Wurlitzer Centura Deluxe 605: Orbit Synthesiser

[Kerba]

Hi Everyone, Last weekend I purchased a Wurlitzer Centura Deluxe 605 organ (paid the grand sum of A$66 for it). Having never had any experience with Orbit Synthesisers before, I am unsure if that part of the organ is working correctly or not - I suspect not! The organ came with the original owners pack - three booklets and 3 cassettes, so there is some information about the Orbit, but I am confused as to whether there should be any sound from that particular manual if NO tabs are depressed. In the case of this organ, there is sound when NO tabs are depressed, and when the Reed, Brass and String tabs are depressed, there is no change to that sound. The other tabs when depressed, eg vibes, banjo etc do change the sound slightly, but the sound is not 'clean', ie it still has that underlying original sound 'behind' it. This is what leads me to believe that the Orbit may not be working as is should. I also am unable to get the 'wah-wah' effect to work when depressing the 'push/push' button for that feature. We've taken the back off and vacuumed it all out (amazing how much dust and spider web accumulates over 36 years!). The organ has only had one owner in it's life, and he passed away not longer after he purchased it, so it has pretty much just been sitting idle all these years.

There is also some sound coming via the Leslie - a 'crackle/distortion' of some kind that we are also trying to sort out.

Does anyone have any information about these things? I would be most grateful for any advice that anyone might be able to give me. Does anyone have a service manual for this particular model Wurlitzer?

As far as the organ goes, the sound is pretty good - the tibias etc sound great, but the percussion is pretty dismal!

Hanna

[andyg]

There should be no sound when all the voice and sine wave rockers are turned off.

It will be worth checking all the contacts on all the Orbit rockers, to see if any are making when they shouldn't be. The Orbit, IIRC, is basically built around one IC. Even back in 1973, Wurlitzer UK were not servicing the Orbit board but just replacing it, with the faulty item going back to Wurlitzer for attempted repair. If that IC is faulty, then that's probably the end of your Orbit. Let's hope it's something more simple.

Service manuals may be available from Organ Service Corp. or W D Greenhill.

[Kerba]

Thanks Andy. I will follow up the service manual. We still have the thing apart at the moment, so will check out the contacts. Have the leslie out at the moment to see if we can see why two of the pedals (A & A flat) are not working - think that may just be dirty contact. Will see how we go. Appreciate your reply.
Hanna

[OrgansR4Me]

I have an earlier model 4735 that is very much like the Centura and my orbit is just barely audible. I use Morelock's for Wurlitzer information here in the U.S. but have never attempted service on the instrument yet. In fact it went into storage last Spring when I had the opportunity to receive a long awaited gift of the church model of the period with the AGO pedal board. This is also a long retired instrument that needs a full servicing so I'm hoping that not too much will go bad on the 4735 while it is stored. These instruments have a wonderful tone. Your purchase price was right on. My thrift store purchase of the mine was $75. The good news is that these Wurly's have a tendency to improve with use so play on!