♦ Reblitz Restorations Inc. ♦
Current YouTube Video Presentations
(Video editing and composition by Bob Taylor)
This Seeburg Style H Orchestrion was
built in 1922 and retailed
for about $3000. It plays piano, with a mandolin attachment, has 64
violin and flute pipes, a xylophone, and percussion played automatically
with expression from an 88-note
paper music roll.
Orchestrions were
widely used in many public places circa 1900-1930, to
provide music
when live musicians weren’t available. This particular Seeburg H was
completely restored in 2009 by Reblitz Restorations Inc.
“Magnificent and typical of the quality of Art’s restorations. Great!” …Yaledmot
(Video editing and composition by Bob Taylor)
The Seeburg Style H Orchestrion in this and the previous videos is a
“musical time machine” that plays exactly as it did nearly 100 years ago
without any electronic parts. The original electric motor drives pumping
bellows that provide suction for the pneumatically-operated automatic
player mechanism and pressure for the organ pipes. Originally used
mainly by commercial establishments like candy stores, ice cream
parlors, saloons, hotel lobbies, penny arcades and other amusement
places, the few remaining examples of these wonderful treasures
are now mainly in private collections where they entertain
with the same music heard by earlier generations.
“Absolutely THE BEST example of a properly
restored and regulated nickelodeon on YouTube! My father and
Larry Givens listened to an ‘H’
while making 88 note Mel-O-Dee piano rolls in the 1960s. What fun!”
…John Gourley IV
“I think that anyone who is using Mr.
Reblitz’s fine book on Player Piano Servicing should supplement
the coin piano and orchestrion section of
the book by watching this video. Especially take notice of the expression
louds and softs, the perfect percussion response (especially the snare
drum, which can be difficult to get right), and the voicing and
balance
of the pipes relative to the piano.” …KawhackitaRag
(Video editing and composition by Bob Taylor)
This Wurlitzer CX Orchestrion, built in 1918, includes piano, mandolin attachment,
two ranks of pipes, orchestra bells, drums, and triangle. It also features the intricate
Wurlitzer Automatic Music Roll Changer, a mechanism that enables it to play 30
different tunes, with five different tunes on each of six music rolls. Watch the video
all the way to the end to see it change rolls automatically. The staff at Reblitz
Restorations—Bob Grunow, Rex Kennedy, Don Hein, Marguerite Lykes and
Art Reblitz—completed the museum-quality restoration in 2010.
“This is perfect! It’s exactly how a Wurlitzer orchestrion is supposed to sound.
Look at the gorgeous restoration and precision regulation. Listen to Art’s fantastic
arranging of this standard tune…. This is the only Wurlitzer C or CX orchestrion on
YouTube worth listening to. The search stops right here, folks!”
…SeeburgMusic
“Superb restoration, excellent musical arrangement, and a really informative,
well-made video. Thanks!” …Rowland107
Reblitz Restorations Inc.
Colorado Springs, Colorado
(719) 598-2538