Anatomy of a WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ
The Console of WurliTzer Opus 471.
Wurlitzer made around 700 of their Theatre Organs with Piano Consoles similar to this. These instruments were
generally similar to the instruments with the more familiar Horseshoe Console in all other respects.
The lower, piano length, keyboard was electrically divided in two with duplicate tabs for each half, allowing
three registrations on the two manuals.
These consoles do have some advantages. The internal roll player is more convenient that the seperate units
that were an option for instruments with the standard consoles. You also get a piano in the one unit instead
of needing space for a console and a piano and these consoles take up less space although the pedalboard does
still stick out on the floor.
Very few of these instruments have survived.
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