so, an air reed organ is, physically speaking, essentially the same thing as a melodica.

i can probably get very similar tones using the $5 melodica i just ordered from china.

yeah. $5. 

which is about what i paid for that organ, back in the day.

i'll keep an eye out for a real bontempi replacement, but one shitty part about the internet is that you don't get the same kind of deals on old gear that you used to at garage sales. it's going to cost upward of $100, and my $5 melodica might just be good enough.