Conn Caprice organ

[ThSpeakerDude88]

Have access to one for $90. I do not know what type of tubes it uses in the power amp section, but it has loads of original conn CLEAR TOP?????? 12au7's in the oscilator section. The 12au7's appear to be RCA's judging from the engraving on the glass.

From what I could find about it online it appears to be a caprice model, but I can't find much more than that. When I looked in the back down at the amp, I could see a massive power tranny, at least four GT shape tubes ( at least I think they were, they could be 7189's.) , a rectifier, and two 10 or 15 watt size OPT's.

As a project for scavenging the electronics, would it be worth $90 or should I try to talk them down?

[Beelzebub]

Originally posted by ThSpeakerDude88
Have access to one for $90. I do not know what type of tubes it uses in the power amp section, but it has loads of original conn CLEAR TOP?????? 12au7's in the oscilator section. The 12au7's appear to be RCA's judging from the engraving on the glass.

From what I could find about it online it appears to be a caprice model, but I can't find much more than that. When I looked in the back down at the amp, I could see a massive power tranny, at least four GT shape tubes ( at least I think they were, they could be 7189's.) , a rectifier, and two 10 or 15 watt size OPT's.

As a project for scavenging the electronics, would it be worth $90 or should I try to talk them down?

Hi Dude,
Is the organ in good, working order? It would be a shame to destroy it for a handful of old, worn-out valves and a couple of transformers that may not be that suitable for Hi-Fi.
If you are after the original RCA valves, you could pull them, and re-furbish it for re-sale I suppose.

[ThSpeakerDude88]

well I have no idea why they want $90 for it. Yes it is in working condition, but the organ its self is very beat up. I'm sure the opt's wouldn't be good for hifi, but maybe guitar use, and the power transformer might be suitable as a hifi power xfrmr. I believe this organ uses an 0A2 gas voltage regulator too..

[Beelzebub]

Originally posted by ThSpeakerDude88
well I have no idea why they want $90 for it. Yes it is in working condition, but the organ its self is very beat up. I'm sure the opt's wouldn't be good for hifi, but maybe guitar use, and the power transformer might be suitable as a hifi power xfrmr. I believe this organ uses an 0A2 gas voltage regulator too..

Well, whatever you decide to do with it, first make sure it powers-up and plays - who knows, the electronics could be shot to bits

(Oh pedantic mood: shouldn't your sig read
always preach the gospel-
and, when necessary, use words.
Sorry, couldn't help it

[ThSpeakerDude88]

haha I have no idea how that I got in there! Thanks I'll fix that :-p


I went back and looked at the organ. Price is now $69. Organ works fine. Has two 12 inch alnico mag woofers, and lookie what I dug up.


http://www.ultraelectronicactive.com...rTubeAmps.html


Scroll down on the page and thats the exact amp that is in it. It apparently uses 7868 tubes ( 4 of them!), which are the mil. equiv. of 7591's , making for around 30 watts per channel. Also has some vintage 12ax7's in it.

As I understand, RCA cleartop 12au7's are both rare and desireable. This thing is loaded with them..

[kevinkr]

I wouldn't get too excited about those cleartop 12AU7A imo they are amongst the least good sounding I've encountered and measured poorly for linearity when I tested some years ago. They're likely to have plenty of hours on them too.

Seems like the package otherwise is interesting enough to go for it, particularly at the price.

[ThSpeakerDude88]

alright. By the way I found the organ online, it is not a caprice model as I thought. It is a Conn Minuet 461. I may pick it up tomarrow. It looks like maybe two of the output tubes have been replaced. If anything it will be an interesting project and may make a decent stereo amp, and if not I could always make a good guitar amp out of it, or sell the tubes as the power tubes are getting quite scarce. EH makes repros however. I understand the 7868 is electricaly close to a 6L6?

[mcs]

Originally posted by ThSpeakerDude88
I understand the 7868 is electricaly close to a 6L6?

No, not close at all. The 7868 is a very similar to the 7591 electrically - in many cases the "guts" used for both are probably the same. The 6GM5 is the same type also.

You may be able to re-design the amp for 6L6s, but it's not a plug and play change...

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

[ThSpeakerDude88]

ahh ok. Well at any rate, the amp sure would have enough power on tap to drive a couple of 6L6's if I did decide to convert.

I'm hoping that its worth the $69 for what I get: two 12" alnico woofers, the nice 60 watt tube amp, a reverb tank ( maybe a hammond or accutronics?) and a bunch of 12au7's to use for something or sell. Btw, the opt's are about the size (physically) of a hammond 125CSE.

[ThSpeakerDude88]

Well the lady laughed at me when I said I wanted it for its parts, and she dropped the price to $49

What I got: I found out it was indeed a conn caprice, and when I opened the back I got a nice little surprise: A Jensen special design magnet sticking out of a leslie unit!

I opened it up first, and found out it is a 1964 Jensen C8R. Took that home and popped it in my 6aq5 amp and it sounds GREAT!

Aside from that, I got two clevland 12 inch alnico woofers ( date code: 433441 = cleveland, 1964, 41st week.) I would like to make not that Rola ( owned at the time by Jensen) was made in Cleveland ohio, and that the baskets are identacle to each other. Were cleveland speakers made by Rola?

About the amp: It has a 0a3 Gas regulator, made by RCA ( will make a cool night light!)A 6DN7 made by GE ( code 188-20,64-43= 43rd week 1964), two RCA 12ax7's ( code 247), two RCA 7868's and I believe two sylvanias? I am not sure, two are the domed top, and two have the dome on the bottom inside the pins. The output transformers are Woodward-Schumacher's ( code 606) and appear to be about 30 watts each. They might be good for 15 watts or so Hi-fi. I am currently emailing schumacher to see if they have any info on the xfrmrs, the rest of the code reads : K-58459 -606-4-21 ( 606-4-21 is date code for 21st week 1964).

All of the cleartop 12au7A's are RCA brand. It also has a weirdie in the bunch, a 12DT8 ( short black plates, square getter).

So far I am happy with my purchace for tinkering purposes

I tried out the RCA 12ax7's in my high gain 5 watt amp, and they sounded wonderful- creamy and full compared to my JJ's, but with higher microphonics, and since I do not have shields, I cannot turn up the volume very high without some oscilation.

On a side note the 12ax7's have long grey plates.