Not bad, but the trémulants and chimes are really nasty, the terms too deep and too fast, the chimes just don’t sound like chimes by any stretch of the imagination!! On these organs the Tibias were keyed using a multiplex system and combined keyer/pitch selector chips. The basically sawtooth waveform voice, everything except the Tibias were keyed using bus bars under the keyboards. So you wind up with 2 completely different note attack envelops, instantaneously on and off sawtooth generated notes and a much smoother attack for the Tibias. This was just plain nasty but apparently the limits of the tech of the day. As is usually the case the stop voicing was primitive low pass and high pass filters, with résonante filers for reeds, these worked ok for a few notes in the middle of the keyboard, but got more and more inaccurate the further up or down the keyboard to played…… the consoles were well built and make excellent Hauptwerk instruments, theater or classical. I’ve even seen one playing a straight pipe organ…..hope this is a little interesting!!!! Adrian in Bermuda!!!!
I agree! The 78' 652 is my favorite of the whole CONN Transistor-Individual-Oscillator ( TI) tone generator line. And the similar, but 2 manual 76' 644 also has an excellent sound. Obviously we are TIBIA fanatics, what theater enthusiast isn't, and this is where I think the 652 thrives as compared to the 653. The 653 is actually a very good "orchestral' organ I suppose. And there people who love that type of tone. Obviously it's a great organ and I imagine you can get a very authentic Wurlitzer sound going. Maybe I just haven't heard someone sound as good playing a 653 than a 652. ADRIAN ROSE demo's a 652 in an older video of his that was kind enough to post even though the organ ( and apparently the jacket he was wearing) was long gone. Another good demo of a CONN 652 is the ERIC LORD CONN 652 video. MY 1958' CONN 815-CLASSIC is excellent for THEATER ORGAN PLAYING. Remember, that before 1963' Conn had no 'horseshoe' Theater organs ( the 1963' 640 was the first- a CONSOLE VACUUM TUBE INDIVIDUAL OSCILLATOR ORGAN. Followed by the 1964' 645, and finally ( for the tube (VI) models anyway, console wise), was the 1966' CONN 640 DELUXE, 32 pedal model. The CONN 550 WAS THE SPINET THEATER ORGAN ( VI) and the 550's have a very amazing sound IMO, a great little spinet! ----------------------------------------------------- CONN COMPLETE ALBUMS AND VIDEOS ON RUclips To hear 3 complete records of the CONN 640 and 640 DELUXE RUclips SEARCH>> DON BAKER w each recod name- ( Curtain Time , RISE N' SHINE , and THEME SONGS FROM MOTION PICTURES ). To hear the great CONN CLASSIC and ARTIST: COMPLETE Lp- PAUL MICKELSON CONN CLASSIC [ which is a 58' CLASSIC like mine] COMPLETE Lp- GEORGE WRIGHT PLAYS THE CONN ELECTRONIC ORGAN [ which is a 58' CLASSIC like mine] OLD B&W PERRY COMO SHOW SEGMENT- RUclips VIDEO>> 11 YEAR OLD GLENN DERRINGER ORGAN [55' CONN ARTIST] COMPLETE LP- JOHN GART & THE MINUTE MEN - ORGANS ON THE MARCH -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I REALLY AM LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO POST A RECORD OF THESE MODELS: GULBRANSEN RIALTO II WURLITZER ELECTROSTATIC KEYED FREE REED ORGAN- 1946-1953 [ NOTE Ken Griffin played the later model of electrostatic reed organ called the CONTINUOUS FREE REED, which replaced the former 'Keyed Reed' models. There are numerous KEN GRIFFIN RECORDS IN WHICH HE PLAYS HIS WURLITZER 4600 CONTINUOUS FREE REED ORGAN*. Check out the album- CRUISING DOWN THE RIVER here on RUclips. Also look for ANNIVERSARY SONGS, SKATING TIME, 67 MELODY LANE [ this was also the name of Ken's TV show and there are a couple of these shows on RUclips. Check out ORGAN CELEBRITIES KEN GRIFFIN video. *The Continuous free reed vibrated all reeds at once from when the organ was turned on. This finally brought the Wurlitzer into the same light as the HAMMOND TONE WHEEL ORGAN. The reason being was with the continuous reeds the organ could have an INSTANT ATTACK, instead of the slower, pipe like, attack of the former 'keyed reed' models, which only put a reed in motion when the key was played. ERIC LARSON has written extensively about KEN GRIFFIN. Look up his posts. CHECK OUT " KEN GRIFFIN SOUND EFFECTS ' page by Eric. Also check out the NORTH SUBURBAN HAMMOND ORGAN SOCIETY website. Google- NSHOS WURLI 4600
paulj0557 Thanks for your reply!!! My favorite is the 644 or the 635 which are both really the same organs, but the 644 is the theatre style. The cabinet is larger then the 635. But the 644 and 635 have the identical stops or tabs. I own a 552 theatre spinet which sounds so amazing for it's smaller size, a foot smaller in length. I never played a 652, but I think that would be my favorite CONN of the 3 manual. I have a record of it and it sounds fantastic, but my all time favorite CONN has to be the 644, which sounds even better to me then the 652!!!!
