Bushkill Park Carousel - Band Organ

[whoisthisguy724]

Song is "Our Director". Shame the glockenspiel and percussion didn't work.

[whoisthisguy724]

Ouch! Just unplug it! It sounds horrible! It needs tuning, BADLY...

[Wurlitzer157]

@whoisthisguy724

The ironic thing is that they had 2 other band organs on the carousel including a 153 which sounded great!

[Musicmany2k]

Definitely not a 191 or 148... but this could be an old barrel organ conversion...

[necrodeous]

Wow! I have forgotten how bad that thing sounded. But i never knew something like this could sound so bad yet so good too, A whole bunch of good memories just came back.

THANKS!

[KawhackitaRag]

Please see my comments below. Suffice to say this has a Seeburg xylophone (not glockenspiel) added, and yes, the figures are not original. I am pretty sure this is a North Tonawanda from the characteristic way the case is constructed and also the rear doors - different than Wurlitzer. Finally, the rare Wurlitzer 148 special had a special white-enamel case with geometric designs carved into the front and top and this definitely does not.

[Wurlitzer157]

@KawhackitaRag

The organ in this video may be a 191? possibly?

It's not in good condition at all here though, hope it was restored, maybe a member of the family kept it.

[Wurlitzer157]

@KawhackitaRag

Nevermind, it's not a 191.

[anglerfly]

@Wurlitzer157 Its really a gavioli

[Wurlitzer157]

@Wurlitzer157

Wow I learned a lot in 8 months...

[Wurlitzer157]

Songs are Paul Revere's ride and Our director.

[Wurlitzer157]

There's two other organs on the carousel one of them is a Wurlitzer 153 and the other one is something else. I know the 153 works because I have a tape showing footage of it, and it's in WAY better tune than the organ playing in this video. They both have a nice sound though.

[Pyoungpoch]

Rumor is that the buyer has the entire carousel in a warehouse in Ohio.

[stanfan27]

@Pyoungpoch That's what I heard also. They were trying to buy it back at the last opening period but with the fight between the owners it all fell apart. I think the girl told me it was about 500,000 to get it back.

[stanfan27]

The organ may be out of tune but it always sounded like that so we never knew the difference. God I miss that carousel and organ. We had such great times growing up.

[mariosupersluggers98]

I think this organ plays wurlitzer 150 rolls

[mariosupersluggers98]

Still I love the video but does the organ still exist?

[mariosupersluggers98]

sorry to triple post but I mean does the organ exist any where sence this was the organ and carousel's last day?

[mariosupersluggers98]

it's really out of tune I feel sorry for it. :(

[Karlfalcon]

Oof. What a way to go out.

[wurly164]

That poor little organ, it was really trying, I still like it though. Thanks for the video

[Inspectorjoe]

Thank you! I wish I had some better shots of it. It's tough to see, being poorly lit and hidden behind a chain link fence. I'd sure like to see and hear it again. I have memories of it from the time I was a little boy. The video was shot the last night that the organ (and carousel) operated at the park.

Thanks again for the info.

[KawhackitaRag]

[...] what is REALLY bizarre, and what threw me initially, are the three figures on the front. They appear to have come from some kind of European organ, perhaps French, but probably German as they are rather crudely carved. Finally, a xylophone from a Seeburg coin piano (such as a model E or K) has been placed on the top and sort-of connected to the organ. Will Markey of Pennsylvania owned a North Tonawanda 182 sometime in the 1990s, perhaps it's the same one.

[KawhackitaRag]

Hi, thanks for the video. I have never seen this organ before, nor am I sure what has become of it. It is confusing because it appears to be a mix of parts from different sources. The basic organ (judging from the trumpet/trombone layout and back double doors) appears to be a North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works model 82 or 182. The snare drum beaters and roll frame are Wurlitzer, which is typical, many organs of other makes were later converted to use Wurlitzer rolls. [...]