Boardwalk Hall- The 64' Diaphone

You guys are so awesome for this!!!!!! Thank You!!!! Ive always wondered and was curious what happens on the business end of the original famous 8htz 64' Pedal "Sub"!! EARTH SHAKER!! I'm over here cheering like my favorite team scored a touch down.. BOTH HANDS UP!!

That is pretty crazy! 4 stories tall! I can't make anything bigger than an 8' Diapason in my shop and I can't even imagine making something as big as that CCCCC Diaphone. The joinery must have been a real pain. Each pipe must have enough wood to make a whole school gym floor!

Thank you for doing this. It is really inspirational. I'm an organist and I've been in a few organ lofts, but this is something else - it just oozes quality - the pipework, spacious walkways, varnished woodwork, swell shutters and the view of the auditorium through the grilles are awesome.

I am at the end of my career and approaching retirement, so a little too late to switch jobs. Watching this and other videos about Boardwalk Hall and other grand organs I have performed with, I find myself wishing I had known about organ technicians in my youth and had spent my professional life maintaining such grand instruments as these are. Imagine the joy in keeping a classical organ functional for future generations to enjoy!

This is awesome! I had the privilege of getting a private tour of both main stage chambers by former curator Dennis McGurk. I was up on the top level where you show the bag flapping, That organ is a treasure and I am so glad that it is finally receiving the care and attention that it deserves after so many years of neglect. If I was a young man again I would love to have participated in the ongoing restoration. Back in the 1990's I was a member of the South Jersey Theater Organ Society and participated in restoring the Kimball pipe organ in the Broadway theater in Pitman NJ.

That was amazing! Been hearing this on records since I was a kid listening to "Bach on the Biggest". So cool to see that view of it! We had a tube-driven stereo with 12" woofers, and I would get behind it just to watch the woofers vibrate like crazy. 😂

Hell's own racket starts at 7:41. The trash bag taped to the mouth of the low C pipe actually keeps vibrating with the air after the sound stops.

New Jersey native here. I last saw this organ back in the 1990's when the all state band and New Jersey Education Association convention were still held at the old Convention Hall. It was completely non-functional, but even seeing the console up close was a mind bending experience for a young person. I get such a kick out of seeing this instrument coming back to life.

Considering what this organ has been through with decades of deterioration, the pipework in this chamber appears to be in good shape, at least visually.

I love the endless amount of pipes

7:40 the neighbour starting their vintage chopper bike

Fascinating!!! I have often wished I had gone into organ building. How complicated. Thank you Chris.

I have noticed numerous comments here stating that the stop is unmusical. Its purpose is not to be musical, but rather to support the ensemble. It is not really audible through headphones or speakers, only harmonics are heard. The true sound of the pipe is beyond the capabilities of most electronic sound systems and even human hearing. This stop is more about being felt in the room rather than heard.

2:36 On the left is the Grand Ophicleide, the loudest organ stop at 100” of wind pressure

7:40 Holy crap! I'm using headphones and that scared me...!! :)

Thanks for the tour!

This is really neat, thank you so much for showing us! :)

Thank you so much for making this amazing video!!!

That was loud! I am wearing earphones and it about blew me out of my chair! Thanks for showing us that huge pipe. For some reason I thought it would be the opposite and be a very muffled tone by the time it reached the top of the pipe. Boy, was I surprised!

I laughed out loud when that pipe started playing!!!