I am the proud owner ov a vintage Conn 651. Except for the rythem section, works perfectly. It gives the payer the feel of playing a much larger organ.
My Conn 651 was just moved to our home today. The owner's manual says it has a earphone jack but I can't find it? It's not on the xeroxed page showing where everything is located. Also, there is this box thing under the right hand side of the organ with a grey wire hanging off it off it. It's not anything I could hook earphones to so do you know what it might be?
You play very well! Do you ever use the automatic rhythms? I know that this organ is very old, possibly early 1970's, but it sounds great and my very first organ teach had one of these. I am so glad that my parents and grand mother encouraged me to learn how to play the organ at the age of 10 in 1973. I still enjoy the organ over any keyboard instrument!
By the way, great playing and that organ really does sound very very nice. I'm one of those people whose dream job would to have been to go around to organ manufactures and give critiques on the tones they were working on. I'd have to say that the Conn 651 nailed it! Unfortunately, or maybe I should say fortunately, now it takes lots of time looking through youtube videos trying to find an acceptable sounding organ that I might be able to find. Youtube vids of Trinidad organ have horrible audio.
Do the Conn Trinidad organs measure up to this sound? I have a Thomas Californian 287 'Theatre' I'm working on getting going- picked it up cheap and know the basic oscillator set-up works ( It's got a master TOS oscillator), but as a player coming from either tone wheels, or transistor (individual oscillator, ie. 12 cards & tuning coils), I am wondering if the TOS ( top octave synthesis) is a sound my ears can fall in love with. Please, can someone give their unbiased comparison of the three?
@paulj0557 Yeah i can share some information about one of the three. My CONN 645 has the Tone Wheels, and man they have a soft, smooth almost floating sound. I know TOS and Individual oscillators are decent but you will not get that "Feel" out of them. I have had an Allen Digital organ and an older Hammond Model A100 to. And the CONN Tone Wheel Organs seem to take on a more solid and easy sound. but it is all in the preference of the owner/operator.
@phildoethedildoe Wow, I thought only Hammond had tone wheels. According to the Organ List the Conn 645 has individual vacuum tube oscillators, which would account for the warmth of the organ. I have a Hammond S6 chord organ that has a rich and responsive tone because it too is a vacuum tube organ. The 'woodwind' tab makes this organ sound positively wooden. It yelps like a bass clarinet! . Getting 46' Wurlitzer Orgatron model 31 this weekend & it's tall tremolo cabinet. Was only offer of $100.
@paulj0557 Nope, apparently my CONN was revamped with some HAMMOND parts, or so it looks. It still has the Tubes for the main oscillators in it, but also has Tone wheels system installed. I know cause it has a starter switch, and a run switch along with the normal Tube-power switch. So someone clearly knew what they were doing with this beast. Just wish i knew which Hammond they got the parts from. lol :)
@phildoethedildoe What are the chances you could make a video to show us this very interestingly modded Conn 645 you have? I know that it would make the day of quite a few of us out here in organ land.
You described it once on another post and this got me thinking of what people must have done with their organs back in the days before the LSI -Large Scale Integrated circuits, & digital. We have to remember that when this major modification was done that organs were expensive.
@paulj0557 Yes i indeed plan to make a video of the workings of my "Beefed Up" CONN 645. This thing also has two Amplifiers instead of one main, they both seem to be tied into the pedal system, and into the leslie speaker system to. I also have noticed that the Original Owner added their own Schematics on Paper in a sealed baggie, Unfortunately the Paper is so old that i can't unroll it without destroying it. I would love to meet and shake the hand of the guy who Modded this monster. :) :)
You play very well! It is too bad that the home organ market in USA is no longer popular like it used to be 30 years ago as there wee so many American manufactures of home organs. My favorite is the Thomas organ as I own one of the last ones manufactured in the USA. All there is left is Lowrey Organ company and they are the most expensive!
Coon organs were good for their day but don't even come close to the newer sampled instruments of even 10-15 years ago not to mention current models that Allen makes. This reminded me of a hammond.
Question- What Model CONN is this you are playing on? I own a CONN 645 "Deluxe Theater" model one and i got to say, those smooth soft yet deep sounds that the CONN put's out are the best ever, Rodgers and Kimball got Nothing on CONN!!
