Don Holmberg, originator of a line of organ or flute clocks, was a close
personal friend of mine and I was privy to the overall design and building
of the clocks.
The design of the chest was the work of a talented man, allowing a compact
unit to be crafted. The penumatic components used zephyr skin and were
lightening-fast as far as repetition was concerned.
Most of the pipes used came from two suppliers, one in the UK and one in
Holland. Holmberg voiced the pipes himself after they were in the specific
clock they were purchased for.
As for the electronics that controlled the musical side, they were designed
and built by Holmberg's son, Don Jr. The components were based on equipment
purchased from Apple. The files they play are definitely NOT MIDI files!
The clocks are well-made and the time movements were sourced from a German
manufacturer. Don sold a good number of the clocks. His original shop was
razed for a housing project and a search of the Internet produced an address
in Universal City, Texas, a suburb of San Antonio. The company's websit is
still active and there are service manuals listed for all five of the models
he produced. Check out: http://www.holmbergorgans.com
Even if this doesn't help, it adds a piece to the history of the company.
Ed Gaida
San Antonio, Texas
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