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My garage has no room left to work! I was wondering if there might be someone interested in a Rodgers Olympics 33. This instrument has a horse shoe shaped rail with moving tabs (SAMS), a nice range of voices, three manuals, a 32 note pedal board, and a built in rythm system and some percussion sounds. A practice panel exists and a separate mechanical glockenspiel unit. It comes with two large Klipsch (?) speaker cabinets (one white like the console and bench, the other is a wood tone color). My understanding was that only 80 of these were built and despite its age it is in pretty good playing condition. The clear coat finish got rubbed off on one side of the console and someone put the wrong sized bulb in one of the rail buttons for the transposer and melted the button...along with the usual nicks and dents from moving...but I think very superficial problems to deal with. I also have the support manuals for service I believe...thanks to the Rodgers corporation. I could use the input from the forum members to arrive at a value if there seems to be any interest before placing it in the marketplace section. MIght also be a good start for Hauptwerk or other midi based project. Any thoughts would be appreciated!
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The Olympic 333 was a nice organ in its day, and your are correct in that only about 80 of these were built. But later Allen models, starting with the MDS series, far outstripped the Rodgers in terms of sound quality and features. If you can get one or two thousand for the console, you should consider yourself lucky. The Allen MDS model theatre organs are now often selling around $5,000. It might be a candidate for digital conversion, but it would take an enormous amount of work to do the conversion.
To be perfectly candid, the Klipsch speakers are probably worth more than the the organ itself. The Klipsch speakers that Rodgers provided were the La Scala model, and a quick search on ebay will let you know where the market price is--B stock (blemished new units) from the factory are $9,000 a pair, but that includes shipping (considerable for such large and heavy objects. Your units being mismatched in finish makes them worth less as a pair than other used pairs that matched. -
Thank you for your input Toodles. Being an old Yankee... I hate to see stuff just junked and would like to see someone have some fun with it at a reasonable price. I thought about parting it out but it might mean more to someone doing a conversion to a virtual instrument. Downside today is that shipping has gotten pretty expensive. May be that it would be best to find someone that is more local. I can deliver it within the Phoenix AZ area easily...if I can locate an interested party. At any rate I'll let people know if it becomes available as parts too! I have converted another Rodgers console to Hauptwerk and have had a great time with it. If I can get some work space back I want to start on a modular organ that is more flexible in adapting to many different instruments. Have a great day!Comment
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Man I wish you were closer to me. I've found a few Rodgers theater organs, but they're always on the other side of the country!Comment
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Hello to Vercus and Myorgan...Funny, when I was hunting instruments down, the ones I was interested in always seemed to be on the Eastern side of the Mississippi! If it wasn't for thi virus dilemma and the high cost of fuel...I'd make it a road trip with my trailer. I am also looking at the Joahnnus, the two classical Rodgers three manual organs, a space age Allen, two Gulbransen Rialtos and two Rodgers trio theatre organs sucking up room in the garage. (No wonder there is no room left to work!) A successful marriage apparently is based on none of these ending up in the house proper! Sorry guys we are not closer...Comment
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Well, we didn't know where you were located, so.... BTW, gas is below $2/gal. right now. Are you sure it costs too much? Travel restrictions are the biggest issue right now, as New York is closed down and that keeps those in New England trapped there (unless we go through Canada).
Good luck with the wife! Mine is looking at the future completion of the garage as an excuse for her to rid herself of anything in the house she doesn't want-probably including me!
Michael
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By the way, it is Olympic 333, not 33.Comment
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