The Organ Forum

Hi all from downunder...

 I just purchased a Baldwin HT2R which I understand is 1967 vintage.  Anyone able to advise on where I could get service manuals?  Also anyone got any useful history on this organ and what (if any) external accessories were available (eg speaker cabinets, leslie-style speakers etc)

Thanks!
 

Hi

A good old fashioned Baldwin with a good clean sound. From 1967-68, though I think it may have run a little later as the HT2RM - they added Baldwin's Muted Reed stop.

Service manual? Try here: http://www.organizedservices.com/library.htm#BALDWIN

As for external speakers, there was once a Baldwin speaker cabinet. Two channel, with the tibias running through a small OEM type leslie rotor. Doubt if you'll find one nowadays so you'd need a two channel leslie instead, and your best bet might be the old 700 series. It has a good straight channel for the complex voices, and a Rotosonic drum on the rotary channel that would give a nice theatrical 'throb' to the tibias. Only difficulty might be finding a suitable leslie fitting kit, but a bit of googling might pay dividends, or check out Captain Foldback's leslie pages for more information. All leslies will work if they are given the right audio signals and speed switching voltages/grounds etc, so it's something that a good tech would be able to sort out. Pin Out data for leslies is here: http://www.mosweb.com/knowledgebase/leslie/id11.htm

Andy

Hi Andy,

Indeed many thanks for the detailed and informative reply!  I now have the HT2R in my office here, and it seems to be in very good condition (heavy to move I hasten to add), with everthing in working order.

 I've found an absolute wealth of information on Theatre Organs via Google, including some excellent music (recordings).

On to Leslie speakers now I suppose.

Kind regards,

IanB (Phillip Island Australia)

The above link for service manuals doesn't seem to work any more. Are they still available anywhere, does anyone know?

Thanks

Kate

I just saw this thread get new life.  I have an HT2, love it.  There are 2 5 pin female sockets inside for the proprietary cabinets which have disappeared.  I had mine hooked up to a Leslie 720 like andy said, and it was really really nice.  I'm not a theatre organist but I like to play standards and jazz on it.  The 2 channels of the leslie handle it perfectly.  I have that users manual that's on the web but haven't been able to find a service manual either.  I bought it for the case, what a great, sort of, smaller, case for a console organ.   I like the pedalboard also, a little abbreviated but very nice.  The organ sounds a whole lot better thru the leslie if for nothing else than getting the sound away from the player a little.

Jesse