Vollum Studio - 4/49 Wurlitzer, Style 285
Portland, Oregon
Organ installation timeframe: 1964-1990
 
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Console of the Howard Vollum residence organ
 
The Vollum residence instrument was based around the former San Francisco Granada (Paramount) 4/33, Style 285 Wurlitzer.
 
George Wright played a farewell concert at the Paramount on March 17, 1965. The theatre closed April 20 and the organ was dismantled.
 

Console of the San Francisco Paramount Theatre Wurlitzer while still in the theatre.

Howard Vollum (president of test equipment manufacturer Tektronix) purchased the instrument. It was removed from the theatre by Dennis Hedberg.   The Portland-based Rodgers Organ Company was very interested in the organ and supposedly had an eye to "copy cat" (according to a Rodgers ad from the time) several of the ranks electronically.

Dennis Hedberg with the help of Bob Rickett and others installed the organ in its new home.   The console was refinished by Rodgers in an antique white and gold style.   The re-installed instrument was heard at the Vollum studio during the 1966 ATOE National Meeting in Portland.

Jonas Nordwall, c. 1968

 

After Howard Vollum's death, the instrument plus a substantial sum of money towards installation costs in a municipal building was offered to the City of Portland.   Sadly, the offer was refused because of the extensive design changes that would have been required to accomodate it.   The intrument was sold and is now in installed at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, Australia

 
Partial list of concerts: