Fascination

Richard Shireby G0OJF playing the Wurlitzer 4700 AGO electronic concert organ with SpectraTone (UK)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Shireby
• G0OJF
• Wurlitzer
• 4700
• organ

[g0ojf]

This piece was recorded to demonstate the 'SpectaTone' feature, which basically routes the main audio through a rotating 3" loudspeaker. That's why it sounds wierd. It was done in responce to a request for me to demonstrate the SpectraTone as the enquirer had never heard one working before. I don't think they did many models with it!

Richard (UK)

[g0ojf]

Your 4602 is an electrostatic model. This 4700 is solid state & designed for classical & liturgical use - but has the SpectraTone, which is what you are hearing in this clip. It always made me laugh that Wurlitzer produced this 4700 concert organ with it's classical voicing & accurate pipe organ attack 'chiff' & then chucked in a SpecraTone (switchable!), so that it can still 'just about' sound in a theatre organ style!

[paulj0557]

@davlber Don't judge the Wurlitzer transistorized series of console organs by this video. In fact there isn't a video on youtube that accurately conveys the tone of a Wurlitzer electronic organ. The closest is Dick Smith playing his 1966' Wurlitzer 4502 theater organ ( identical inside to the 1964' Wurlitzer 4500). Lots of videos of this organ on youtube, just search Wurlitzer 4502. The Spectratone speaker system is for specific frequencies that sound amazingly like a 1930's Wurlitzer theater.

[davlber]

SCARY ORGAN MUSIC! Hideous sound!

[PipeOrganHymnsG0OJF]

this is the 4700 & was the first solid state full-size organ that they did. It is all transistor - no integrated circuits. I also have a 4500 which is a solid state theatre model of identical era. However, the 4600 model was electrostatic plus valve (tube) technology.

I bought the 4700 (& 4500) as faulty, aquired a service manual & sorted out all the faults. Please bear in mind I am a qualified electronics engineer.

Thanks for your interest & comments, Richard

[patsaxon]

I do not think this organ is solid state electronics as I saw one on eBay as it had so many vacuum tubes inside of it. It is possible that this organ may had carried over during the transition era when Wurlitzer changed over from vacuum tubes to transistors?

[wrighty205]

Ahh, the classic "Changeover tune", the Fascination Waltz. I never tire of this, and love playing it. Bravo!

[Brandotuomikoski]

Oh wow, I own a Wurltzer 4602 and it sounds so much better than that,