Artronica NOTE:THIS IS A 'NOT FOR PROFIT' HOBBY WEBSITE.VISITORS ARE TO CHECK FOR OTHER DETAILS THEMSELVES.
Contact :Mr Subash Artronica organs This Web Page was made during the twilight years of these Old Socialist Era Electronic Organs of India.They have truly run out of steam.May be it is our duty is only to preserve them as Heritage or atleast allow them to be Home Practice Organs,where ever possible or necessary ,as these Instruments have been purchased with great difficulty and hard work by the Church Congregations in India,especially South India.
This Organ make was unique in many ways ,one fact being that it was the first Indian made electronic organ(though with an imported oscilator circuit board). Though the choice of stops and the Console Cabinets were comparable in a small way to their western made counterparts ,they played their roles very well during the eighties and the nineties,before being sort of overtaken by the keyboard storm that happened with the Indian Economy moving away from the socialist model . The SCALA MUSIC INDUSTRIES {(VELACHERRY,CHENNAI,TAMILNADU)Proprietor: one Mr Ajith along with two others as I discovered recently(26.9.09)} which produced these organs had closed down long ago while its Engineer Subash continues to service these organs,probably .One day,in the 1990s when I inadvertently walked into the Scala Music Industies workshop,I noticed an Electric Piano that was being serviced there.There was no Artronica at that moment when I walked in.It was in an exposed condition.I noticed that the Keys conpleted a circuit mechanism while being pressed.
A veteran organist still prefers playing on the Artronica Organ though he has access to a complete Console Digital Console Organ(Content) in his own Church(St John's).Today(30.3.2013),another young Organist from the same church extolled the virtues of the same and in fact expressed his longing to play on that same instrument though -the truth is that it is almost irredeemable as of now .Half of the choristers in the Church of Tranquebar house (Tiruchirapalli),it is said, withdrew from the choir,when the Artronica Organ (a small one manual Organ)in that church was shelved in favour of a Keyboard.A few years back,I tried searching for that organ while in attendance at at a wedding in the old church.I found it relegated to the remote storage space in the church.As of now a new and huge Church stands beside this church.And this huge church has a keyboard with an Organ look alike Cabinet.Another Organist in Chennai ,it was observed,pleaded with the members of the church's pastorate committee ,to let the church have its Artronica Organ for his own use in the church,when the PC decided to go for a Yamaha keyboard.Though his request was rejected,the event showed the passion that Artronica enthusiasts have for their Artronica Organs.Thankfully that Artronica was relocated to another church in Tiruvallur(Pandur Village) where it is being used.Its present fate is unknown(11/12/2019).Organist Stephen reports that the Artronica in question(In TELC Anbunathar Church) had actually become irredeemable and so the church had to shift to a keyboard .
Servicing and maintenance of organs is area of concern .
MR SUBASH,ELECTRONIC ORGAN DOCTOR
10/751,28TH ST,TNHB COLONY,KORATTUR,CHENNAI-80 PHONE:9841519073 AND 9444285914.
In my small time experience as an organist, I believe that each of these organs is distinct and unique in many ways.Even simple makes like Artronica had their uniqueness.
Artronica Organ enthusiast are requested to send images if any of these organs to me.Preserving defunct Artronicas as museum pieces can also be thought of:the date of Purchase,cost,Date of retirement, etc, can be recorded for interest of the later generations.The Birla Planetorium's Science Museum,Kotturpuram,Chennai, may even accept these instruments as Museum pieces.
Electronic Organ Doctor Subash servicing an Old Artronica Three Manual Organ at St Martin's Church,New Delhi Cantonment.It may be the only 3 Manual Organ Artronica serving in a Church,right now.
Mr Subash servicing the Organ at a Church in Ambur,Tamilnadu
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE ANY IMAGE/COMMENT/FEEDBACK/ANY INFORMATION RELATING ARTRONICA ORGANS:THEIR LOCATIONS,CONDITION ,ETC (TRIVIA)