During the period 1986 through 1990, we built 2 Band Organs from Theatre
Organ pipes.  The first was a fully chromatic organ placed in a 32'
trailer with fold up doors on both sides.  It is set up to play on "O"
rolls.  It also has a full keyboard so it can be played manually.
Depending on what tunes are played on it , it can sound like a small
theatre organ or it can sound like a band organ.  It is fully painted
inside and out with carnival type painting by a fellow known as
"Wizard", who has done many paintings for the major carnivals.

The second try was a band organ playing 165 Wurlitzer rolls.  We
took old Wurlitzer Theatre organ pipes and matched the pipes that an
original 165 has in it.  We also added the items necessary to make it
a 166 Wurlitzer band organ.  Thus it can be played as either a 165 or
166 by the flip of a switch.

This unit is in a 20 foot trailer with roll-up doors on all 4 sides.
It can therefore be towed in a parade while playing.  This unit is very
popular in local parades.  It has a very big sound.  I, for one, get
chills up my spine when it bellows out the great marches.  We used both
metal and wooden pipes and I have experienced no problems with the
pipes in hauling it around.  Getting to one parade was a 600-mile round
trip.

The brains and experience behind building these came from a man who
had installed over 125 church organs in his lifetime.  He passed away
in the summer of 1997.   He also helped another fellow near me build
a 165 roll playing organ in his house.  The pipes used were a mix of
particular sounds and unusual pipes that the owner liked.  That organ
has a very pleasing, smooth and mellow sound, unlike any I have ever
heard and reflects the owners taste.  I believe it is possible to build
some very great sounding band organs from old, cheap leftover organ
pipes and a huge amount of work.

The reason I built those organs was because I had no Idea where to get
an original one.  At that time I had never heard of AMICA or MBSI.
Since then I have collected several original band organs, and enjoy them
equally as well.  I can't say one is better than the other, they are
just different.

Donald Neilson