Score!

[Rory]

As some of you know, I work in a music store that deals in everything from guitars, pedals, p.a., organs, band, and drums.  A while back, we got in an Allen Organ "Carousel" that wasn't working.  The thing is about 30-40 years old so they didn't want to put any money into it.  Well, he wrote the thing off and I got to take it for free!!!  I'll take pictures when I get a chance, but I'l describe the coolest parts of it.

It has 7 total speakers, two of which spin.
It has 2 40 watt amps with RCA plugs.
It has TONS and TONS of germanium transistors and transformers.

I am using it right now as a guitar amp, plugging into the amp that goes into the spinning speaker pair.  It sounds great!

I'm trying to decide if I want to scrap it or try and get the thing up and running.  Any suggestions?  

Rock on!

[petemoore]

...What does it use to get the organ signal generated?
 I'm like 50/50 on wether to suggest scavving it or not.
 If it were a Hammond, I would say fix it, but having a cheesy organ can be big fun too,
 A dude I know...that's his main keyboard, a big heavy overengineered console, with two small separate keyboards [balcony style]...just sitting on the Bench, you feel like your'e In a Ray Bradbury travelling device !!!
Cheesy as can be..the thing is still quite the entertainer.
 If that's a Tube Amp [stereo], I would be getting the screwdriver and wire snips out...really helps to do some charting on these things...and labelling cables with masking tape and marker. Then when it comes time to wire it in the new cabinet [that's where I'd put the tube amp] you can probably sort it out easily.

[phillip]

I say fix it...that thing would make a really cool lookin' piece of vintage equipment!

Phillip

[Peter Snowberg]

I say fix it too!

It's not going to sound like a DX-7. Hehehehe. Not that I have anything against 80's hardware.... just that old stuff has it's own charm too.

Take care,
-Peter

[Sic]

fix it,

i mean if you can't fix it, then you can salvage parts from it...

and definately take pictures

[Rory]

I think I'd like to fix it.  I'm having the hardest time finding any info about the organ.  The voltages seem to be pretty weird, and I can't find a schematic.  In all, there are about 8 circuit boards.  Also, theres a really cool reverb tank with three springs that would be cool to salvage.  There are approximately 75 2SB175 transistors in the boards.  I did a search on them and some people have had luck putting them in fuzz boxes.  My guess is that there is probably a bad connection that is due to the age of the organ.  

It does not have any tone wheels like a regular hammond, its all through electronics (CV maybe as well?).  I don't know very much about old synths and organs that operate without tone wheels, but the Internet is a great resource.  At the very least, I'll gain a reverb tank, 75 germanium trannies, 2 40 watt amps, and two spinning speakers.