Minshall Organs. Burton Minshall, Canada/USA. 1946

Minshall Organ
‘Mt Vernon’ Minshall Organ

The Minshall range of electronic Organs were designed by the ex-radio repairman Burton Minshall (Born; Dereham Township, Oxford, Ontario, Canada 9th aug 1907 . Died; 10 Feb 1957 aged 49 ).  These electronic tube organs were an early post war design – targeting a new and affluent US middle class and competing with tone wheel, pipe and reed based organs. Numerous electronic organs were produced during the 1950s in what became a fiercely competitive market, eventually dominated by companies such as Hammond, Conn and Gulbranson (who in turn were forced out by heavy competition from Japanese integrated circuit designs in the 1960s).

minshall_01 copy

Minshall’s design was originally intended  as a home build project. This first amateur design eventually lead to the establishment of a successful organ manufacturing company selling mainly to churches and funeral parlours as well as the home organ market.

Minshall’s original plant in Ontario Canada moved in 1946 to Brattleboro, Vermont USA due to the proximity of Estey Organ Co – a well known and established manufacturer of reed organs. In 1947 Minshall’s company merged with Estey to form ‘Minshall-Estey Organ Inc’ where they continued to produce electronic organs based ion Minshall’s designs until 1954 when Minshall severed ties with Estey.

The Minshall company finally came to an end in 1955; Burton Minshall became ill, sold all of his shares in the company and eventually died in 1957.

Vacuum tubes of the MNinshall OPrgan
Tone generator cabinet showing the vacuum tubes and speakers of the Minshall Organ (image copyright Swartko)

The Instruments produced sound using 52 vacuum tubes mostly 12AU7s or 12AX7s – using 3 tubes per tone generator, one as a phase shift oscillator and five sections as RC frequency dividers. The Minshall Organs, which were considerably cheaper than similar competing models, had a reputation for unreliability and problems with pitch drifting of the overheating tubes.

 Minshall Sales Brochure

Article from ‘Mechanix Illustrated’. May 1954.


Sources:

‘Manufacturing the Muse: Estey Organs and Consumer Culture in Victorian America’. By Dennis G. Waring

‘Mechanix Illustrated’ Magazine. May 1954. H.W.Kellick

27 thoughts on “Minshall Organs. Burton Minshall, Canada/USA. 1946”

  1. I have a Minshall Estey organ from 1947, it has a model C 6l6G tube amplifier in it. I would like to know what kind of tone cabinet you are supposed to pair it with? Do you have any pictures of one>?

  2. My family has an organ Minshall Model 116 Serial No 1227 which was used in our church in the 1980s and which has been in the basement of my parents’ home. My father just died and we need to find a new home for the organ. Who might like to have this interesting and unusual organ specimen? How would we find a good home for it?

    1. I have (I’m pretty sure) A MINSHALL 8 tube organ amplifier.
      It has two Hammond Mfg. Co. Ltd. Guelph. Ont. transformers.
      Reading controls from the left to right as follows:
      Chimes, Microphone, Mike-Phono, Tone Indicator then a Circuit warm up magic-eye and then last an on/off switch with a red indicator light.
      Do you have any information regarding this very Leak style amp.?
      It is a beautiful sounding amplifier. Hope to hear rom you.

  3. I have (I’m pretty sure) A MINSHALL 8 tube organ amplifier.
    It has two Hammond Mfg. Co. Ltd. Guelph. Ont. transformers.
    Reading controls from the left to right as follows:
    Chimes, Microphone, Mike-Phono, Tone Indicator then a Circuit warm up magic-eye and then last an on/off switch with a red indicator light.
    Do you have any information regarding this very Leak style amp.?
    It is a beautiful sounding amplifier. Hope to hear rom you.

    1. I have had a great amount of repairing
      Minshall organs back in the early 1950’s! These organs had one major problem! The capacitors in the tone generators were made with oil saturated paper insulation!
      The capacitive value of the capacitors was unstable, raising the capacitive value as the paper compressed with time.
      Burt Minshall had a very nice sounding organ with minimal parts if it hadn’t been for those capacitors!
      Polystyrene or Mylar insulation
      was not available in the early 1950’s and that one problem caused the company to fail because of short life capacity stability, a sad Thing for Bert!!

