Which Thomas is this, and...?

[Suhndog]

I just purchased a Thomas organ. I will be picking it up in a few days. The present owner supplied a very small, poor quality picture of it. He says it is a Celebrity OH-3. It has 2 full manuals, and a 32 note pedalboard (princess?). The picture also shows that it has some toe pistons as well. Does anyone have a stop list, and general description of this organ? Sorry I don't have any more info. 'attached' is the picture of the organ.. Thanx

[afuller5]

Hi,

Here is a little information that I found on the Thomas Page of TheatreOrgans.com.

A unique feature of the Thomas spinets was their 13-note pedalboard, which was arced inward to simulate console pedals. They were too small for heel and toe playing and they were only one octave. The Concert Serenade and the Lawrence Welk had two 44-note manuals and 25 short pedals. The VL-5 had the same spinet manuals with a 25-note pedalboard that went under the bench as a console does. The Model 800 Celebrity had two 61-note manuals and a 32-note, flat “Princess (narrow)” pedalboard, but that was later revised to a standard 25-note pedalboard. Their only other 32-note pedalboard organs were the Impresario theatre model, the Model 710 church organ and the Model 900 Palace three-manual theatre organ. These three organs had pedalboards that conformed to A.G.O. specifications.

The pedalboard in your photo is definitely flat. Thus, it would be a Celebrity since the other 32-note models were to AGO specifications.

As for a stoplist, I don't know if one is available. However, I have played a Celebrity (don't know which model since there were several models named "Celebrity") with a 25-note pedalboard. I can tell from your photo that the stops are at least in a different order than the one that I played.

It has been at least 4 years since I played the Celebrity. I will give you the stoplist as I recall it. (I may not remember everything correctly.) It may not be the same as the one in your photo.

Solo: Tibias 16', 8', 5 1/3', 4', 2 2/3', 2', 1 3/5', 1 1/3', 1', Kinura 16', Tuba 16', Saxophone 16', Trumpet 8', Oboe 8', Clarinet 8', Diapason 8', Vox Humana 8', Violin 8', Violina 4'.
Accompaniment: Flutes 8', 4', 2', Diapason 8, Cello 8', Cello 4', Horn 8', Vox Mystica 8'.
Pedal: Contra-Bassoon 16', Bourdon 16', Diaphone 16', Bass Clarinet (don't recall footage), Flute 8', Flute 4', String Bass 8'. (I think there were some more pedal stops but cannot recall them.)

There were also two "percussion" stops: Hawaiian Guitar and Harpsichord. These had blue tabs. I don't see any blue tabs on the instrument in your photo. So, these would probably not be present.

I hope this helps a little.

Allen

[andyg]

My first thought, before reading the text of your post was that it's an early Celebrity, 800 series, from 1965/6. However, all Celebs have 25 pedals. The OH3 seems like it was the immediate predcessor to the Celebrity from 1964 and was, according to Blue Book, called the Symphony Grand. Pedals won't be 'princess' - too early for that, I think, but this looks too flat to be AGO.

If it's like the Celeb, it will have a bunch of nicely fizzy 'champagne' Tibias, with a sprinkling of theatre-voiced reeds and strings.

The leslie looks like a custom 3-channel one, though I've not seen one with this configuration of louvres before.

It would be great if you could set up a gallery and post some pix of this now very rare beastie and leslie, thanks.

Andy

[Suhndog]

Thanks so much for a speedy response! I've wanted an organ with 32 pedals since I was younger. My first organ was a 'weird' Thomas portable .. Back then (60's), portable meant ANYTHING that had a handle on it .. regardless of weight (LOL)!! Then in 1981, I purchased (with my grandpa's inheritance) a Wurlitzer 950TA (Nice with antique white/gold trim) but it had only 25 pedals. Then after awhile I had to sell it (needed $$-sigh). So now, I found this Thomas for $100 from a lady who 'composes', etc. It is in good condition (wow again). This Friday/Sat. I will be having it delivered. Since info on the 'net is scanty reg. stops, etc, I was SO happy to have (all of) your responses! BTW, I inquired into the Leslie, and it was already sold separately (phooey!). I enjoy playing for my church, and also enjoy the 'theatre' style of playing - in '81 I arranged the William Tell Overture for the Wurly, and now I can adapt it to the Tommy (LOL)! I love Bach, and am looking forward to learning Bach's Prelude in A minor (don't remember the BWV#) - the one precedes the 'gig' fugue. I play mostly by ear, but can read the notes a few at a time and memorize as I go. Since I can 'picture' music in my head, I know when I hit a wrong note. (sorry, I'm rambling..).. Anyway I will post some pix when I get the 'beastie' home! Thanx again, and feel free to post any more info if you find some (manuals sources, schematics, etc).. Marc

[andyg]

Al, the info on theatreorgans.com is at variance with Blue Book, which states that the OH3 also has a 32 note board. The info in BB for the Celeb 800 says 25 pedals but the photo (which looks identical to this) actually shows a flat 32 board. Specs for the two organs read the same and they're only a year apart, hence my comment about it being a direct predecessor.

