I couldn't agree more that most corporations are not interested in
maintaining the organs on the carousels.  In my area, there is the
special case of Rye Playland which is owned by Westchester County.
They once had a gorgeous 65 key Gavioli organ that played 66-key B.A.B.
rolls until the 1960s when it was set up to play Wurlitzer 165 rolls.
Over time the organ was allowed to deteriorate and was basically in
very poor condition by the time the 1990 season was over.

Afterwards this once great organ was removed from the carousel.
A homebuilt organ took place of the old Gavioli and was placed behind
the facade of the old organ on the carousel.  The homebuilt organ is
a far cry from what the Gavioli was and is not well maintained.  This
past season (2010) it worked hit or miss.  Though the Gavioli organ is
apparently sitting in a shop in pieces, enough of it still remains
where it can be restored.

A similar organ to the non-working Rye Playland Gavioli is the ex-Savin
Rock Gavioli organ.  This organ was properly maintained and recently
restored and it sounds great.  This is what Rye Playland can have if
they spend the money to have the old Gavioli organ restored.  With
a good organ, they can bring many more people to the carousel than with
a poor or non-working organ.

The same goes for any amusement park.  If a corporation does not care
about the band organ on the carousel and leaves it in either poor
playing condition or non-working condition, it will not attract people
and can easily give people the feeling that they do not care about the
park.  In the contrary, if the organ on the carousel or elsewhere in
the park is properly maintained, it can attract people and people will
get the feeling that they do care about the park.

Perhaps some people who are in a corporation that operates amusement
parks will read this message and think twice about not spending the
money to maintain the park's organs.

Jeff Alterman