But the 112 will either have a newly designed 112 amp…. Given the feature/design inconsistencies throughout the short run of the 112, and the seemingly constant using up of older parts, the one defining and consistent difference between this particular model and all known examples of prior model 111 is the amp.
However, as there are wooden-legged 111’s, and as many 112’s contained leftover 111 assemblies, I can’t yet say with certainty that any 112’s appeared in stores before 1956. There are 112’s with 1955 production stamps inside. There are newspaper and magazine ads by December that depict a wooden-legged Wurlitzer EP. My working theory is that it appeared in stores a mere few months after the 110 and 111, in later 1955. It is unclear precisely when this model debuted. Because of the resonance of the wood top and the unique design of the “style 1” reeds, these models have a significantly different sound than the Model 120 of the following 5 years. All three of these earliest models have a very strong bark when played hard, and a very pretty, trebly, delicate sound when played quietly. The sound and feel are unique, though, and this can be appealing. They will never have the feel of a post-1962 model, and this should not be expected of them. Of course, they can be fantastic once they have been serviced.
Many vintage keyboard tech outfits simply won’t touch them. We are talking about both the physical/mechanical/tone-producing components, and the tube amp electronics.
Wurlitzer spinet piano from 1950 how to#
Even if you buy one cheap, you should expect to invest either years of your own time in learning how to get them to function, or several days worth ($$$) of detailed servicing from an experienced tech. As with all 1950’s-era models, this should be a consideration before investing in one. The company simply wasn’t yet designing these with ongoing maintenance in mind, and as a result, everything takes 4 to 6 times longer to repair than any models from the mid-late 1960s on. 112’s, and the 2 earlier variants, the Models 110 and 111, are a challenge (some would say a royal pain) to service (tuning and regulation).