Just recieved the UK's very first production model Thomas Theatre/Cinema organ, the Paramount. 2x61 note manuals with concave/radiating 25 note board. Its completely revoiced and has new styles. Amplification is Bang and Olufsen.

Theatre/Cinema is not realy my thing but its a very big and warm sound and looks spectaculer.

What Price?
And what other manufactures models is it designed to compete with?
Bill

Not sure of the price, maybe around £15k - I don't think its designed to compete with anything else currently available, it is very much a Thomas Theater organ and designed for people who enjoy playing in that style (but it does have styles - albeit with a leaning toward theatre/cinema and contemporary sounds too.)

From what I understand (and I may be incorrect) Thomas are owned by the company responsible for Wersi R&D up to the point of Windows being used and own the technology, samples and styles (they did not agree in using Windows as a a basis for musical instruments).

sorry I made a mistake - its not a concave board.

If that’s the estimated price then it’s up against Lowrey, Roland, Wersi & Bohm for entertainment organs, and it is also encroaching on the Rodgers & Alan entry level classical & theatre organ ranges, so it will probably have a tough time getting a foothold.

Yes, when Wersi went under in 1997 the R & D guys formed a new company and also bought the Thomas name, with the early organs being rebadged versions of the previous Wersi range. (Pegasus, Phoenix etc.) The Thomas Company was bought by a Malaysian company some years ago.

Current Wersi (Music Store) instruments have no connection with the previous range of Wersi instruments apart from the Wersi name.

Bill

Perhaps from a price point of view, but its not really like any of the organs you mentioned -

Lowrey are contemporary and are selling a lifestyle.
Roland, Wersi and Bohm are contemporary instuments too, not primarily theatre/cinema.
Allen and Rodgers..maybe, but they do not have styles (at least I do not believe so).

I think this it is more for the sort of person that would have brought a Gulbranson, Conn or Wurlitzer years ago and would do now if they were available.

Lowrey also have the same idea

Bill

I am not commenting on Lowrey - I might end up with a solicitors letter if I write my oppinion here.

In this economy who can afford a unit like this?...and What can it do vs lets say a Tyros 4 etc..? I just dont get it

If you mean the Thomas, there is still a strong Theatre/Cenema Organ presence in the UK and Germany, however the instruments currently available from other manufacturers cost much more and not ideally suited to home use. I was talking to the guys at Thomas over the last couple of days. They do not believe the market will sustain an instrument like this for much longer and have very, very interesting plans for the future that are more compatible with today's generation from a technology and budget point of view. However, for now we still have customers who are good musicians and still want a 25 note pedalboard with a big organ sound to play the music they enjoy. This organ is not designed to extract savings from pensioners who cannot play. To sell someone like that an instrument of this price (or 5 or 6 times more) would be immoral....they would be better with a Tyros.

You would be surprised as to the tactics of major Organ store salesman in large retirement areas who rape the so called "pensioners" out of the savings to bait them with a simple demo of a $500.00 organ with "Magic Light keys" then after 6 months of pampering them with "FREE" lessons they now talk & entice how great they are doing and need to step up into buying a $40,000 monster HOME MODEL who they well know they will NEVER be able to operate in their lifetime let alone at 70/80 years old,....it's always all about money .....and "Morales go out the window. They could easily for alot less money purchase models that they can enjoy playing and wont break the bank. Then after a few years after they pass away sadly the $40,000 organ now sits in the Clubhouse of the community with a Brass label on it that says ...
"Donated in the Memory of John Doe".....so sad......

Everybody says that

Bill

Hi DNJ

Lowery is an experience that you buy into, just like you buy into Yamaha. (Both types of owners also upgrade when new models come out, even though the differences are minor, it’s all part of being a family)

With an organ you are not tied to the Rhythm Unit, (Repetitive styles and Bass lines etc.) and can do your own thing, (Spontaneously) without having to program things first, also the way you can layer and Mix sounds and effects are way beyond any arranger. (Arrangers just don’t have enough layers and split points to allow true flexibility) Combine this with the satisfaction of playing everything yourself, rather than having to follow a style, and to a lot of people it is absolutely brilliant. (Although arrangers came from home organs, they are for different types of customers)

As to prices, most of the top organs are hand made using real wood and steel and are thus labour intensive, so will always be more expensive that a production line arranger. (Add a second manual, stand, pedalboard and a high quality sound system to your arranger, and you will be surprised how expensive it becomes, follow that with building you own wooden cabinet to fit it all in and you will find you will be in a similar price scale to typical upper level organ prices)

BTW: one of the biggest things at the moment is the upgrade for the TOTL Roland Atelier organs which is selling as fast as they can make them. http://www.roland.co.uk/atelier/options_upgrade.php (And it’s not exactly cheap)

As to the future, pretty much all organ manufactures have instruments in the pipeline to take them to a new audience, however the art is getting the timing right.

Interestingly the Chinese with their Ringway organs are also getting in on the act, with the base model not much more than a MOTL Arranger, with even the next model up costing no more than a TOTL Arranger. Also not forgetting the portable market where Roland’s AT350C Atelier is going down well.

Hope this makes thing a bit clearer (However don’t worry if you still don’t get it, as an organ is probably not your style)

Bill

Hey Donny

Gee, by any chance is there a place like that near you that gave you that impression ??? HA !