tube organ into an amp?

[oramac7891]

Gotta line on an old tube organ.....how hard would it be to convert into a guitar amp? I think its called a magi organ? It looks really cool. Wood cabinet with a vintage grill cloth underneath with the speakers.
I have basic electronic skills. I can solder and read diagrams and such.

Im also willing to learn .
Doable?

[jamie cowan]

If you can get the schematic. Post it up there are a ton of variables.

[SamClemons]

I think this is right on most organs, you are going to probably find a separate power amp with wierd connectors, you will have to add some type of preamp. But, I am no expert.

[printer2]

The two most important things that you get from an old amp is the power and output transformers. The tube sockets are naturally of value. Tubes may or may not be but then they are the easiest thing to replace. Resistors and capacitors I see as throwaways. You may get an amp that needs very little modification to it to turn it into a guitar amp or one that you use the parts to make a standard guitar circuit. If you do not have to pay too much go for it.

[printer2]

Originally Posted by jamie cowan

If you can get the schematic. Post it up there are a ton of variables.

At least the model number to get an idea what it might have inside.

[oramac7891]

I have asked the guy for some more details. It is a tube organ, with a built in tape player on the right. A plaque states "theatre with magi"

[robt57]

PA stuff at this link, but maybe some help there ??

http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/old2new.htm

[oramac7891]

Anyone know who made the organ based on what I put earlier? The owner has checked and cannot find anymore info on it

[SamClemons]

I did a little research. Story and Clark sold a Magi organ. But, that was all I could find. The probably did not manufacture it, but purchased it rebranded from another manufacturer.

[printer2]

I never found that they did a Magi but they did do a Magic organ. The one I found was transistors, maybe the model was tube at an earlier date. Short of manufacturer information get the seller to tell you what tubes are in it and how many. Any pictures of the chassis would help.

[Mike Simpson]

I have an old Hammond organ (I think it's a K112) that my neighbor put out for bulk trash pickup and I grabbed it. I thought of pulling the amp out and putting it back out for pickup since we don't use it much. It crackles sometimes and probably needs caps replaced. Not that I need another guitar amp... or another project... as I am in the middle of several projecta already.

[oramac7891]

I just got a couple more pics , it is a story and Clark. Any idea how much I should be paying and how hard it's going to be to covert it? The owner does not know much about it, but does state that it is a tube organ from the 60s

[printer2]

Originally Posted by oramac7891

I just got a couple more pics , it is a story and Clark. Any idea how much I should be paying and how hard it's going to be to covert it? The owner does not know much about it, but does state that it is a tube organ from the 60s

It really all depends what it has in it as far as what it is worth. Also what kind of amp would you build if you had the chance. Basically this is part to build a different amp with. Are you looking at a 20W amp, 50W amp? How much would transformers and hardware cost you if you were to buy them retail? No sense paying more for something that is not quite what you want when you could get what you want.

Personally I would not pay more than $50 for a project build when I know the amp runs the type of voltages I want and runs the wattage I want. Others might think more, some less. I traded some ferns for an old 15W Bogan PA amplifier a while back, My top price for it would have been about $25. Mind you I have enough parts for a few projects already so I am not looking for more.

[robt57]

I got a Conn Theator Organ, late 60s once for parts salvage. Owner said it was all tube. There was not one tube in it. The amp was a beautiful PTP terminal strip wired. But the tube sockets all over it where used as connectors to wire in the modules, not for tubes. So buyer beware el al.

It did have some nice speakers in it I still have and use. Like a 1968 Cleveland smooth cone 15" alnico, a 1968 Jensen C8R, a CTS Square Magnet 12" ceramic dated 1967, and even a 6x9 Cleveland. Not to mention a mile of some vintage wire for neat guitar wiring. Oh, and a 2 speed rotating drum speaker I made a DIY Leslie out of, which was fun.

[JimmyJam]

I would never stick my tube organ into an amp. I might shock myself.

[printer2]

Originally Posted by JimmyJam

I would never stick my tube organ into an amp. I might shock myself.

But would you take your tube amp out of an organ?

[muchxs]

Seen a lot of organs. This one doesn't ring a bell. It's probably solid state if it's got a tape deck in it. A lot of people are clueless about what has tubes in it and what doesn't.

Curbside finds: If it has a tube amp grab the amp. Grab the speakers. Some solid state organs, in fact a lot of 'em... have compact Leslie units built in. Cheap Leslie! Grab it! Worst you'll do is get the kick-ass '60s Jensen speaker from it.

Think about how much you'd spend to get into a bare bones amp kit. Buy right, you can get the chassis and transformers for $100. Organ amps sometimes have nice iron but you usually get a clunky dorky chassis. It's butt ugly and not easily adapted for guitar use. No preamp. No tone controls. That's typical.

There are very few organs I'd pay more than $100 for. The short list would be Hammond "A", "B" and "C" models. Last organ I parted was a '62 Conn I paid $10 for! Got a 2x 6L6 amp, a 4x 6V6 amp, a power supply to run both of them and a pair of 12" Cleveland speakers.