Kawai - Andy what model is this?

[dime bar]

I know there is not much to go on Andy but what model is this?*

Kawai Digital Organ

*http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Kawai-digital-...|39:1|240:1318*

[Clavier]

SR5?

[andyg]

Yes, an SR5, from 1987-1990, replaced with SR50 after that. Only difference is that the RAM card slot in the SR5 was replaced with a DD 3.5" floppy.

Very good drawbar sound, decent electronic tremolo on this one. Strings, Brass and all solo instruments are fine. Percussions are good except for the piano. Rhythms are PCM drum sounds, good patterns, and you can programme 4 of your own. Auto accompaniment is good but basic. Overall sound quality is well up to scratch. It's solidly put together and is fairly heavy.

Reliability? It's a Kawai so it behaves itself. Only 2 problems to watch for. The very first batch had faulty MIDI chips. Most were replaced by the dealers. Dust getting into the contacts is sometimes a problem. Requires opening up and blasting the dust out with compressed air, but nothing more.

The SR6 offers more - 3rd manual, leslie, more voices and voicing divisions, twin synths on the top manual, and more amplification, all in a real wood cabinet, but the sounds are the same.

I was offered an SR6 for £50 a while back - should have bought it! See what the bidding goes to but usual 'rules' apply, it's not going to make that much.

Andy

[dime bar]

It looks like a nice organ but unfortunatly has come at the wrong time for me as it looks way to big to be hauling from room to room.

Are you going to have a sneaky bid Andy?*

[andyg]

No, I'm waiting for another SR6 at a steal price, then convince SWMBO that a second organ is a must!

[dime bar]

Did you not get involved with Kawai untill the SR6 then Andy?

As for convincing SWIMBO good luck! Tell her you could be worse though, my dad for the last 8 years of his life had a 3 Manual Console Thomas, his old 2 Manual Baldwin Spinet and a 3 Manual Christie Pipe Theatre Organ!!!

The Christie unfortunatly he never got to build after he bought it. I would love to find out what happened to it and more info on it, I only have one bad polaroid of it. Might try and find more.

Also does anyone know where I can find out more info on the Thomas range?*

[andyg]

Did you not get involved with Kawai untill the SR6 then Andy?

Actually, I was UK (later European) product specialist with Kawai from 76 through 89 and co-opted to R&D in 78. My 'specials' included the E550, E520, DX900/1900, X430 and SR 2,3,4,5,6 and 7 on the organ side, plus the S100P and S110F synths, the X-1 ensemble synth, MK10 and MK20 keyboards, plus revoicing the K1 series synths for use as organ expander units - amongst other things! Busy b****er, wasn't I! Just coincidence that they were the best selling things Kawai had in the UK and Europe.....perhaps! [:O]

That 3 manual Thomas would have been the Trianon (semi-console) or Palace III (full console), both capable of great sounds, especially the Palace III. Not much information around on the old ones unfortunately. Current Thomases are nothing to do with the old company at all, but are Wersi-like instruments.

Do post the pic of the Christie. I have very fond memories of playing concerts on the 3 manual Christie at the Granada cinema in Walthamstow back in the late 70's.

Andy

[dime bar]

Thanks for that Andy had a quick google and found a picture of the Palace III and that is definatly it, the picture I found is below. It was a nice Organ I remember playing it when I first had lessons when I was 10 and used to really enjoy it. Am I right in thinking it had a leslie? I remember it being pretty powerful and on a warm summers night many a neighbour would comment that they had sat outside listening to my Dad play.

*

As for the Christie as I say it is a very*rubbish scanned picture, I am sure there must be more around. It would be ace to trace it down if its still around.I believe it originally was installed in a cinema in the London area. My Dad bought from a chap in North Wales who had a large house with a couple of Organs in the barn, the guy owned Conwy market I think. That must have been about 1987 I remember many a trip in a van to pick it up.

*

The Organ was then stored by my Dad in a number of places, it moved alot, whilst he tried to get together a home for it. Unfortunatly my Dad died in 1995 and he had not managed to get it installed anywhere. In about 1999\2000 my Mum sold it to someone who she thinks was from Norfolk. They also took the Baldwin which after I just dug out the pictures found it was a full console and not just a spinet. I will try and get the pictures online but my scanner is not liking Windows & at the moment.*

*

[andyg]

That photo shows the original model 903 Palace III from 1966. Later models added auto rhythm and the final model 921 had the wonderful arpeggio strip between the manuals. That's the one I used to play. Yes it had a built in leslie and was loud!

Andy

[dime bar]

Now your talking Andy, it was little black strip about 8 inches long with lots of little rollers that when depressed played the coresponding note, that was the model my dad had. We used to spedn hours playing with that, my Dad actually could play a tune on it.

Did it also have a sustain knee lever *or am I thinking of something else.*