Craigslist $125.00 1860's Kimball Pump Organ: Cheap Deals

James finds a 1860's? pump organ that was part of a sale, and was listed on Craigslist. sacramento.craigslist.org/msg...

[@Greywolf3]

I enjoy these videos where you show us many different pianos and organs! Your channel is a top favorite 😺

[@ThePianoforever]

I am so happy that you feel that way.

[@samlumsden9417]

Diapason is what is referred to as the fundamental organ tone and can be a characteristic quality of certain cathedrals and such. Neat video

[@benjaminmarks8765]

Flutes are common paired with principle

[@MrAdamGC]

OK, about that wooden knee lever and why it isn't working here.....you know that little 'lever that once turned on the bass coupler' as you said? (No, it doesn't but we'll get to that later) That is actually the actuator that the knee lever pushes against to activate the mechanism inside the organ. What has happened here is somehow the knee lever has slipped past that actuator and is just flopping around on the other side. So you need to loosen the knee lever and get it on the OPPOSITE side of that actuator so it will push against it as you push the lever to the right. It controls a Swell mechanism, FYI. If you pull that carved panel in front of the keys off, you'll see the swell shades in action. The Diapason Forte stop usually opens the front swell shade when pulled. The Vox Humana is the tremolo device. The Piano stop is a 'soft' rendering of either the Dulcet or Principal stop. That works by only opening the mute to those reeds partially to produce a softer tone. The pair of Dulcet stops is accurate BTW. Almost all of those old reed organs divide the stops into Bass and Treble halves. In your case you've got the Dulcet and Principal for the bass half, with the Piano being the 'soft stop' linked to one of those 2 ranks as described earlier; and the Cremona and Melodia for the Treble half with the Dulcet being the 'soft stop' like in the Bass half. The Celeste stop could be an independent half-rank of reeds, but more likely it just opens both treble-half ranks at the same time. That's right, all those stops are only controlling 2 ranks of reeds!! Why all those stops? Marketing. More stop knobs=more organ to the average person! As for the Bass Coupler not functioning here; if you taken off that carved panel in front of the keys (called the 'keyslip') above the swell shade you'll see these 2 long thin wooden blocks with a whole bunch of metal fingers and levers and rods. One is the Bass Coupler mechanism; the other is the Treble Coupler mechanism. When you pull the stop knob out those mechanisms raise up and make contact with the keyboard and rods going to the reeds (called the Pitmans). The reason the coupler isn't working is because the cloth hinges that hold the mechs in place have rotted out so the mechs are just flopping around in there. Hope this has been helpful!

[@ThePianoforever]

Very interesting.

[@JoshuaMorgan]

Can confirm.

[@mrmusiclover4178]

James, thanks for highlighting some of the instruments we had when I was young and living with my parents. We had a Miller pump reed organ which was in very good shape. When my dad died in 1982, we had to sell this organ and the player piano we had. My brother and I used to play duets, him on piano and me on the old pump organ! Cheers, James! (BTW, the "D" stop is Dulcet.) A lot of problems with these old organs involved the air bellows.

[@patricksaxon3983]

You do realize that Kimball organ company not only made theater pipe organ back then, but later ended up making electronic organs that were popular all the way from the 1950s through the 1980s. The Jasper Corporation, who made television cabinets in the 1950s as well as other furniture products, bought out Kimball piano and organ in the 1950s and then the Jasper company renaimed them selves Kimball International, which still exist today with many divisions, such as electronics manufacturing due to Kimball electronic organs as well as office furniture. Sadly, in 1996, Kimball piano and organ was shut down due to the declining sales of their musical products.

[@tomclemans]

I love all of your instrument presentations! I have a 1879 Clough & Warren pump organ, and have rebuilt a few others. A few notes about the stops. (Was that a pun? I'll never tell.) "Vox Humana" doesn't activate a bank of reeds. Instead, it turns on a tremolo mechanism, somewhat mimicking the vibrato of a person singing. Stops to the right of the Vox Humana control the right side of the keyboard, and stops to the left of the Vox Humana control the left side of the keyboard. The "Base Coupler" doesn't play the really deep bass notes you referred to, but links notes an octave below the note being played. It only works in the base side, and only when there is another octave lower than the note you're playing. "Sub Bass" is a stop that plays the really deep notes. Not all pump organs have a sub bass, and the organ in this video doesn't, but on those that do, It only works for the octave from the lowest C to the next higher C. The Celeste stop usually doesn't sound like anything special until it is mixed with another stop. It is tuned a few beats per second different from the other stops, which gives a really rich tone when played together with another of the treble stops.

