What is a Wurlitzer brasshorn?

Answer 1

The Wurlitzer Brasshorn, or Brass Horn is an add-on speaker/horn for the electronic Wurlitzer organ of the 1960's, and was designed to accentuate the frequencies of the organs more mid-range voices such as the Oboe & Trumpet. Surprisingly the organ's string tab sounds very realistic through the brassbell when using the pitch bend lever that is located on the upper left edge of the volume pedal. Activating the lever while at the same time raising and lowering volume gives a super imitation of a violin.

The brassbell is approximately 20 or so inches in length and consists of a larger horn driver that is cylindrical shaped with each end flat. The driver is not unlike the driver you see at the ballgame mounted to the backs of the stadium horns. The driver is mounted onto a boom type of mic stand via the long flange cast into the driver shell. The side of the driver which delivers the sound has another casting which is tapered, hollow, and serves as the mounting where the actual brass horn is attached. Around the base of this casting, surrounding the area of the driver where the sound comes out are the words WURLITZER above, and BRASSBELL below.

The brass horn is just that- a horn shaped like the bell on a trumpet and made from shiny brass.

To hear a fine example of a Wurlitzer 4500 organ as heard through a Wurlitzer Brasshorn( the 4500 was the first Wurlitzer full sized console organ that was 100% transistorized) go to YouTube and watch:

Mr. Fantastic and the Wonderful World of Wurlitzer

The Wurlitzer Brasshorns are considered very valuable and can fetch more than the organs which used them.