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  • The Wurlitzer 4100 Project



    For those interested in the dissection and subsequent restoration of vintage analog organs, here a a few shots of my latest project, a '59 Wurly 4100 with model 300 rotary tone cabinet:</P>
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    The tone generators, using tuned coils and 12FQ8 tubes with the divider circuitry. The aqua-colored things above are the sustain capacitors. It's impractical if not impossible to troubleshoot an organ like this without a tube tester and a donor organ.</P>
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    Generator shelf lowered to the service postition. Tubes and can caps to the right are the amplifier. Someone at Lafayette Music put one over on the original owner and charged good money, I'm sure, for installing a Damp Chaser, the silver rod underneath the manual wiring.</P>
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    The Model 300 Rotary Tone Cabinet with the cover off. It's the same case found on the Wurlitzer Sideman. All except higher frequencies are filtered out and I think returned to the main speakers. Notice the piston and flywheel assembly. It seems to dampen the signal once during each revolution of the dual 4" speaker assembly, accentuating the doppler effect. It has a unique sound, not at all unpleasant with this organ.</P>
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  • #2
    Re: The Wurlitzer 4100 Project

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    The Model 300 Rotary Tone Cabinet with the cover on:</P>


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    Upper manual raised, showing keying bussbars and couplers (the white rods). Each rod has a continuous contact embedded in it. Keying contacts are the top three stationary rods, but the lower three couplers rotate via mechanical linkage to make or break the electrical circuit for Upper 8' Off, 16' Coupler and 4' Coupler.</P>


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    Access to the lower manual contacts is from underneath after removal of a pasteboard cover. Note at the upper right the linkage which rotates the Upper to Lower 8' coupler.</P>


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    • #3
      Re: The Wurlitzer 4100 Project



      Finished. The Wurlitzer 4100A is back together and sounding sweet with a completely refurbished amplifier. New capacitors, new tubes, new resistors, all good 12FQ8 tubes in the generator/divider section, and a thorough cleaning. Most importantly, I didn't let out any of the smoke when I first turned it back on! This little organ is ready for another 50 years. Many thanks to Fred for your patience answering my questions. This project has taught me a great deal and given me the confidence to move on to a larger project - the refurbishing of a Hammond H-182 which is also nearing completion. More on that in another thread.</P>


      I'd also like to note that I used regular Turtle Wax to revive the original wood finishwith STUNNING results. It's beautiful.I reasoned that the original sprayed-onclear coat wasn't that far removed from automotive finishes. If anyone else has the urge to try this, I recommend first trying a small and inconspicuous area and using several thin coats in thecomplete application. The keys and controls have an almost silky feel after waxing and look new. Again, thin coats is crucial to not end up with white crust in your cracks.</P>
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      • #4
        Re: The Wurlitzer 4100 Project

        What does that half moon-ish looking switch on the left side of your organ do?

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        • #5
          Originally posted by bluetantra View Post

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          Generator shelf lowered to the service postition. Tubes and can caps to the right are the amplifier. Someone at Lafayette Music put one over on the original owner and charged good money, I'm sure, for installing a Damp Chaser, the silver rod underneath the manual wiring.</P>
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          No, all Wurlitzer's had Damp chasers and were indeed made by Wurlitzer. All of my Wurlitzer 1960's models have them, in fact my 4300 has two, and ironically my 4500 is a bigger organ, but has just one. Maybe it was because the 4300 was so tightly assembled- it has a long one and a short one. My 46' Orgatron doesn't have one, but a guy who had a smaller single manual orgatron made about the same time as mine had a damp chaser that looked like an old light socket with a ceramic heater in it. It's nice you restored this Wurli. I highly recommend any Wurlitzer for a project because they were made so well! Plus any part is available at Morelocks in Mississippi. Those people are so helpful and fairly priced too. They will rebuild the amp chassis on a 4500, 4300, 4700, 4502,4300 etc. ( the ones with two amps...the 4700 had 4 amps) for $40 plus parts. Their can caps are priced better than anyone at $10-$14 ( I'm sure this is their price for the repair and maybe if someone is fixing a Wurlitzer, I'd hate to think someone would capitalize on these low prices and wipe out their stock for other projects. I recommend getting a 4500 console or 4300 spinet. There is a guy here in Columbus with a perfect looking 65' 4300 with the bench for $45! I'd buy it, but you see my supply of organs is ample for me, but I'm so tempted- he said he'd give me the organ free, but I'd have to pay $45 for the bench. I hope someone near central Ohio is reading this... It was listed last week and is still there- craigslist Columbus Ohio.
          <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xU6Iy8BWXJk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
          Wurlitzer '46' Model 31 Orgatron & 310 rotary cab, 56' 4410 , 65' 4300
          Hammond '55' S6 Chord Organ,HR-40,ER-20, 1971 X66/& 12-77 tone cabinet w/ 122 kit & TREK Transposer- of which I've retrofitted a Wurlitzer/Lowrey 'PedAL gLIdE' awesome!
          Gulbransen 61' 1132 '76' Rialto II & Leslie 705 + two 540
          Conn '57' 406 Caprice '59' 815 Classic (the 29th 815)
          PLEASE SAVE THE WURLITZER ELECTROSTATIC CONTINUOUS-FREE-REED ORGANS 1953'-1961' Hammond TW's ONLY TRUE COMPETITOR! (Ggl> NSHOS WURLI 4600)

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          • #6
            Great job! I just acquired a 4100 that works well (a few silent keys and a bass pedal low C that sounds like it's trying to clear it's throat). Do you know where I can get a service manual for this? I've searched the web to no avail. Thanks, germ1212

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            • #7
              Germ: I have an original 4100 series service manual for sale from my collection @$10 + shipping. Contact me at [email protected]

              . . . Jan
              the OrganGrinder

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              • #8
                LsLi723rocker;

                The switch you asked about controls the Wurlitzer model 300 SpectraTone he showed in his earlier email.

                . . . Jan
                the OrganGrinder

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                • #9
                  Great Project!!

                  [QUOTE=bluetantra;159889]For those interested in the dissection and subsequent restoration of vintage analog organs, here a a few shots of my latest project, a '59 Wurly 4100 with model 300 rotary tone cabinet:</P>
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                  My mouth waters when I see a project like this. Thanks for sharing the details.

                  Rob

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                  • #10
                    I have a perfectly working 4150 BW that I am parting out, does anyone need parts?

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                    • #11
                      Hello Everyone,

                      I picked up a Wurlitzer 4100. I'm looking at the 28 12FQ8s and wondering how you can tell from looking at each tube where it goes in the board...I see a small number in the glass between the pins which I can't quite figure the purpose of, and then two numbers printed on the tubes, one which I believe designate the factory the tube was made in (188-20, 188-5), and one which I believe designates the date made (most 60-04, 60-09 or 59-35, one 77-30 and one F1??).

                      I already have the "Wurlitzer Organ Service Manual 4100 Series," but can't quite sort out the schematics...

                      Any tips would be very much appreciated!

                      Comment

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