Wurlitzer Style 260

Wurlitzer Style 260

Typical console of a Style 260 (Photo from Regent Theatre - Sydney, Australia)
Console Type	Curved Console
Bolsters	2
Manuals	3
Ranks	15
Tuned Percussions	7
Traps	14
Rank Information
Rank Name Lowest Pitch Notes Trumpet 8' 61 pipes Tuba Horn 16' 85 pipes Diaphonic Diapason 32' 97 pipes Tibia Clausa 16' 85 pipes Clarinet 8' 61 pipes Orchestral Oboe 8' 61 pipes Kinura 8' 61 pipes Saxophone 8' 61 pipes String 8' 61 pipes Viol d'Orchestre 8' 85 pipes Viol Celeste 8' 73 pipes Concert Flute 16' 97 pipes Vox Humana 8' 61 pipes Oboe Horn 8' 61 pipes Quintadena 8' 61 pipes Piano 85 notes Marimba 49 notes Cathedral Chimes 25 notes Xylophone 37 notes Glockenspiel 37 notes Sleigh Bells 25 notes Chrysoglott 49 notes
Layout – Manuals & Touches
Pedal	16' Tuba Profunda 16' Diaphone 16' Bourdon 8' Harmonic Tuba 8' Diaphonic Diapason 8' Tibia Clausa 8' Clarinet 8' Cello 8' Flute 4' Octave Bass Drum Kettle Drum Crash Cymbal Cymbal
3 Combination Toe Pistons
Accompaniment	16' Contra Viol (TC) 16' Bourdon 8' Harmonic Tuba 8' Diaphonic Diapason 8' Tibia Clausa 8' Clarinet 8' Orchestral Oboe 8' Kinura 8' Viol d'Orchestre 8' Viol Celeste 8' Salicional 8' Flute 8' Vox Humana 4' Piccolo 4' Viol 4' Octave Celeste 4' Salicet 4' Flute 4' Vox Humana 2 2⁄3' Twelfth 2' Piccolo 8' Piano 4' Piano Marimba (re-it) Harp Chrysoglott Snare Drum Tambourine Castanets Chinese Block
Accompaniment Second Touches	8' Harmonic Tuba 8' Tibia Clausa 8' Clarinet Sleigh Bells Xylophone Triangle
10 Adjustable Combination Pistons
Great	16' Tuba Profunda 16' Diaphone 16' Bourdon 16' Contra Viol (TC) 8' Harmonic Tuba 8' Diaphonic Diapason 8' Tibia Clausa 8' Clarinet 8' Orchestral Oboe 8' Kinura 8' Viol d'Orchestre 8' Viol Celeste 8' Salicional 8' Flute 8' Vox Humana 4' Harmonic Clarion 4' Octave 4' Piccolo 4' Viol 4' Octave Celeste 4' Salicet 4' Flute 2 2/3 Twelfth 2' Fifteenth 2' Piccolo 1 3⁄5' Tierce 16' Piano 8' Piano 4' Piano Marimba (re-it) Harp Cathedral Chimes Sleigh Bells Xylophone Glockenspiel Orchestral Bells (re-it) Chrysoglott
Great Second Touches	16' Tuba Profunda 8' Tibia Clausa
10 Adjustable Combination Pistons
Solo	16' Tuba Profunda 8' Harmonic Tuba 8' Diaphonic Diapason 8' Tibia Clausa 8' Clarinet 8' Orchestral Oboe 8' Kinura 4' Harmonic Clarion 4' Piccolo Cathedral Chimes Xylophone Glockenspiel Orchestral Bells
6 Adjustable Combination Pistons
Tremulants (3)	Main Solo Vox Humana
Toe Pistons	Siren Auto Horn Fire Gong Gong (re-it) Steamboat Whistle Horse Hoofs
Push Button	Door Bell Steamboat Whistle
General	Two Expression Pedals One Balanced Crescendo Pedal One Double Touch Sforzando Pedal - Piano Pedal - 1st Touch, Full Stops (wind) - 2nd Touch, Everything One Double Touch Sforzando Pedal - Piano Pedal - 1st Touch, Snare Drum - 2nd Touch, Bass Drum and Cymbal

The Wurlitzer Style 260 is one of the company's most iconic large-scale theatre organ models, which were often installed in deluxe movie palaces during the late 1920s. It is a 3-manual, 15-rank instrument that provided a powerful and versatile sound palette for silent film accompaniment, vaudeville performances, and solo concerts.

General Information

The Style 260 represented the pinnacle of Wurlitzer’s factory-produced, standardized three-manual instruments. It included an extensive array of orchestral and classical ranks, traps, tuned percussions, and effects to replicate a full orchestra. While some Style 260s were installed exactly as spec’d, many were customized at the request of venue owners or prominent organists.

History

Introduced in the mid-1920s, the 260 was marketed as a deluxe alternative to the more common Style 235. It was part of Wurlitzer's strategy to offer turn-key "unit orchestras" that could fill vast auditoriums with expressive sound. Around a dozen known 260s were built, with variations in stoplists and console decoration depending on customer preference and budget.

Specification Variations and Design Considerations

One of the distinguishing features on the spec sheet was the inclusion of a full 32′ Diaphone rank. However, this was frequently omitted in actual installations due to **ceiling height limitations** in orchestra pits and chambers. In such cases, the pedal section was often adjusted to substitute lower extensions from existing 16′ ranks, or to use resultant tones to simulate 32′ effects.

The re-it system, another unique element of the specification, was largely considered a marketing gimmick. It attempted to provide a smooth, more mellow fundamental bass tone automatically, but many organists found it to be redundant or underwhelming in practice.

Organists often requested enhancements to the tonal resources of the instrument. A common customization was the extension of the Tuba Mirabilis (on 10″ wind) down to 8′ pitch, which was not part of the standard 260 specification. This gave the instrument a middle ground in its solo voice and reinforced the upperwork with added power and gravitas.

Notable Installations

- *Loew’s State Theatre*, New York, NY (Customized with additional ranks) - *Paramount Theatre*, Oakland, CA (Known for its powerful Tuba and grand scale)

Perception and Legacy

While not as common as smaller styles like the 190 or 235, the Style 260 has gained legendary status among theatre organists and enthusiasts for its grandeur and flexibility. Surviving examples—especially those restored to original specification—are treasured for their immense tonal resources and expressive capability.

List of Known Installations

Opus	Year Installed	Location	City	State	Country	Style	Wiring Schedule
1928 | Loew’s State Theatre | New York | NY | USA | 260 | ✔
1929 | Paramount Theatre | Oakland | CA | USA | 260 | ✖
9101	1927	Capitol Theatre	Toronto	ON	Canada	260	✔

See Also

• Wurlitzer Style 235
• Wurlitzer Stoplist Notation
• Unit Orchestra Concept

References

• Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ
• Williams, Terry. Theatre Organ Stops and Styles: A Comprehensive Guide