Heathkit

 By Bruce Shawkey

Found this 1965 Heathkit catalog. One of the more ambitious projects you could order was this Thomas "Coronado" electronic organ. 

Here's the description from the catalog:

Every organ feature you've ever dreamed of! Just look what you create on this superb instrument! 1) 17 True Organ Voices ... Diapason 16' & 8'. Bass Clarinet 16', English Horn 8', Violin 8', Oboe 8', Bourdon 16', Flute 8', Flute D'Amour 4', Quint 51/2', Saxophone 8', French Horn 8', Cello 8' and Chimes ... all at the simple touch of a tab! 

2) 2 Separate Speaker Systems ... a built-in 2-speed rotating Leslie plus two 12" Main speakers. With the Leslie system you create the beauty of a full "theatre" organ, or the rich randomness of sound adaptable for religious music. And by playing both systems at once, you produce an exciting "stereo" effect. 3) 28 Notes Of Chimes ... worth $500 to $2000 as an extra on other organs. Create hundreds of chime variations. 4) Color-Tone Attack, Repeat & Sustain Percussion . . . the only organ to give you all three to create an infinite number of beautiful musical effects. You can vary the rate of repeat percussion & select short or medium sustain. 5) Two Full 44-Note Keyboards ... conform to standard organ specifications. The tilted upper manual overhangs to bridge the two manuals easily. 6) Manual Balance . . . to adjust relative volume & accentuate either manual. 7) 13-Note Heel & Toe Pedalboard ... range C thru C. 8) Pedal Sustain . . for special rhythm effects such as a string bass. 9) Pedal Volume Control . . . continuously variable . . . allows regulating bass pedal volume to suit the mood of the music. 10) Vibrato Switch . . . adds warmth & beauty. 11) Expression Pedal ... to adjust volume from softest whisper to full majesty. 12) Reverb ... to add concert-hall realism. 
13) Treble Accent Tab ... adds new clarity & brightness to solo work. 14) Headphone Outlet . . . play any time without disturbing others. 15) All-Transistor 75-Watt EIA Peak Power Amplifier . . . assures wide dynamic range, clear clean treble and full organ bass. 16) Pre-Tuned Tone Generator ... to tune the organ, no special musical "ear" needed. 17) Transistor Tone Generator Boards . . warranted for 5 years. 18) Luxurious Hardwood Cabinet & Bench . . . handcrafted & handrubbed with full-bodied walnut finish. 19) Compact Size ... only 36" H. x 44" W. x 24" D. No Extras, Nothing More To Buy! Everything you need for complete playing versatility is included. There are no speakers, amplifiers or other "hidden necessities" to add as with other organ kits. It's all there at one price ... even the bench! Saves hundreds Of Dollars! You can pay as much as $1,000 more for other makes. and still not enjoy as many features as the GD-983. You actually save up to $400 over the factory assembled version. Truly A Professional Organist's Dream With a Beginner's Simplicity! And yet, you don't have to be an electronics wizard to build it, nor a professional organist to play it. Famous "Heath-Enginuity" reduces assembly to simple steps that require no special talents, tools or knowledge. And the famous Thomas "Musical Fun Book" is included to start you playing many favorites fast. Play As You Pay! Only $125 down, as little as $27 a month. Order yours now! Kit GO-983, Organ & matching walnut bench, 242 lbs. . .$125 dn as low as $27 mo. $849.00.
_____________________

I can't imagine putting such a project together. I tried putting together an oscilloscope and digital volt ohm-meter once and had to send them back to Heathkit so their techs could finish them.

The "kit" organ weighed 242 pounds, so I'm guessing shipping charge would have been around $100 or more depending on destination (Heathkit was located in Benton Harbor, Mich.) $849 in 1965 is worth about $8,500 in today's dollars.

Heathkit is the brand name of kits and other electronic products produced and marketed by the Heath Company. The products over the decades have included electronic test equipment, high fidelity home audio equipment, television receivers, amateur radio equipment, robots, electronic ignition conversion modules for early model cars with point style ignitions, and the influential Heath H-8, H-89, and H-11 hobbyist computers, which were sold in kit form for assembly by the purchaser.

Heathkit manufactured electronic kits from 1947 until 1992. After closing that business, the Heath Company continued with its products for education, and motion-sensor lighting controls. The lighting control business was sold around 2000. The company announced in 2011 that they were reentering the kit business after a 20-year hiatus but then filed for bankruptcy in 2012, and under new ownership began restructuring in 2013. As of 2022, the company has a live website with newly designed products, services, vintage kits, and replacement parts for sale. Their website is at https://shop.heathkit.com/

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