Baldwin Model 4 Church Organ

These people may be of some help.....

http://www.organforum.com/forums/showthread.php?9015-Baldwin-model-4-organ

I see schematics, too. Good find.

GA

But, those circuit diagrams are full of transistors so, this may not be the manual for DCaD's organ.

Well it could be a model 5....

or a model 45-HP....

http://theatreorgans.com/hammond/keng/kenhtml/Baldwin%20Organ%20Page.htm

There seem to be several models, we need a pic or positive ID by OP...

http://stores.ebay.com/whitepoete/_i.html?_nkw=baldwin+organ&submit=Search&_sid=115954089

Hi SE,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you ...

Here is the ID plate from the inside. It says Model 4, so I have to trust that [other models DO look remarkably similar]. I'm really not sure when it was manufactured, but only going by comments from others.

Kind regards ...

Thanks, SE ... this may be my best resource.

Kind regards ...

Just to clarify: in the original post you said "is all vacuum tubes", but the manual for sale is full of transistors:-

And therefore may be for a later model in the same series.

Might be an idea to look at the insides again before you spend your money.

Hi Randall,

When I first saw this response, I too became a little confused. Inside I don't SEE any of the electronics, but when it was said that the instrument was circa 1940-1950, I ASSUMED it was tubes. I could certainly be wrong, considering all the electronics are enclosed.

The organ is in a very restricted space, so before i can really work on it, I need to move it out some to be able to remove the back panel completely and do some digging.

Because the ID plate clearly shows model 4, and since the schematics indicate transistors, I would imagine my assumption about tubes is not correct. Transistors were first used in products in the early 50's, so it is quite possible the model 4 was made with transistors.

Anyway, I have ordered the service manual (got it from webstore.com), and it's on it's way.

Kind regards ...

Ahhhh! the old days......I used to work at a music house in Pensacola Fl. that sold serviced and moved pianos and organs and such, lots of hard work, but it was a labor of love for the people that I worked with, we even worked on some old carillons at colleges and churches, talk about jam packed with analog works.......WOW what fun we had (really we enjoyed it).

I just want to add I have tried to find schematics and service manuals for some of the old organs with no luck, even on the internet, but there are still a few old repair persons out there still breathing that would be easier to locate

I would start by checking (replacing) the old wax capacitors and all the wiring and connections. Then I would start replacing tubes. Check some of the music stores in your area and see if any of them have scored an old tube tester. Some of them have gotten wise and found one since Mesa Boogie started bringing tubes back into the amps.

As said above. When line hum is an issue on an audio device, the first thing I expect is dried out caps. I'm sure a few tubes may not be working either.

I picked up an old organ like that, many years ago. I can't remember the model anymore. It had cloth wiring and something like a 187 tubes in it. I tried for a long time to get it working and tuned. I eventually had to give up on it, though

That was going to be my answer. On a device this old, check capacitors first. The wax capacitors are usually the first to go. Pretty much any electrolytic cap will dry out or leak over time. Make sure you check the voltage rating on the replacement caps. Tube equipment is normally much higher voltage than transistor equipment.

Replacing the caps can be interesting in these old units. When these units were made, there was a propensity to use can capacitors with multiple (2 or 3) different value caps inside each can. They are difficult to find anymore. I had that problem with the old organ I was wiorking on. It was one of the reasons I gave up on it. You can easily find modern electrolytics of the same values but usually only in a single capacitor per package. If you have a fair amount of room around the cap you are replacing, you can zip tie 3 new ones together and mount them where needed. Unfortuneately, my organ had many different subchassis slices that were put in a main chassis. Kind of like peripheral cards on a modern tower PC. I just didn't have the room to physically fit multiple electrolytic caps in place of the old multi-value cans.

Hi AH,

Excellent advice. Futzing around with things not understood is a sure bet for entry into the Darwin Awards. I've worked around HV a little, but always best to have a good checklist.

Thanks, and kind regards ...

Another resource:

Robert Spoon
1786 Candy Apple St
Springdale, AR,72764
479‑751‑2680

I understand his business is the last one that offers parts for these organs.

I would honestly look to see if there is somebody in the area who repairs old radios. Check connections first (my old Hammond hummed once and it was just a plug to a speaker). I do most things myself, but these guys have devices to test the tubes so you are not throwing $$ at it for no reason (especially when you do not know the history of it or if there is more than one problem.) Take the chassis out and bring it in to save the trouble of hauling a 400lb behemoth. I do most things myself- but have dealt with a local guy for various old tube and capacitor issues and he usually can source something if it is needed.

Where did you get the "User's Manual" for your organ?

See post number 20