| Kustom Keyboards [message #24706] |
Tue, 08 March 2016 00:12  |
Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014
|
Senior Member |
|
|
|
Looking at possibly buying a Kustom keyboard at a really good price. It's been stored in a shed and guys says that wasps have made homes in it. Just wondering if these things ever go out of tune or what problems to look for other than the obvious. He says it is loud and needs cleaning and one speaker does have a rip in it. Appreciate any feedback.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Kustom Keyboards [message #24716 is a reply to message #24706] |
Wed, 09 March 2016 02:57  |
chicagobill
Messages: 2006
Registered: April 2003
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Agreed, $400 is a real deal. The positive side is that it powers up and makes noise, which proves that the basic stuff is still working. As long as all of the parts are there, then fixing it up should be fairly easy, as most of the electronics are basic stuff. The specialty parts will be harder to replace, but there are a lot of parts out there from used, dead organs.
There are twelve separate boards for each note on the organ. Each note is tuned with a small coil, so you tune the "C" note and all of the C's are in tune together. You tune the "E" note and all of the E's are in tune together. If you have a chromatic tuner, tuning is a snap.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Kustom Keyboards [message #24719 is a reply to message #24706] |
Wed, 09 March 2016 20:18 |
Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Guy responded back to me and sounds like it has a lot of electronic issues. Sound is distorted and not clean and has been sitting in a shed for a number of years........shameful. Going to take a lot more than just cleaning and re-tuning to get this thing back up and running again. Picture posted is black but listing is cascade. Think I'll pass on this even though its only $400. Have a feeling it will cost maybe 3 times as much to just get it fixed even if parts are found for it. Anyone else interested in this?
[Updated on: Wed, 09 March 2016 20:20] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Kustom Keyboards [message #24725 is a reply to message #24706] |
Thu, 10 March 2016 12:16 |
Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Turns out its the J 1495.......it has the four 12 inch Jensen's in it. I have a feeling that some of the keys don't work or the selection functions either since I can't get the guy to give me a straight answer as to whether or not everything works on it.
[Updated on: Thu, 10 March 2016 12:19] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Kustom Keyboards [message #24754 is a reply to message #24706] |
Mon, 14 March 2016 14:56 |
chicagobill
Messages: 2006
Registered: April 2003
|
Senior Member |
|
|
If some of the keys work and are good and loud, that means that the power amp is working. The function switches do a variety of things and if they are dirty or oxidized enough, they can cause things like the loss of some notes, etc.
Based on the fact that this was stored in a barn, I would first guess that dirty contacts in the key switches and in the function switches is the main problem here. I think that the ad listing stated that one of the function switches was missing the rocker piece. That would be a problem to replace.
If this was local to me, I'd buy it and fix it up. If it was too badly damaged to fix up, then parting it out or just flipping it is always a possibility too I guess.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Kustom Keyboards [message #24757 is a reply to message #24706] |
Tue, 15 March 2016 13:22 |
chicagobill
Messages: 2006
Registered: April 2003
|
Senior Member |
|
|
If you have to ask, you can't afford it!
I noticed that the price dropped to $350 and I wondered if you had gotten him to reduce the price. Hey, a road trip to see your brother is a good thing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Kustom Keyboards [message #24764 is a reply to message #24763] |
Tue, 15 March 2016 17:35 |
chicagobill
Messages: 2006
Registered: April 2003
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Pleat: The actual model number is a C1295 Black. It has 4 12" CTS speakers with the metal dust caps. No visible ports, Frankie power amp chassis and Preamp panel installed. The eBay item number is 141842612061.
Robert McNutt, aka Rodak used to post here all the time. I think he owns a couple of these organs. His site is great for anybody that's into combo organs.
|
|
|
|
| Re: Kustom Keyboards [message #24765 is a reply to message #24764] |
Tue, 15 March 2016 19:09 |
pleat
Messages: 1454
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Thanks for the ebay item number. I did look at the photos. If Kustom started the serial numbers at 1000 like they did the guitars and basses, the 1220 would be the 220th organ produced. All the early kustom organs were retro-fitted with the pre amp panel as an excuse to fix the real problem of keys popping off. So I don't think we will see any without the pre amps. On Combo Heavens website, there are some examples of odd baffle boards with and without port tubes.
My band used the kombo 1 organ with the 4x12 Jensen speakers with the aluminum port tubes. I tracked down the very organ 29 years after the keyboard player left the band. It was missing the speakers, power amp was blown and wires were torn loose from the circuit boards. It became a cost that I didn't think would be worth the effort to repair. It had a 3 diameter burn on the top of the organ down to bare wood. I ended up selling it to a collector in Nashville who tore the organ down to the black covering and had it recovered in silver. I saw it 2009 at our Chanute convention and the parts were in a basket and the guy was asking 1100.00 for it as it sat. Not sure what became of it after that.
The main issue we had was the keyboard player couldn't hear how loud he was, so we added a Gibson vertical 2x12 and horn cabinet behind him and it worked great.
Best of luck getting this one up and running.
pleat
|
|
|
|
VintageKustom.com
Search
Help
Members
Register
Login
Home
I have had it happen and man does it suck lol. The organs come up time to time. Since you dont play keys its really hard to own one and feel like its getting use. Another member here bought a Charcoal Organ a while back, in amazing condition. He dint play it either ended up selling it to a collector. 
]