  4. I have (I’m pretty sure) A MINSHALL 8 tube organ amplifier.
    It has two Hammond Mfg. Co. Ltd. Guelph. Ont. transformers.
    Reading controls from the left to right as follows:
    Chimes, Microphone, Mike-Phono, Tone Indicator then a Circuit warm up magic-eye and then last an on/off switch with a red indicator light.
    Do you have any information regarding this very Leak style amp.?
    It is a beautiful sounding amplifier. Hope to hear rom you.

  5. Hi – I believe I have the Minshall organ amp you asked for. I can send pics if you like. Phone 403-317-9628 Lethbridge , AB or email peterc4@shaw.ca Thanks – Peter & Susan

  6. I have an old Minshall organ that has a reed bank and electric blower but some circuitry too. Model 115B Anybody have any ideas?

  7. I have a Minshal-Estey organ to sell. From the Grant street church, Bpt. CT . 2038887518 phone #

    1. I’m interested in the amplifier inside the organ. Would you be willing to sell just the amplifier? Do you have any pictures?
      I have one Minshall amplifier and if I could get another I would have
      a stereo set up. Warm regards Gord Morriso n

    1. Do you know of any vintage Minshall amplifiers in your area?
      I have one and would love to get a matching amp for a stereo set up.
      My understanding is that Mr. Minshall tried to get his amp’s
      into hi-fi stores in Ontario but was blocked out by the big US
      manufacturers. That’s when he turned to the organ market.
      Any interesting information would be appreciated.
      Warm Regards Gord in Winnipeg

    1. Hello Chas. I just happened to look up this site and found your e-mail.
      I would love to see some images of your Minshall amplifier and would be prepared to purchase it if it matches the one I have. Get back to me
      at glor@mymts.net. This is quite exciting. Cheers Gord Morrison in
      Winnipeg

      1. February 22, 2022
        Hello Gord:
        Chuck here in British Columbia.
        If you are still looking for an amplifier, I am dismantling a Minshall Organ Model E, Serial #5221
        I believe it was purchased for a Church and later used in a hockey arena. It has a heating bar.

    2. It’s me again Chas. I really hope I hear from you about that Minshall tube amplifier. As you know I have one and it would be fantastic if I could match it with another one for a stereo set up. I guess a
      picture is worth a thousand words. So if i could see a snap shot of your Minshall that would be great. Are you up in upstate New York and in a
      band. I was trying to find an e-mail address for you.
      Anyways thanks for putting up with my ramblings. Cheers Gord

  8. EMEAPP.org : The Electronic Music Education and Preservation Project is in in the Philadelphia area and has the capacity to take in donations of outsized items like organs , pianos and the like. They also store, repair, refurbish and display instruments. It is not gear under glass visitors can actually play the instruments.

  9. I have a Minshall two-manual electronic organ with 2-octave pedal board. The capacitors in the tone generators need replacing but the contacts, cabinet and organ bench are in good shape. I’m willing to donate the instrument to anyone wanting to pick it up. I live south of
    Trumansburg, NY, east of Watkins Glen, NY.

    Bill Sitzman
    Church soloist

  10. Hello, I am Burton Minshall’s granddaughter. I am in search of a Minshall or Minshall-Estey organ in decent condition, but not necessarily functional. I live in California and am willing to travel.
    Thank you – Suzan Minshall

    1. Hi Susan I have a Minshall organ and dont know if it works as the plug and most of the cord is gone. it was in a church property that I bought. It is in North Carolina. my number is 910 9646090

  11. This is a long-shot but thought I’d try.
    I work with an organist with the last name of Minshall. He will be celebrating 50 years as organist in March.
    By any chance, does anyone have a part of an organ that has the Minshall name on it that you would be willing to sell to me?
    Thanks in advance.

  12. I have a Minshall Electric tube organ Model H. It has been fully restored and works beautifully.
    Details are:
    CY 60 Volts 115 Amp 2 Model H
    Organ was made in 1950 and has had only 2 owners.
    Am looking to sell.

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