[HAM] Generator output levels

[Alan Lenhoff]

I spent a little time looking at Kon’s generator output data. Really interesting. I found 
  that I could look at the curve and could guess (with a fair amount of accuracy) the age of 
  the organ and whether it had wax caps.  Generally, it seemed that the output of the old 
  waxed caps was relatively flat (or falling) between notes 25 and 91, while the mylars 
  start to build in output around note 40.  
   
   
  At the risk of stepping far beyond my level of knowledge in these matters, few 
  questions/observations:  
   
   
  1.      The Mihevic 1959 C3 with wax caps shows a curve very similar to the mylar 
  capped organs, which was surprising.  Then I noticed that this reading was taken in 
  1972. So maybe it would be more typical if re-measured today.  But then I noticed that 
  “Jurgen’s 1959 B3” with wax caps also displays a curve much like a mylar capped 
  model.  Why would some organs break the mold?  Could differences in storage 
  conditions or how much they were played affect the aging rate of the caps?
  

 
  2.      This is clearly a “your tastes may vary” situation. Some of the organs that were 
  described (presumably by their owners) as bright-sounding showed curves that would 
  suggest they’re pretty dull-sounding.  And some of the organs that looked like they might 
  be very bright based on their curves were described as mellow.  (I suppose that might 
  just be what the owner is used to, the acoustics of the room it’s generally in, or the 
  condition of the Leslie/Tone Cab they’re playing it through.)
   
   
  3.      While the mylar capped organs tended to have similar shaped curves, there still was 
  quite a bit of variation among them – including notes here and there whose outputs were 
  significantly above or below neighboring notes. The conventional wisdom is that the 
  mylars don’t drift in value. Is it possible that they only drift far less than the wax caps?
    Or is this variation likely due to inconsistent processes (or components) used during 
  initial assembly?
   
   
  There is something wonderful about realizing that, whatever the reason, every 
  Hammond speaks in a slightly different voice. 
   
  Alan
   

       
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