I played an 800 series just once, when I was about 15, that's nearly 40 years ago, but I recall it had the almost standard 'big Thomas' sound. I think you're pretty much on the money with the specs, but I don't recall the preset percussions, though. I thought we still had to make them with 'Attack' and sustain, which definitely were present on the 800.

Anyway, all will be revealed once Suhndog gets the beastie at home.

[Suhndog]

Hi,
When I get 'Thommy' (LOL), I'll take pix, and if it would be desired, I'll put together a stop list. I'm gettin' real excited also hoping the stops will be comparable to what you all have mentioned!

Marc

[toasterDude]

It's a moot point now, of course, but based on the 8 pairs of louvres I think that will have been a Leslie 300: an oddball model dedicated to Thomas organs only, similar to the 350 for Conn organs. Early multichannel with tube amp - in fact the one I've seen had a "Type 101" amp, same as in the dedicated Gulbransen 100GK.

{Is there a prize for "Highest Number of Arcane Leslie References in a Single Post"? hee...}

cheers,
td

[Suhndog]

When I owned my 1st. [Thomas] organ [the portable - picture attached - I found the pix on the 'net), it had a small, separate dedicated leslie (one speed; fast!). As a kid infatuated with all things organ (especially pipe), I wasn't pleased with the fast speed only, so I cannibalized a speed control/rheostat from some old motor I had lying around, and installed it in the cabinet. Yay; a 'Celeste' mode!! - Although I couldn't have 'instant' access to 'two' speeds [albeit having to turn the knob to slow it down without stopping], I could 'fake' a quasi-pipe-like effect. Since my dad was a tight-wad, he would have nothing to do with a pipe organ in the house! I found a small 12 rank pipe organ in the paper [ for ONLY $300], and begged and begged for my parents to buy it..after all, why not put it in the cellar??! --regardless of the fact that my dad's dental office was in our home.. gee maybe a 32' Diaphone could be used to not only entertain, but also act as an anesthetic!! LOL -- Marc [suhndog]

[afuller5]

Andy,

The Celebrity that I played was the organ at my organ teacher's home. After she got older, I continued to go over and play for her. Then after she died, I would go over and play for (and with) her husband who played drums.

Anyway, the Celebrity also had different "attacks" as well as a decay. There was piano attack, banjo attack, accordion attack, and phantom attack. There was also a repeat (or reiterate) and a faster speed for this. All of these were rocker tabs to the left of the accompaniment manual.

There were also a host of speaker controls on the "bend" of the stop rail. I don't remember all of them, but some were: Tibias to main, Solo string reeds to leslie, Solo strings reeds bright, tibias bright. These weren't the exact names but rather the functions. There was also vibrato, vibrato fast, and vibra-magic (at least I think that was the name).

By the way, the harpsichord and Hawaiian guitar were in the same grouping of tabs as the Sustain and Sustain-Reverb.

Also, to the right of the solo keyboard was a Chimes preset. This could only be played in a certain range of the solo manual.

There was also the glissando/arpeggio "watchband" strip between the manuals.

Well, I've reminisced long enough.

Later,
Allen

. . . .
I think you're pretty much on the money with the specs, but I don't recall the preset percussions, though. I thought we still had to make them with 'Attack' and sustain, which definitely were present on the 800.
. . . .

[paulj0557]

It's your lucky day because unlike many of us with organs that have no posterity, yours does ( and so does mine if I can lump my Palace III in with this Celebrity's Celebrity!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRbMX...E6E099FD73E384

BEFORE YA' GO, be sure to listen to my randomized 200 organ tune playlist entitled 'Organ Tunes even Organ Haters will love!'. You can even reshuffle! All of the Bob Ralston- Thomas Organ video tunes from Lawrence Welk are on here and I rotate more in as I find them.
Use this info in the following link:
1- User name= paulj0557
2- The playlist= Organ Tunes even Organ Haters will love!
3(optional- if you like old movies I have lots on my favorites play list. Big Stanwyck fan)

[url]http://youtube-playlist-randomizer.valami.info/