What this site is about

I got the idea for the name from the old "Combo Organ Hell" web site, long-since gone from the Internet (though I did eventually contact the owner). Later, I found that the phrase "combo organ heaven" is used in Mark Vail's "Vintage Synthesizers" book. Anyway, I figured that since I'll be in Heaven some day, that there must be Combo Organs there, too, so here we go.

Remember the cheesy combo organs of the late 60's and early 70's? Bands like the Doors, Iron Butterfly, the Animals, the Dave Clark 5, with their small electronic organs and their thin, reedy sounds had a major impact on the music scene. These strange instruments, with their chrome legs, plastic parts, and gaudy colors have fallen out of favor with most "serious" musicians. With the exception of some alternative and retro bands, you just don't see them much any more.

No fancy graphics, frames, or other web goodies here (except the awesome graphics on the home page, courtesy of Simon Beck - I just couldn't turn them down). Just information (most of it correct, hopefully), pictures, and a few sounds. Since I currently own only a few combo organs myself, and have only had the opportunity to play a handful of others, I know little about many of the ones featured here other than what's in the pictures and what I've been able to find out from their owners. So if you know more, please enlighten me and I'll update the site accordingly.

Please email me with your thoughts, comments, criticisms, corrections, additions, etc.