Yet another gulgbransen question

[Guest]

am looking for a console organ (61 keys upper and lower manual, 25 or more pedal). I am still learning to play. I have an M3 and 122 combination. </p>


I have been reading the past posts on Gulbransens. It seems there is consensus that they are PDG. There is a Gulbransen President available about 200 miles away. The ad says it was made in 75 and has a leslie, the pictures in the ad show that it is a full console 25 pedals, two sets of drawbars, lots of tabs etc.. The price is right, the gas to go get it and back will cost me more than the owner is asking for the organ. He says everything works except for one intermittent pedal.</p>

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-musical-instruments-ORGAN-GULBRANSEN-President-W0QQAdIdZ67119287</p>

So, would this be worth looking at? My gas is be the same whether I take it or leave it. Is the cabinet made out of 'real' plywood or your 70's walnut stain fake mahogany powdered wood? What kind of electronics did it use, transistors? LSI? tube or solid state amp? Sounds like....? </p>


I really don't *need* another organ. My M3 set up is challenging me plenty, so should I be holding out for something better? Obviously a console Hammond would be a better investment, but maybe there is something else I should be looking for? I am not committed to the 'hammond' sound, I have always loved pipe organs, and would like to have something that sounds like a pipe organ. There may still be a Shober Recital closer by, but this one is scaring me off cause of the home built aspect, and it's rarity.
</p>

[jimmywilliams]

Re: Yet another gulgbransen question



The Presidentis all solid state (amps/tone generation/etc.) and used top-octave divider generators. The one in the picture appears to be the later model that had the piano/harpsichord feature. The "leslie" is built-into the organ - not separate. There are 3 channels of sound: Tibia (drawbars), Pedal, and Piano/Harpsichord. The lower/upper manual speaking stops are all combinations of various drawpar pitches (using the "flute filter" circuit to create the sine waves). The pedal stops, and harpsichord/piano, are built on complex waveforms. As far as I am aware, the cabinet is solid wood / veneer; not particleboard, but I could be wrong.</P>


- jim</P>

[jimmywilliams]

Re: Yet another gulgbransen question



The Presidentis all solid state (amps/tone generation/etc.) and used top-octave divider generators. The one in the picture appears to be the later model that had the piano/harpsichord feature. The "leslie" is built-into the organ - not separate. There are 3 channels of sound: Tibia (drawbars), Pedal, and Piano/Harpsichord. The lower/upper manual speaking stops are all combinations of various drawpar pitches (using the "flute filter" circuit to create the sine waves). The pedal stops, and harpsichord/piano, are built on complex waveforms. As far as I am aware, the cabinet is solid wood / veneer; not particleboard, but I could be wrong.</P>


- jim</P>

[Guest]

Re: Yet another gulgbransen question

I'd get it if I could. It might be worth the price and the drive if its all working. That one looks a little newer than the one I've had for a few months. I've been using mine to play mostly classical music. The drawbars are a good feature and once you get used to playing a console, the spinet just won't be the same. The cabinet is of good quality although the bench is a little flimsy. The cover is vinyl and there is storage accessible on the front side. The biggest playability problem I had with mine is with the expression pedal. It is not recessed enough to keep it from being moved when playing in the high pedal octave. There might be a way to connect you 122 to it but that is beyond my expertise.

[andyg]

Re: Yet another gulgbransen question



I'd get it too. It's good wood, I've shifted a few. The one I used to play regularly had a becnh with a solid top, not padded, but I think that the later series had the padded ones.</P>


As for the 122, that looks for a balanced speaker input input rather than unbalanced. However, there are connector kits like the 8010 (you probably have this one in your M3) and the 8200 that should do the job. You can find schematics for them here: http://www.fishorgans.com/leslie_kits/</P>


With a bit of construction skills you could even make one up. It would obviously only go on the President's rotary channel, but it would sound superb. All the bass, rhythm and percussion sounds would remain in the organ. The leslie you really want on the President is a 710, and they go quite cheaply compared to 122's, but you already have the latter. For the cost of a kit, or the parts, all you'd have to do is move the leslie cable around.</P>


Andy</P>
<P mce_keep="true"></P>

[Guest]

Re: Yet another gulgbransen question

Thanks for all the replies, I wasn't even thinking about connecting the 122, as it supposedly has a built in leslie already. If there is a line out, or a head phone jack, I also have a trek II preamp so hooking up the leslie would not be a problem. My M3 is not going anywhere :-)

[Guest]

Re: Yet another gulgbransen question



The automatic rythums on the President are really cheesy. The walking bass plays the root note, the fifth and the octave but no third. I guess that's alright if you need to play a minor chord. There is also no kind of automatic chord strumming or argeggio effects. I think the use of grey drawbars was just plain weird. They should have been 16' and 51/3' like the upper is. MyPresident has been a good organ so far. I find the tibias to be pleasant and the clarinet 8 on the upper is really nice. I also lile the manual and pedal balance controls. You can also use tabs onone manual and drawbars on another. The green piano tab on the upper allows for a little percussion when used with other stops. Another plus is that the cabinet has a finished back on it. My wife initially did not like mine becuase of the contemporary styling. I had been a Conn owner for a very long time. It had traditional styling. </P>
<P mce_keep="true"></P>

[OrgansR4Me]

Re: Yet another gulgbransen question

When you say getting a hammond console would be a better investment, please keep in mind that the values are only high for the Tonewheel models. And they may not always be as high as they are right now -- sometimes markets phase and while the durability and Hammond Sound drive the market now, will it always? Thereare always the elements in this organ marketplacethat seek more theatrical tone (for which the President is a good selection) or more classical. As with any organ purchase, the deciding factor has to be how much you want this instrument.