[@ThePianoforever]

Very good information.

[@chrisamundson8530]

Hey Mr. Clemans.... I just bought my second pump organ the other day was wondering if you could maybe share a link or two that might help me find out what year exactly my new Clough & Warren pump organ was made. It's super nice and in great shape...think that I've got a leak in the bellows but mainly just needing to find a good place that explains in detail from year to year or has a search option for me to put the serial number of this thing in to find out EXACTLY what year it was built (because all I know RIGHT NOW is that it was built between 1874-1910 I'd appreciate any help or nudge in the right direction in terms of finding sites to reference on this...Thanks again brother and hope to hear back from you soon.!

[@rrjjgg101]

Very Good Instrument...Thank you for showing us all those beautiful Pianos/Organs in your Videos.. I appreciate your hard work... Now waiting for another new Video... RJ India

[@jonnycando]

Quite a treat to find one that halfway works! Diapason...hmmm either Dyuhphay'son....dee.ah'pahsahn I think either would work. It's one of the basic sounds that an organ can make...through the 8 foot pipes at least.

[@johntaliaferrothompson6052]

Hey James many times I saw you introducing the piano and organ. Could you make a video is talking about the claviharp? The claviharp is a Harp combined with a keyboard is also a 19th century musical instrument and it's very rare.

[@ThePianoforever]

I will be looking for one.

[@johntaliaferrothompson6052]

I just knew it will be in some museum in Europe. Or you can try going to the museum and check it out and ask for performs a song on a claviharp.

[@LarryShone]

Thats pretty cool

[@dylanm8145]

You’re hair is starting to remind me of Beethoven... that’s a compliment it’s cool 👌😁

[@charlottemace1810]

HOW OLD ARE YOU? YOU HAVE SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE ON YOUR SUBJECT TO LOOK SO YOUNG.

[@ThePianoforever]

18 years old.

[@charlottemace1810]

I'M REALLY IMPRESSED NOW. I TOOK PIANO LESSON AS A YOUNG MAN AND I REGRET TO THIS DAY THAT I FOOL THE TIME AWAY AND FINALLY GAVE IT UP. I STILL ENJOY REAL TALENT ON IT.

[@charlottemace1810]

SORRY FOR MY TYPING ERRORS. I SHOULD HAVE REREAD IT.

[@rubiksmaster301]

I found a pump organ for 25 dollars and I might buy it :D

[@ThePianoforever]

If it works at all it sounds like a lot of fun for $25.00.

[@rubiksmaster301]

@@ThePianoforever I have actually bought the organ, we spent about an hour to fix the straps and oh my goodness, it's amazing. Do you have a video on how to fix disconnected stops? Two of mine aren't working.

[@italobrettmusic]

Find any good Kimball Grand Pianos lately?

[@ThePianoforever]

I am always on the hunt for nice piano, and will now be looking for a Kimball to review.

[@TK-vk3vz]

hello James,ive just bought an 1860s Estey pump organ $125 ..it works,needs a little repair..do you offer advise and repair methods? can we email?

[@mrmaniac3]

I love that pirate scenario, haha

[@truthseeker3907]

Hi James Play the pipe organ and get some exercise at the same time lol :) Keep up the Good Work and Thank You! :) Thumbs up Indiana USA.

[@sugarpacketchad]

When I was 14, I knew a girl whose parents had an organ similar to that one.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

Legs most likely turned, not carved

[@ThePianoforever]

Of course, I just had a little slip up. I do almost all of these in one take, and so most have little problems of some sort.

[@tjlarson9859]

For a person who has some "handy" skills, patience and some low-tech materials like felt, glue, spring-metal, and vinegar or WD40 for cleaning, these things can go a long way towards fixing. (Really, no "rocket science" there!) But I would also look for someone with some experience, if available.

[@harrykuheim6107]

Put some wheels on this and you'll have a great Busking Gimmick...Pull it with an Electric Bike...$$$.