Triumphs & Trials of an Organ Builder
Getting to First Base (continued)
The Depression also had negative influences on my getting around the bases.
In the early phases of this inventive effort, the idea of becoming a manufacturer of organs could not be seriously considered.
I didn't have the resources to manufacture consoles, to obtain mechanical and electronic parts, or to obtain all the assembly required.
I thought of myself primarily as an inventor experimenting in a basement workshop with a lot of surplus radio parts.
In fact, an article about me appeared in the Allentown Evening Chronicle of July 10, 1939.
One of the reporters for the newspaper was an amateur organist.
He heard about my work through the organists' "grapevine" and thought it would produce an interesting article.
I was glowingly referred to as a "22-year-old Alexander Graham Bell".
This was all enormously gratifying to me.
However, deep down I realized that such accolades would be short-lived; any lasting success in following through on my electronic organ idea had to rest on a firmer foundation in the commercial world, Depression or not.
Because of my lack of resources, I tried to get some established organ manufacturers interested in producing an organ based on my ideas.
I remember visiting people from the following companies: M.P. Moeller, Aeolian Skinner, and Kilgen Organ Company.
The reception I received was generally cool except for Kilgen, where representatives were initially enthusiastic.
I even had fairly serious discussions with the President, Eugene Kilgen.
Ultimately, nothing ever came out of them.
Perhaps the long Depression had drained the spirit of adventure from these established companies.
I also tried to get something going with several piano companies, but I soon realized that although pianos and organs are both keyboard instruments, their manufacturers are worlds apart.
The piano people could not help me either.
It became clear that I would have to continue driving this venture on my own.
Prior to producing a full-size organ, I built two abbreviated instruments; one with an accordion keyboard and a larger unit including forty-nine, piano-type keys.
I moved the larger unit to the Hotel New Yorker in New York City and invited various people from companies that were established in that area to view the instrument.
However, nothing tangible resulted from these demonstrations.
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