I have a Conn 652 that didn't work at all when I got it. Needed total rebuild, but it sounds great. Thinking of posting some video of it in the near future.
It is a shame that the majority of the Conn disappear.
I owned a 652 model , which was just beyond repair.. poor cold soldering techniques. The 650 and 651 like this one were much better.
Yep, nothing wrong with transistor Organs. I bought myself a Rodgers Olympic 333 all transistor..plus a Wurlitzer 950 TA .Love it would never take a digital one...Please post some more of your playing. many people will like it !! Will make some videos of my organs some later after the moval..
Interesting arrangement and perfect execution of this long-standing favorite. Hopefully, more will come from your classic Analog Conn. Thanks for a great job.
I am the proud owner ov a vintage Conn 651. Except for the rythem section, works perfectly. It gives the payer the feel of playing a much larger organ.
LibertyWorldNow 10 months ago
My Conn 651 was just moved to our home today. The owner's manual says it has a earphone jack but I can't find it? It's not on the xeroxed page showing where everything is located. Also, there is this box thing under the right hand side of the organ with a grey wire hanging off it off it. It's not anything I could hook earphones to so do you know what it might be?
Ragmate 1 year ago
You play very well! Do you ever use the automatic rhythms? I know that this organ is very old, possibly early 1970's, but it sounds great and my very first organ teach had one of these. I am so glad that my parents and grand mother encouraged me to learn how to play the organ at the age of 10 in 1973. I still enjoy the organ over any keyboard instrument!
patsaxon 1 year ago
By the way, great playing and that organ really does sound very very nice. I'm one of those people whose dream job would to have been to go around to organ manufactures and give critiques on the tones they were working on. I'd have to say that the Conn 651 nailed it! Unfortunately, or maybe I should say fortunately, now it takes lots of time looking through youtube videos trying to find an acceptable sounding organ that I might be able to find. Youtube vids of Trinidad organ have horrible audio.
paulj0557 1 year ago
Do the Conn Trinidad organs measure up to this sound? I have a Thomas Californian 287 'Theatre' I'm working on getting going- picked it up cheap and know the basic oscillator set-up works ( It's got a master TOS oscillator), but as a player coming from either tone wheels, or transistor (individual oscillator, ie. 12 cards & tuning coils), I am wondering if the TOS ( top octave synthesis) is a sound my ears can fall in love with. Please, can someone give their unbiased comparison of the three?
paulj0557 1 year ago
@paulj0557 Yeah i can share some information about one of the three. My CONN 645 has the Tone Wheels, and man they have a soft, smooth almost floating sound. I know TOS and Individual oscillators are decent but you will not get that "Feel" out of them. I have had an Allen Digital organ and an older Hammond Model A100 to. And the CONN Tone Wheel Organs seem to take on a more solid and easy sound. but it is all in the preference of the owner/operator.
phildoethedildoe 1 year ago
@phildoethedildoe Wow, I thought only Hammond had tone wheels. According to the Organ List the Conn 645 has individual vacuum tube oscillators, which would account for the warmth of the organ. I have a Hammond S6 chord organ that has a rich and responsive tone because it too is a vacuum tube organ. The 'woodwind' tab makes this organ sound positively wooden. It yelps like a bass clarinet! . Getting 46' Wurlitzer Orgatron model 31 this weekend & it's tall tremolo cabinet. Was only offer of $100.
paulj0557 1 year ago
@paulj0557 Nope, apparently my CONN was revamped with some HAMMOND parts, or so it looks. It still has the Tubes for the main oscillators in it, but also has Tone wheels system installed. I know cause it has a starter switch, and a run switch along with the normal Tube-power switch. So someone clearly knew what they were doing with this beast. Just wish i knew which Hammond they got the parts from. lol :)
phildoethedildoe 1 year ago
@phildoethedildoe What are the chances you could make a video to show us this very interestingly modded Conn 645 you have? I know that it would make the day of quite a few of us out here in organ land.
You described it once on another post and this got me thinking of what people must have done with their organs back in the days before the LSI -Large Scale Integrated circuits, & digital. We have to remember that when this major modification was done that organs were expensive.
