Yamaha Magna - electromagnetic organ from 1935?

[andyg]

Now this is a new one on me, I have to admit, but in Wiki (if you believe what's there) it mentions that Yamaha debuted an electromagnetic church organ in 1935. 1935 - electromagnetic organ? Sounds kinda familiar, doesn't it? Anyway, it also pops up on one of Yamaha's own history pages. Funny, because I;ve never seen it in the Yamaha histories I've read up to now. No information, just the name and the date.</P>


Anyone have any information? I'd have thought that Yamaha would have bragged about having an 'electronic' instrument back that far before now.</P>


Ian, you're our Antipodean Yamaha expert, have you come across it?</P>


Andy</P>

[crossyinoz]

Re: Yamaha Magna - electromagnetic organ from 1935?

[quote user="andyg"]


electromagnetic church organ in 1935. 1935 - electromagnetic organ? it also pops up on one of Yamaha's own history pages. </P>


[/quote]</P>


G,day Andy,</P>


Yamaha did build a church pipe organ commencing in 1932 - I'm assuming that "electromagnetic" refers to the console. It was never exported. Electone production commenced in 1959 with D1 and export commenced in 1966 with B6 (see my gallery) then D2B in '67, B2 &amp; B7D in '68 etc. 1966 was also the year the European subsidiary was opened in Germany.</P>


There was also a digital church organ built in the mid '80's - combination of FM &amp; AWM. We costed it and worked out we would have to market the cheapest version for around $AU60,000 retail before any taxes, and we thought we'd get our share, after all we owned the home organ market by then. Anyhow it all came to nothing when it turned out that Hammamats. had knocked off stop lists and other ideas from a certain outfit a mere channel swim from you and were threatened with legal action, clogs &amp; dead tulips thrown through office windows etc. if they ever exported it.[:O]</P>


The only "Magna" we ever had here was a Mitsubishi with 4 wheels - a widened version of the Jap Sigma to fit us big tall Aussie blokes in.</P>


Cheers,</P>


Ian</P>

[andyg]

Re: Yamaha Magna - electromagnetic organ from 1935?



Thanks Ian. I did wonder if they'd borrowed Mr H's idea and then fallen foul of patents or something like that. I'll do a bit more digging via Yamaha UK and see if my mates up at HQ know anything.</P>


I'm too young (honest!) to remember the D1 or B6, but I can remember the B2 and B4B. We used to get them through Germany, but paid a premium for the double importation. Then when Kemble started bringing them in direct in 72 or 73 there was a sharp drop in prices as well as some new models like the B30R and DK40 etc. </P>


Googling 'Yamaha Magna'brings up a motorbike - they're obviously recycling names. How about a white plastic bike called the EX42?</P>


Andy</P>