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Estey Organ Corp. Introduces Complete
Line of Organs; Opens New York Salon
In a surprise move that became one
of the outstanding features of the 1954
N.A.M.M. Convention, in Chicago last
month the century-old Estey Organ
Corp. of Brattleboro, Vt., introduced
the newest of electronic organs, as well
H. J. SERVAIS
as a completely redesigned reed organ
line.
The Estey Electronic Organ was pre-
sented in three models, a Spinet, a
Church model and a Catehdral model.
Each of the models uses the same type
of tonal source and makes available
thousands of voices which embody both
the tempered and natural harmonics.
"Not only does the Estey Electronic
Organ produce thousands of the most
beautiful tones ever created by an elec-
tronic organ," said Henry Hancock,
President of Estey. "but the organ can-
not go out of tune because pitch is
locked into the circuit and is not de-
pendent upon the efficiency of the
tubes. The generator uses very inex-
pensive and reliable standard tubes, all
of which are interchangeable in posi-
tion. Service on these organs will be
at an absolute minimum.*'
In addition to Mr. Hancock, who is
widely known as a pipe organ author-
ity and as the manufacturer of Estey
and Rieger pipe organs, the dealers
were greeted by Elizabeth S. Mackay,
now Vice President of Estey and
known to almost every leading music
dealer through her previous ten years
as director of advertising and mer-
chandising for the Hammond Organ.
Also on hand was H. J. (Hank) Ser-
vais, whose many years as Eastern Dis-
trict Sales Manager for the Hammond
Organo gives him an excellent knowl-
28
edge of the music trade which will
serve him well in his new capacity as
General Sales Manager of the Estey
Organ Corp. George E. Mansfield, for-
mer vice president of Everett Piano Co.
is Regional Manager of Estey. While
surprised at the enry of Estey into the
electronic organ field, reed organ deal-
ers from all over the the country came
in to shake hands with Wilson Estey.
reed organ manager.
"We are providing dealers with a
complete line of organs", said Mr.
Servais. "The Estey Electronic Organs
will be sold under exclusive franchise
through leading music dealers, and the
same dealers will handle the redesign-
ed reed organs, including the wonder-
ful Virtuoso practice organ, and will
also be in a position to accept pipe
organ business for Estey unit and
built-to-order pipe organs, and Rieger
portable pipe organs. In other words,
with the Estey line, the dealer can now
offer his customers a line of organs that
begins with a wonderful toy organ—
a real three-octave reed organ that re-
tails at $49.50—and goes right through
every price range to that of the finest
pipe organs in the country. Of course,
our pipe organ representatives take
over and work with the dealers on pipe
organ installations, but the dealer is
able to save the sale and make a nice
margin on it instead of having to see
it go out of his doors."
Electronic Organ
The three models of the Estey Elec-
tronic Organ have been designed to
meet every playing requirement, as
determined by years of experience on
dealer floors and in actual use. The
Spinet Model has two full four-actave
manuals, and eighteen pedal notes, as
well as a number of set-up stops and
a complete group of stop tablets for
each manual which control funda-
mentals and harmonics in seven differ-
ent intensities. Moreover, the tone pro-
vided by each of these stop tablets is
not a bare "sine wave" but carries with
it a group of natural harmonics, so all
the tones are rich in harmonics. The
console and bench of the Spinet Model,
as well as the other Estev Electronic
Organs, have been designed by a lead-
ing furniture designer.
Church Model
The Church Model of the Estey
Electronic Organ has two full 61-note
manuals, with overhanging keys, twen-
ty-seven radiating and concave pedal
GEORGE E. MANSFIELD
keys, a larger number of set-up com-
binations, the same system of table
tonal controls as the Spinet, and a
handsome panelled console with a
matching bench.
Cathedral Model
The Cathedral Model is offered as
the ultimate in electronic organs for
use by the large church and for con-
cert organists as well as teachers who
want an electronic organ that con-
forms to pipe organ standards. The
32-note pedal keyboard is built to
A.G.O. specifiications—in fact, is a true
ppe on every keyboard.
Reerl Organs
The redesigned line of Estey reed
organs created almost as much of a
stir as did the new Estey Electronic
Organs.
The redesigned and re-priced Virtu-
oso also won much acclaim. The Vir-
tuoso is a full-size pipe organ console
meeting all pipe organ standards and
providing all the organ voices and re-
sources, such as couplers, required tor
playing organ literature.
The Esley reed line is rounded out
with the Missionary Folding Organ,
which has gone all over the world with
our armed forces and with church
missionary forces, and with the re-
designed Chorus Organ and the well-
known "38-Action Estey Organ" with
12-note sub-bass.
"The entire line of Estey electronic
and reed organs, as well as the Rieger
portable pipe organ, is on view at our
new salon at 121 West 57th Street"',
said Mr. Servais.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, AUGUST, 1954