Conn Model 440

[mooneyes]

Greetings,

    I have just become the proud owner of a Conn Model 440 electric organ. Unfortunately this beast of a machine isn't in fully functioning order. Many of the flute stops as well as the chimes stop result in a very eerie noise. It often sounds as if multiple (dissonant) keys are being pressed at once when only one key is held. Sometimes it makes no noise at all for these keys and there will be an ethereal swelling noise that is very evil and unpleasent sounding in the background. I have tried dusting, cleaning, and overall examining the innards quite thoroughly but to no avail. I have removed each and every one of the voicing board and cleaned each contact by hand. Sill no luck! Any ideas on how to remedy this problem. Please, this is my favorite instrument next to my DX7 even with the non-functioning sounds.

                                          As always, towards the stars,

                                                           Mooneyes

[Steve]

HI Mooneyes.

Welcome to songstuff.

Your problem sounds a bit of a nightmare! I'm sorry that I have no knowledge of this type of instrument! Try this link;

http://www.organservice.com/index.htm

It may give you some ideas..

Good luck.

Steve

[mooneyes]

Erm, the site didn't have too much to offer but thanks anyway for the welcome. Dosen't anyone know what to do?

[john]

Hi

Welcome to Songstuff.

Sorry, I wouldn't be able suggest anything more than general advice. I had a quick look on the web, and found a couple of links. the organ forum could be the best bet...

http://www.bargainsail.com/forums/ShowForu...aspx?ForumID=12

This thread:

http://www.bargainsail.com/forums/ShowPost...spx?PostID=1052

discusses key contacts on another model, and has someone offering scans of the 440 manual.

To be honest what you describes sound like a short in the circuit between the keys and the oscillators somewhere (maybe onto the bus bar?). This would account to some keys sounding ok, and others playing variant pitches. Is there any predictability as to what keys work and what keys don't?

What was used to clean the contacts? If it was oil based that could certainly increase the likelyhood of shorting.

Sad as I am, I also thought this was interesting:

http://www.bikexprt.com/tunings/tunings2.htm

and in case you need parts:

http://www.mitatechs.com/hammond.html

and if you are interested in some info from Conn on another system:

http://www.obsolete.com/120_years/machines..._box/paper.html

Sorry I can't be of more help. I'll keep an eye out though...

Cheers

John

[mooneyes]

the problem has been solved

i reset some of the circuits, and it works perfectly, thanks to all

[Nightwolf]

Kewl, a happy ending

yippy

[Nightwolf]

How about a short article of what you did to help the next guy out.

[mooneyes]

okay, so here's how it went

mom was throwing a bbq for ben and memorial day and my dad came over. Naturally, I wanted to show off my organ playing skills, but the thing was acting funky as usual.

So I ask my dad, "Want to pop the top?" as this is my most favorite thing to ask when showing off my organ. Something about the endless field of capacitors and cables and chips does something to inspire me.

Anyhow, he asks me about all the things that I had done to try and get it to work. These things were,...

1)Dust

2)Dust

3)pull out every single voice card and clean the contacts

4)pull out every single voice card and clean the contacts more thoroughly

73)Dissasemble the majority of the machine looking for possible flaws

Qx-9)Pull random pieces of wood out of it

7)find all of the lost stop covers and put them back on

8)dust

fig newton)pull out every single voice card and clean the contacts more thoroughly

So my dad says, why not try re-seating the chips. And he then begins to wiggle around some of the chips (note: re-seating is the process of pulling off the chips and sticking them back on)

he resat a couple and it works, well...

for a bit, every now and then the volume would just, drop ... alot, so you couldn't really hear anything

but that stopped and they all lived happily ever after

[john]

Hey mooneyes

It's that kind of technical analysis that's missing in the world today...

Cheers

John