Electronic organs were enormously important to Tom. The installations mentioned in the snippet above were of the Jennings Organ Company's Model "G", the flagship of Tom's range at the time (1958). He was evidently still proud of these commissions - and justly so. For an overview of the Jennings Organ Company's activities in the 1950s and early 1960s, see the material assembled on this index page.

Perhaps the greatest coup of his new company - "Jennings Electronic Developments" - came early on: the release in the autumn of the JEI J69, heralded as the first truly portable three-manual organ.

Autumn 1969, the new three manual J69.

Jennings Models

Below, simply an overview (for the time being). Further details on the individual models can be found on the main index page. Tom protected the design of the JEI drawbars via the Patent Office, April 1971. The Patent applications asserted on all JEI serial number plates (organs, amplifiers, speaker cabinets and so on) - numbers 15698 and 50889 - have yet to be traced in the official records.

A section will be added below on electronics and assembly, some of which was undertaken on behalf of JEI (under contract) by A.P.T. Electronics, which had factories in Byfleet and Ascot. As one might expect, JEI organs have much in common with the Vox Continentals of the second half of the 1960s.

July 1969, music trade press.

The assembly of the "O" and "B" series amplifiers was contracted out to Triumph Electronics in Purley. The O50 and O100 were designed specifically for use with Jennings organs.

1969 to early 1970

J67: single manual, three octaves (36 notes), attack percussion.

J68: double manual of manuals four octaves (49 notes), tremulant and vibrato, sustain and percussion effects. 13-note pedal board.

J69: three manual, the lower two as the J68, the upper as the J67. 13-note pedal board.

K1: single manual, three octaves (36 notes), percussion effects.

Early 1970 to 1975

J70: double manual, effectively as the J68, but with the addition of walking bass effect.

J71: three manual, effectively as the J69, but with the addition of walking bass effect.

Late 1972 to 1975

J72: the console (wooden case) version of the J70, bench seat required. Built-in 50 watt amplifier and Pulsation (rotating speaker) unit. 13-note pedalboard also built in.

J73: the console version of the J71 with the same appointments as the J72.