1970s vintage Farfisa VIP 233 combo organ and original, branded accessories: Slalom, Swell and 13 note Bass Pedals, legs & brace, vinyl carry bags and cleaning cloth. Offers welcome, will ship.

The instrument and peripherals have been serviced by the specialists at Boss Organ of Somerville MA and are 100% functional. The original proprietary output which was usable only with a Farfisa brand amplifier has been professionally replaced with an output that accepts a standard instrument cable. All keys and drawbars are functioning perfectly with no extraneous noise, every note on both 49 key manuals ringing out loud and clear. 13 note bass pedalboard, slalom and volume pedals are all newly serviced and functioning perfectly. Pedalboard comes in its own heavy vinyl carry bag with a branded cleaning cloth, both in superb condition.

Chrome legs and hardware, branded cross-brace and branded vinyl carry bag all appear to be barely used and stored very carefully, with virtually no signs of wear. This component was collected separately; the cross brace is either from a different model of organ or I'm setting it up incorrectly, as it appears to be three inches too long to fasten between the legs. The legs themselves have the correct hardware to connect firmly to the instrument, and the stance is very solid.

This complete collection is a vanishingly rare find in truly excellent condition, complete and dependably playable.

If you pay the asking price, I'll pay for the shipping within the continental US, otherwise it will of course be a substantial additional cost. You may pick up, arrange your own shipping, or work with me on finding the best way to get it to you. If you commit to buy, you will be expected to immediately pay the agreed price for the instrument and accessories, and then additionally for the shipping once you've decided what's best for you.

Here is some information from the excellent 'Combo Organ Heaven' website:
Two 49-note manuals. The upper manual has a good selection of three voices (Flutes, Clarinets and Percussion), each in 4 ranks (16', 8', 5-1/3', 4'). The Clarinet voices are not found on any of the other VIP drawbar organs. The lower manual, in typical Farfisa fashion, features a whopping TWO voices (both 8'), but does provide a 17-key manual bass section with two voices and selectable attack. Throw in the Slalom pedal, and it's not a bad deal.

Feature-wise, the VIP-233 is pretty similar to the other "early" drawbar VIPs, but its styling, with the all brushed aluminum surfaces, is noticeably different

Pricing/Dating:  1972 List Price: $975, 1975 List Price: $1,195. Schematics are dated July 29, 1970. It appeared in a German flyer with a 1970 date code.

Controls:

  • Manual B./Pedalboard: Bass, B. Strings, Attack: Off/On, Sharp/Soft, Pedal Board/Manual Bass
  • Lower M.: Flute 8', Clarinet 8'
  • Vibrato: Off/Speed (one drawbar for both functions)
  • Volume: Flutes, Clarinets, Percussion
  • Upper Manual: Flutes: 16', 8', 5-1/3', 4' Clarinets: 16', 8', 5-1/3', 4' Percussion: 16', 8', 5-1/3', 4'