Hello Richard, you are correct that this is 75% Conn and 25% Kimball. It still used the individual tone generator system and sounds but had an upgraded reverb system ,32' Pedal and a solo section for brass instruments. The big feature was being able to store your own registrations. I think that the 652 sounded very similar as both used multiplex keying unlike the earlier analogue system. In order to actually make a proper judgement you need to make sure that the organ is resoldered and balanced correctly. I, like you used to think that the 652 was better, but in actual fact they are both beautiful organs, particularly when the Conn cabinet and pipes are added, giving a full rounded sound. Having had many Conns over the years, I have found the secret is getting them properly overhauled and in top condition. I must say I much prefer the pedalboards on the 652/653 as the reed switch keying allowed a smoother feel and quite operation. The 651, 32 note console instruments having the noisy and clunky pedals which are far more mechanical. Thanks for your comments Leith
Hello Paul, Yes I agree Tibias are the soul of a good Theatre Organ, but in my many years involvement with Conn, including the old Conn Club here, the really true Conn tone was the older Conn's 650/651/643/580/552 etc. The tibias were powerful and the use of a wooden rotor baffle I think had something to do with that. Having said that, they lacked the third channel and no string or diapason celeste, which I really think added to the theatre ensemble fills it out. The addition of the percussion adding that real novelty effect, and having the extra channel in later models, meant no more turning off the vibrato, or your piano would wobble!!! Thanks for your comments, Leith
The Conn 644 Martinique/635 Caribe are great sounding organs, and when resoldered and serviced are a lovely organ. Your 552 is a favourite of mine along with its cousin the 580, both very reliable and serviceable organs. Cheers Leith
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
i still want this one. just need megabucks and megaspace.
Belíssimo!
What song I this?
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness" it's a Christian hymn written in 1925.
He could have played Lutheran hymns or the Genevan Psalter.
Not bad, but the trémulants and chimes are really nasty, the terms too deep and too fast, the chimes just don’t sound like chimes by any stretch of the imagination!! On these organs the Tibias were keyed using a multiplex system and combined keyer/pitch selector chips. The basically sawtooth waveform voice, everything except the Tibias were keyed using bus bars under the keyboards. So you wind up with 2 completely different note attack envelops, instantaneously on and off sawtooth generated notes and a much smoother attack for the Tibias. This was just plain nasty but apparently the limits of the tech of the day. As is usually the case the stop voicing was primitive low pass and high pass filters, with résonante filers for reeds, these worked ok for a few notes in the middle of the keyboard, but got more and more inaccurate the further up or down the keyboard to played…… the consoles were well built and make excellent Hauptwerk instruments, theater or classical. I’ve even seen one playing a straight pipe organ…..hope this is a little interesting!!!! Adrian in Bermuda!!!!
Pipe speakers really are hideous in sound quality.
The idea is the throw the sound upward as in real pipes, and to look nice.
It sounds nice, but if I remember correctly this is really a CONN/Kimball Organ. In my opinion, not as good as the 652 or the 644!!!!
I agree! The 78' 652 is my favorite of the whole CONN Transistor-Individual-Oscillator ( TI) tone generator line. And the similar, but 2 manual 76' 644 also has an excellent sound. Obviously we are TIBIA fanatics, what theater enthusiast isn't, and this is where I think the 652 thrives as compared to the 653.
The 653 is actually a very good "orchestral' organ I suppose. And there people who love that type of tone. Obviously it's a great organ and I imagine you can get a very authentic Wurlitzer sound going. Maybe I just haven't heard someone sound as good playing a 653 than a 652. ADRIAN ROSE demo's a 652 in an older video of his that was kind enough to post even though the organ ( and apparently the jacket he was wearing) was long gone.
Another good demo of a CONN 652 is the ERIC LORD CONN 652 video.
MY 1958' CONN 815-CLASSIC is excellent for THEATER ORGAN PLAYING. Remember, that before 1963' Conn had no 'horseshoe' Theater organs ( the 1963' 640 was the first- a CONSOLE VACUUM TUBE INDIVIDUAL OSCILLATOR ORGAN. Followed by the 1964' 645, and finally ( for the tube (VI) models anyway, console wise), was the 1966' CONN 640 DELUXE, 32 pedal model. The CONN 550 WAS THE SPINET THEATER ORGAN ( VI) and the 550's have a very amazing sound IMO, a great little spinet!
-----------------------------------------------------
CONN COMPLETE ALBUMS AND VIDEOS ON RUclips
To hear 3 complete records of the CONN 640 and 640 DELUXE RUclips SEARCH>> DON BAKER w each recod name- ( Curtain Time , RISE N' SHINE , and THEME SONGS FROM MOTION PICTURES ).
