quote: Scott Norwood

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Does anyone have a Wurlitzer in the basement? (Gordon Mcleod has an organ, but I don't remember if it's a full-size cinema unit or not.)

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I have a HAMMOND Regent in my basement that I gutted out the dead electronics, added MIDI modules in its place to make a MIDI organ out of it which uses a 'virtual organ' program in my computer to accompany the playback.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 07-12-2010, 03:02 PM:
 
I have some Dynaco tube amps that I keep on a shelf in my office. People oh-and-ah at the tubes and of course Dynaco was famous for those shiney chrome chassis that look pretty impressive. Nice conversation starters, but other than that....
 

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Posted by Jake Spell (Member # 5294) on 07-12-2010, 04:24 PM:
 
Ha! My dad has 3 Dynaco tube amp that he built in the 60's. still work to this day
 

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Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 07-12-2010, 07:46 PM:
 
The old woman down at your local historical society who is the one-person crusader chaining themselves to any building over 100 years old that the city wants to tear down and turn into a parking lot . . .
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-13-2010, 07:43 AM:
 
Aaron; there is a piece of me that has a little respect for crazy people who "tilt at windmills." (It's dirty job. . . .) Louis
 

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 07-13-2010, 10:13 AM:
 
Not exactly theatre equipment, but it could be used in a theatre. A couple of weeks ago we had a message from the builders saying what's this old IT cabinet in one of the electrical risers; is it redundent, can we get rid of it?

It was an old Strowger telephone system, made by Siemens Brothers, installed in the '50s, and we think last used in 1971, but mainly out of use by 1969; nobody knew it was there. It's gone to a museum in Wales.



The grey metal box on the left contains the ringing machine, the wooden one on the right is a test unit. The top two rows of selectors are line finders and the bottom two rows are connectors. There are no group selectors because it's set up for two-digit numbers. It was used for internal calls only.
 

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Posted by Bernie Anderson Jr (Member # 410) on 07-14-2010, 03:07 PM:
 
I knew a guy that had a full working model of the radio city music hall stage that he built. He had a mini-christmas show complete with the wooden soldiers and laurel and hardy short. All eletro-mechanical: working curtain, screen that flew out, etc. The stage measure probably about 10 feet wide. I have alot of relics, including the super simplex, RCA 9050s and Eprad Cooperators (all working too). I have part of a marquee sign that I equipted with Red Rope light too.
 

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Posted by Doug Eisemann (Member # 782) on 09-19-2010, 09:28 PM:
 
I apologize for bumping this thread, as I see it is several months old. Not to mention the fact that I have been registered at Film-Tech for years, but scarcely ever said a word since I am not directly in the cinema industry.
However my love for old technology and electronics had it's start in a theater, and I still have a deep love for any cinema equipment, new or old.
I now primarily build custom high-end vacuum tube amplifiers (Hifi, not musical instrument), but I often still restore vintage cinema and studio sound gear. Several years ago I helped a historic theater outside of Philadelphia get it's original 1937 Simplex sound system (pre Voice of the Theatre) up and running again, which it still is to this day. My own personal audio system uses Westrex tube amps as well as Klangfilm/Siemens amps taken from a cinema in Berlin.
I love this old cinema technology for it's lasting quality and beauty of engineering, regardless of whether or not it can offer the performance of what is available today.
That said, I have sort of given up collecting vintage theater sound equipment in general, as much of it sells for silly money, mainly to Asian collectors.
I am thinking I might keep my eyes open for some of the early solid-state theater sound equipment from the 1970's that seems largely ignored today. Anyone have any old Kelmar AS-whatever, or Raven systems out there?
They might not have the appeal of a tube amp, but those designs are going on 40 years at this point.

Cheers!
Doug Eisemann
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 09-20-2010, 07:39 AM:
 
I think the biggest collection is Keith Stata's in Kinmount Ontario
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 09-20-2010, 09:14 AM:
 
Early transistor equipment has three fates:

1. Failed and replaced since repair could not be done by "pseudo-techs".

2. Theatre closed and bull-dozed.

3. Still running 12 hours per day in the last remaining mono 8 plex in the state. (runs perfectly) Louis
 

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Posted by Doug Eisemann (Member # 782) on 09-20-2010, 10:41 AM:
 
Regarding the fates of early transistor gear, I also have found that when this sort of gear failed, it was abandoned as "unfixable" whereas a tube amp was often repaired over and over again (sometimes quite badly, but made functional)
Solid state gear is just not generally as tolerant of out-of-spec operation, and the early stuff especially, went Poof, as capacitors and other components aged.

On another note, I just remembered a good friend of mine here in PA, who probably wishes to remain anonymous, is an avid historic film collector and has a gorgeous working Vitaphone system in his home. All equipment is orginal and museum quality. The 1931 Western Electric amp racks are still working perfectly with only minor repairs, as are the projectors and universal bases/turntable drive mechanisms etc.
Cheers!
Doug E.
 

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Posted by Dick Prather (Member # 1136) on 09-20-2010, 05:49 PM:
 
I have a modest collection of old equipment and a large collection of manuals starting with 1900's Edison, Power's,etc. Mostly picture heads with some complete. Hard to find old vertical carbon lamps and small magazines. Lots of Simplex with a complete running front shutter Simplex serial # 1912 made in 1913.

Always looking for old stuff or helping other folks with theirs.
Dick

Gordon, Carrey Williams in Chicago probably has the most equipment. Most in storage though.
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 09-20-2010, 06:30 PM:
 
Dick i know of careys's collection but most of keiths is on display in his theatres lobbies
 

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Posted by James Larden (Member # 5594) on 09-22-2010, 12:34 PM:
 
for any film-tech vintage collectors in NYC.

re-posted from AMIA listserve

"Available for free to a good home (delivery not included):

Vintage Professional 35mm Film Projectors

(2) Brenkert BX-60 Motion Picture Projectors with manual
(2) RCA Soundheads
(2) Ashcraft Suprex C60 Carbon Arc Lamphouses
(2) RCA Rectifiers, with Kneisley Electric Co. tubes(?)
(2) exciter supply units
Dismantled and ready for pickup.

Location: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave at 82nd St.

For more information e-mail < robin.schwalb_______ > or call ______. Serious inquiries only, please."
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 09-22-2010, 03:57 PM:
 
Doug Eisemann, check the Equipment for sale forum, I just listed something you might want.
 

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Posted by Doug Eisemann (Member # 782) on 09-23-2010, 08:58 AM:
 
Thanks Tony! if I did things right, you have an email!

Cheers,
Doug E.
 

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