Purchased my first Wurly 140 in 1965 for $150. Never knew if it would make it through a gig. Very noisy through the amplifier, especially if some dust got in the gap between the reed and the pickup. Had to get my father to drive me 20 miles to the only place that serviced it. An expensive proposition for a 15 year old making 50 cents an hour flipping burgers after school. Kept it for a year, then went through a series of organs: Elka, Esty, Gibson 101, Rheem. Got out of the USAF in 1972 and looked at the new, improved Wurly 200. The salesman at Glen Park Music in Gary Indiana said that the reeds never broke any more. He lied. Kept it for a year and got a Rhodes. The Rhodes had the same problem with the tines, but at least you could fix it during a gig, and didn't have to worry about the 300 volts of electricity around the Wurlitzer reeds. I would never own another Wurly. Just too many memories of being let down during a gig. And while I appreciate the reliability and versatility of my Korg PA4x, I understand the tactile feedback and tone provided by an electromechanical piano. My Yamaha CP70b fills that need, it's easy to get the occasional string for it, and the local piano tuner stops by once a year to tune it. Everyone should own a Wurly at least once, to understand its strength and its undeniable flaws.
Duane