To hear the great CONN CLASSIC and ARTIST:
COMPLETE Lp- PAUL MICKELSON CONN CLASSIC [ which is a 58' CLASSIC like mine]
COMPLETE Lp- GEORGE WRIGHT PLAYS THE CONN ELECTRONIC ORGAN [ which is a 58' CLASSIC like mine]
OLD B&W PERRY COMO SHOW SEGMENT- RUclips VIDEO>> 11 YEAR OLD GLENN DERRINGER ORGAN [55' CONN ARTIST]
COMPLETE LP- JOHN GART & THE MINUTE MEN - ORGANS ON THE MARCH
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I REALLY AM LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO POST A RECORD OF THESE MODELS:
GULBRANSEN RIALTO II
WURLITZER ELECTROSTATIC KEYED FREE REED ORGAN- 1946-1953
[ NOTE Ken Griffin played the later model of electrostatic reed organ called the CONTINUOUS FREE REED, which replaced the former 'Keyed Reed' models. There are numerous KEN GRIFFIN RECORDS IN WHICH HE PLAYS HIS WURLITZER 4600 CONTINUOUS FREE REED ORGAN*. Check out the album- CRUISING DOWN THE RIVER here on RUclips. Also look for ANNIVERSARY SONGS, SKATING TIME, 67 MELODY LANE [ this was also the name of Ken's TV show and there are a couple of these shows on RUclips. Check out ORGAN CELEBRITIES KEN GRIFFIN video.
*The Continuous free reed vibrated all reeds at once from when the organ was turned on. This finally brought the Wurlitzer into the same light as the HAMMOND TONE WHEEL ORGAN. The reason being was with the continuous reeds the organ could have an INSTANT ATTACK, instead of the slower, pipe like, attack of the former 'keyed reed' models, which only put a reed in motion when the key was played.
ERIC LARSON has written extensively about KEN GRIFFIN. Look up his posts. CHECK OUT " KEN GRIFFIN SOUND EFFECTS ' page by Eric.
Also check out the NORTH SUBURBAN HAMMOND ORGAN SOCIETY website. Google- NSHOS WURLI 4600
paulj0557 Thanks for your reply!!! My favorite is the 644 or the 635 which are both really the same organs, but the 644 is the theatre style. The cabinet is larger then the 635. But the 644 and 635 have the identical stops or tabs. I own a 552 theatre spinet which sounds so amazing for it's smaller size, a foot smaller in length. I never played a 652, but I think that would be my favorite CONN of the 3 manual. I have a record of it and it sounds fantastic, but my all time favorite CONN has to be the 644, which sounds even better to me then the 652!!!!
Hello Richard, you are correct that this is 75% Conn and 25% Kimball. It still used the individual tone generator system and sounds but had an upgraded reverb system ,32' Pedal and a solo section for brass instruments. The big feature was being able to store your own registrations. I think that the 652 sounded very similar as both used multiplex keying unlike the earlier analogue system. In order to actually make a proper judgement you need to make sure that the organ is resoldered and balanced correctly. I, like you used to think that the 652 was better, but in actual fact they are both beautiful organs, particularly when the Conn cabinet and pipes are added, giving a full rounded sound. Having had many Conns over the years, I have found the secret is getting them properly overhauled and in top condition. I must say I much prefer the pedalboards on the 652/653 as the reed switch keying allowed a smoother feel and quite operation. The 651, 32 note console instruments having the noisy and clunky pedals which are far more mechanical. Thanks for your comments Leith
Hello Paul, Yes I agree Tibias are the soul of a good Theatre Organ, but in my many years involvement with Conn, including the old Conn Club here, the really true Conn tone was the older Conn's 650/651/643/580/552 etc. The tibias were powerful and the use of a wooden rotor baffle I think had something to do with that. Having said that, they lacked the third channel and no string or diapason celeste, which I really think added to the theatre ensemble fills it out. The addition of the percussion adding that real novelty effect, and having the extra channel in later models, meant no more turning off the vibrato, or your piano would wobble!!! Thanks for your comments, Leith
The Conn 644 Martinique/635 Caribe are great sounding organs, and when resoldered and serviced are a lovely organ. Your 552 is a favourite of mine along with its cousin the 580, both very reliable and serviceable organs. Cheers Leith
Sounds nothing like a good classical organ!
Perhaps you're not sure what you're listening for. It sure sounds classical with a touch of nice theatrical trems.
Even listening on my computer speakers I can tell this is fake.
I am not sure what you are meaning by "Fake" ? Please Explain?
Synthesized. This doesn't even TRY to be convincing.
Arthur Serino
its not a real pipe organ
if you new about this you would know that it's electronic
I know it's electronic, you dolt. That was my point. Even through my shitty computer speakers I can tell it's a synth organ.
Arthur Serino
ok then. so why are you stating the obvious
Awful sounds and cliched playing without any substance.
The organ sounded full and vibrant and his playing was rather nice and showed off many nice parts of the organ.