Hagen Patient Restores Rare Wurlitzer at Music Hall

One of Dr. Hagen's patients has the unique title of "Master Organ Rebuilder." Ron Wehmeier, whose name is synonymous with the preservation of pipe organs, led the arduous 30-month, $1.4 million restoration of the rare Mighty Wurlitzer from Cincinnati's old Albee Theater.

This 1927 organ is one of the 25 surviving major theater Wurlitzers and is considered by many to be one of the top five of its kind in the nation.

Ron's recent "labor of love" required an incredible amount of work, including replacing work parts and seats on the 2,000 individual pipe actions and soldering miles of wires for a new relay system. He worked on nearly every aspect of the organ restoration except the finishing and filigree work on the console.

As explained in a recent Cincinnati Enquirer article featuring Ron, a gift from an anonymous donor funded the repairs and installation, which allowed Ron to save the Mighty Wurlitzer.

At the Music Hall dedication of the organ on Nov. 28, 2009, Ron was on hand to say a few words to the sell-out crowd of over 700 and speak about the technical aspects of the restoration of the unique instruments that he loves.

"I was as nervous as when I'm in Doc's chair," Ron joked. "But Wurlitzers were always my favorite pipe organ and it was a great dream to have a chance to restore it myself and have it stay in Cincinnati."

Ron's fascination with organs began when his father talked about his days playing the Wurlitzer at Cincinnati's Royal Theater downtown for silent movies in the 1920s and 30s. Ron apprenticed in Cincinnati, Detroit, and Baltimore before opening his own workshop in Cincinnati in 1965.

Like a true perfectionist, at both his craft and in other areas of life, Ron keeps regular appointments with Hagen Dental Practice. Although, he does not always relish going to the dentist, Ron has been a faithful patient at Hagen Dental Practice for decades.

He says he likes Hagen Dental Practice because, "everyone in the office is very nice. Doc is very straightforward and tells it like it is." Ron, a resident of Price Hill, also appreciates the location of the office - only 10 minutes from his house. And, for someone who is used to the painstaking and time-intensive restoration of a classic like the Wurlitzer - convenience is often appreciated.

The Wurlitzer's Mighty History

• The Mighty Wurlitzer's original home was in the Albee Theatre downtown from 1927 to 1968.
• After the Albee was demolished, the organ was moved to the Emery Theater in Over-the-Rhine. It remained there until 1999.
• The Mighty Wurlitzer sat hidden away in storage until 2003.
• The grand organ was dedicated in front of a sell-out crowd of over 700 on Nov. 28, 2009 at Music Hall, with a special performance by renowned organist Ron Rhode.