am not continuing organ lessons with them. </p>

 </p>

I had a real long talk tonight about it. They never said anything, but I believe I had my point released to them.</p>

Maybe they will spend the money to fix the rodgers. Maybe not </p>

[Victor Jules]

Re: What has been going on with Brandon Tuomikoski?



All is not lost by any means. If a church near you has a good organ, ask if you can practice there. If that doesn't do it, you could (1) ask take a lesson from their organist every 2, 3 or 4 weeks (I assume perhaps incorrectly that funds are a problem in that regard) or (2) offer to show your appreciation by becoming a member of their choir. I know a fellow who did this trade and he was their strongest tenor for some years. </p>

Or offer to do some yard work for the church in question -- be creative. You could of course start the other way around by finding out if a church near you with a good organ (a CNYWAGO) needs an organist or choir director, and end up getting paid to practice there. </p>

If all you can finagle is a session at the Cathedral once in awhile, please note that you can do a great deal of organ practice at the piano. That may sound trite, but you can really go places that way. Make your voice the pedal division; any organ piece you can play at a reasonable tempo on the piano while singing the pedal part correctly, you'll master it on the organ in a fraction of the usual time. If you're not a bass voice, sing it in whatever range you can.
</p>

Then again -- quite seriously -- a lot of my most effective and dynamic practicing has been done away from any musical instrument by just reading the score and playing it entirely in my head. If one fully learns all there is to know about the piece's harmony, rhythm etc, and reasons out the manual and pedal challenges, one can play it all the way through mentally in detail -- that does wonders too. </p>

Takes concentration -- something many of us need more of! </p>

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