Frequently Asked Questions

I receive a fair amount of E-mail (from people who don't seem to like to join mailing lists!), and many of the same questions keep popping up.  So, I've decided to post the common ones.  This is where opinions come in to play, so if you have any comments, suggestions, or complaints, feel free to respond accordingly!

Question:  I just bought a 200A from a music store and I was wondering how long Wurlitzer made them.  I'm guessing roughly 1961-1970; is that close?

I'm still trying to find out exact dates of manufacture pertaining to model years, but it appears to me (all I have to go on right now are schematic dates) that the 200 series came out around 1967-68, the updated 200-A came out around 1972-73, and the 200-B around 1979-80.

Question:   I was wondering were i can get the manual for the wurlitzer 200a and the cost of it.thanks.      

Morelocks Organ Service has the real-deal manuals for ALL the Wurlitzer Electric Pianos.  The 200 series manuals cost me $18.00 plus actual shipping, and it covers all the 200 series models.

Question:   Is there a wurlitzer 200 and 200-A,or is it normally referred to as the 200?

Yes, there is indeed a 200 AND a 200-A, as well as a 200-B!  These models have IDENTICAL actions, cases, legs, sustain pedal, etc.  The difference is in the Amplifier.  The 200 series has a transistor amplifier, and the 200-A has an updated transistor amplifier.  To my ears, I cannot tell the difference in tone between the 200 and the 200-A.  I'm told the reason the amps were updated was because the price of NPN-type transistors were less than the PNP-types that were originally used in the original 200.  The 200-B actually has an IC-based pre-amp designed to be used for external sound systems, leaving out the internal amplifier that drives the speakers.

Question:   I am looking for someone who really knows how to work on this particular model. Over the years I've had more than a few people work on it and it never has sounded right. Any info that you could share with me would be extremely helpful.

Good keyboard techs are the hardest thing to find in the world!  What I would recommend doing is buying the service manual for your particular model, then seek out a qualified piano tech in your area.  The actions inside the Wurlitzer Electric Pianos are VERY much like the actions in an acoustic piano, therefore a piano tech should have no trouble setting up the action.  As for the electronics, the amplifiers are pretty straight-forward, so a good electronics tech should be able to troubleshoot them with the proper schematics.  Most music stores have a guy that can do all these things, and i'm going to put together a list of techs that work on these pianos as well.  I would recommend looking HERE  for places and numbers.

Question:   I need a new power cord for my Wurlitzer electric piano, model 200, and I was hoping that maybe you could steer me to where I could get a replacement.

ALL parts are available at Morelocks Organ Service.  I have their information, as well as other places to buy parts and manuals HERE.

Question:   I've tried to no avail to find info on Wurlitzer organs or the Wurlitzer Company. If you can point me to any relevant sites or provide any info it would be greatly appreciated.

I get LOTS of E-mail on this subject!  No offense, but I DON'T do organs!  But seriously folks, here's some links i've found on that subject.

Question:    I have a model 200 (I think) which buzzes quite loudly. I was informed that it was because the ground was not connected. I attached an entirely new power cable and yet the buzz persists. how do I make it quiet?

The first thing to check is all the grounds INSIDE the piano.  Many times, these pianos are serviced, and an internal ground was left off or loosely attached.  I'll be posting an entire Troubleshooting section very soon.

Question:   The wurly sound that I really enjoy is the one used by supertramp. Do you know which model do they (supertramp) use?

I BELIEVE that supertramp used a 200A for all their recordings. They also doctored up the sound using compression, chorusing, reverb, etc. I'm currently researching this subject.

Question:   I've seen some models selling on the ebay, for example: There is an EP200A in auction that has a broken middle C reed and has no sustain pedal. Is the broken reed a bad sign? Can the piano be in a bad shape, from an internal point of view, or a broken reed is somehow usual?

The reeds can be broken rather easily...this is a common problem. I wouldn't worry about it too much, since it happens fairly often, especially with players that like to hit hard to get that "barking" tone that rockers like so well! 

Can it be easily replaced, is it expensive?

Yes, they can be replaced pretty easily, and the parts are available and fairly inexpensive.  Once again, click HERE to gets parts information.

More to come!
 Check back soon.

HOME