Strange Columbia Elepian with active pickups and a tube amp? Repair options?

[M0rph]

Hello!

I was just gifted an old Columbia Elepian.

I am really excited to hear it, but the wiring and documentation was eaten by mice 30 years ago.

From the outside it resembles the Elepian 713 model.

So, I was expecting to see passive pickups, simple reeds, and a solid state amp. With the reeds each having the same width.

Theoretically, an easy enough fix to get sound out of it...

Nope, totally different design than anything I have been able to find anywhere on the internet. The model is CERV550

It has 75 keys, with active pickups, and each reed has a different width; the  control panel is only a volume wheel with an old school style output for headphones, and a tube amp to power it up.

It has wood keys, with what seems like a plastic veneer, and all the mechanics are wood, except for the rubber hammer heads that are covered in felt, and glued onto wooden dowels.

it has, what looks to be, a heavy cast iron harp that the reeds and pickups are mounted to; much like you see on a piano, but way smaller.

There is a small circuit board that has 3 connections, one is connected directly to the pickup rail. The board also has a positive lead and a ground wire.

I am hoping someone can help me figure out how to get sound out of this thing...

I am not sure what it would take to get the tube amp working in its current state.

So, I am hoping for a DIY or even an after market replacement that can energize the active pickup enough so I can plug it in to another amp and get sound out of it.

I have worked on a bunch of old synths, so I am not afraid to try and fix it, but my experience is mostly with silk screened circuit boards of the 80's; replacing chips and leaky capacitors, or following instructions on how to modify a circuit following diagrams.

So tube amps, active pickups and old circuits seem pretty foreign to me but not too much to handle with some guidance.

I will add photos shortly...

Thanks!!

[M0rph]

I am curious if I could build something like this Wurlitzer Amp Build

And drop it into the Elepian?

[JMezz]

Have a look to see if you can find info on the Maestro E pianos - they were essentially active versions of the Elepian. If you're able to post Some photos of the pickups that would be something cool to see!