Hope to see it.
paulj0557 1 year ago
@paulj0557 Yes i indeed plan to make a video of the workings of my "Beefed Up" CONN 645. This thing also has two Amplifiers instead of one main, they both seem to be tied into the pedal system, and into the leslie speaker system to. I also have noticed that the Original Owner added their own Schematics on Paper in a sealed baggie, Unfortunately the Paper is so old that i can't unroll it without destroying it. I would love to meet and shake the hand of the guy who Modded this monster. :) :)
phildoethedildoe 11 months ago
Memories of the late Helen Dell at the then Dodger Stadium Conn Organ, a 651 also I believe.
koasterkav 1 year ago
Sweet !!! Outstanding Performance 5 *****
Bobby1961D 1 year ago
Comment removed
shadowthehedgehog224 1 year ago
You play very well! It is too bad that the home organ market in USA is no longer popular like it used to be 30 years ago as there wee so many American manufactures of home organs. My favorite is the Thomas organ as I own one of the last ones manufactured in the USA. All there is left is Lowrey Organ company and they are the most expensive!
patsaxon 1 year ago
Coon organs were good for their day but don't even come close to the newer sampled instruments of even 10-15 years ago not to mention current models that Allen makes. This reminded me of a hammond.
samueladams7 2 years ago
Thanks for your kind words. The organ is a
Conn 651 that was once owned by Don Baker.
Happy music making !!
bartonbuster 2 years ago
@bartonbuster
I played a conn 651 for 7 years in a cinema in yorkshire loved every minute on that organ !
Thanks for posting
Gillyyorkie 1 year ago
Question- What Model CONN is this you are playing on? I own a CONN 645 "Deluxe Theater" model one and i got to say, those smooth soft yet deep sounds that the CONN put's out are the best ever, Rodgers and Kimball got Nothing on CONN!!
phildoethedildoe 2 years ago
can you give me some information on a Conn 644, or is there anyone out there who can help me? I have one for sale, and need to get a good price!
wdharveyoicu 2 years ago
Super cool! What a good sound for that type of music! Cross between a Wurlitizer and a Hammond! Great performance!
davbear221 2 years ago
Thanks for the kind words ... glad you liked it
bartonbuster 2 years ago
awesome!! i own a yamaha electone, but it has nothing on this!!
chizknocka 2 years ago
This is a 651 model because on the far right of the accomp stops there is the chime stop which was only in that position on the 651
Theyoungorganist01 2 years ago
What's the song you're playing?
vigilante11485 3 years ago
5 foot 2 eyes of blue.
Brandotuomikoski 2 years ago
I have a Conn 652 that didn't work at all when I got it. Needed total rebuild, but it sounds great. Thinking of posting some video of it in the near future.
deancook652 3 years ago
Marvelous! Thank you for posting this. There's nothing like the Conn sound!
oldsauroraman1 3 years ago
Wow man, slick playing! I have a Conn 650 same as yours, and I'd love to be able to play a number like this. Maybe in another five years.
RedVoxVulpes 3 years ago
You can do it !!! Hope you put something on Youtube soon .....
bartonbuster 2 years ago
It is a shame that the majority of the Conn disappear.
I owned a 652 model , which was just beyond repair.. poor cold soldering techniques. The 650 and 651 like this one were much better.
Yep, nothing wrong with transistor Organs. I bought myself a Rodgers Olympic 333 all transistor..plus a Wurlitzer 950 TA .Love it would never take a digital one...Please post some more of your playing. many people will like it !! Will make some videos of my organs some later after the moval..
earlph 3 years ago
A 950???? probably not much better than a kimball id say
Brandotuomikoski 3 years ago
Look forward to hearing you ...
bartonbuster 2 years ago
This organ sometimes sounds like a Hammond.
BayAreaBiker2001 3 years ago
Interesting arrangement and perfect execution of this long-standing favorite. Hopefully, more will come from your classic Analog Conn. Thanks for a great job.
MassageMan1 3 years ago
Thanks ...I'll be putting some more theatre style stuff ....... Best wishes !!
bartonbuster 2 years ago
This really looks good!
utahn00b 3 years ago