Hammond organ
If you like tweaking and improving, the Hammond H model at 0$ to $200 max is a lot of fun. The internet is full of bad reviews of these things, but after you replace 50 dried up electrolytic capacitors, the sound is amazing. More bass, more treble, than any other model. It has real sine wave generated low C, instead of filtered foldback or electronic divider, and it has higher harmonics than any other Hammond model with 2 extra tonewheels per note on the upper manual. It has a "string bass" feature that makes a convincing emulation of a stand up bass or 4 string bass guitar. It has a "celeste" vibrato in addition to the 300 hz one, that with the reverb can make a convincing imitation of a stone cathedral.
There are some reliability problems, which can be repaired or improved. They are so loud, with a 40 w 7591 tube bass circuit driving a 15" woofer in front of the power amp, that they can knock the tubes loose in the socket. Preamp tubes can pop and crackle too due to poor connections affected by the vibration. I just bought a second one where the reverb tube actually works, the tech had put something slimy on the tubes most likely to crackle and they don't - was it silicon grease? The H has a stereo vibrato circuit which warbles the signal between left and right 8" speakers at 300 hz- much like a Leslie. The frequency is not controllable as some Leslie's are, but the scanner is driven by a belt off the main motor. Opportunity for the improver- drive the vib scanner with a separate motor driven by a variable frequency motor drive to get the same control over speed as a leslie with no 3x6' footprint in your music room. Another modifier opportunity- the H has prewired sounds that are classical in nature. There is a vast quantity of popular music that uses sounds of the Hammond B3. B3's cost $3000 (junk) to $6500. The H has a percussion circuit that is more complicated than the B3, the envelope can be adjusted to be like a B3, but none of the "tabs" implement the "twos" and "threes" overtones of the B3. Correcting those harmonics to a tab instead of something useless like "banjo" seems to me to be a simple job with a soldering iron. Some of the "sanctified" black keys on the lower manual could be rewired to emulate the more manly presets of the B3 or anything else that can be constructed by additive synthesys. Instructions for rewiring are on a label on the back. In the far future, I'm thinking about putting magnetic switches on the lower manual and midi encoding it so I can play any sampler sound without standing up. The absolute can't be modified feature of the H is the weight- it has more tonewheels than any other model, and the generator weighs more, so it is not suitable for taking to gigs. For more exhaustive discussion, and dicussion of other Hammond models by fans of them, see the Hammond forum of organforum.com
If you like tweaking and improving, the Hammond H model at 0$ to $200 max is a lot of fun. The internet is full of bad reviews of these things, but after you replace 50 dried up electrolytic capacitors, the sound is amazing. More bass, more treble, than any other model. It has real sine wave generated low C, instead of filtered foldback or electronic divider, and it has higher harmonics than any other Hammond model with 2 extra tonewheels per note on the upper manual. It has a "string bass" feature that makes a convincing emulation of a stand up bass or 4 string bass guitar. It has a "celeste" vibrato in addition to the 300 hz one, that with the reverb can make a convincing imitation of a stone cathedral.
There are some reliability problems, which can be repaired or improved. They are so loud, with a 40 w 7591 tube bass circuit driving a 15" woofer in front of the power amp, that they can knock the tubes loose in the socket. Preamp tubes can pop and crackle too due to poor connections affected by the vibration. I just bought a second one where the reverb tube actually works, the tech had put something slimy on the tubes most likely to crackle and they don't - was it silicon grease? The H has a stereo vibrato circuit which warbles the signal between left and right 8" speakers at 300 hz- much like a Leslie. The frequency is not controllable as some Leslie's are, but the scanner is driven by a belt off the main motor. Opportunity for the improver- drive the vib scanner with a separate motor driven by a variable frequency motor drive to get the same control over speed as a leslie with no 3x6' footprint in your music room. Another modifier opportunity- the H has prewired sounds that are classical in nature. There is a vast quantity of popular music that uses sounds of the Hammond B3. B3's cost $3000 (junk) to $6500. The H has a percussion circuit that is more complicated than the B3, the envelope can be adjusted to be like a B3, but none of the "tabs" implement the "twos" and "threes" overtones of the B3. Correcting those harmonics to a tab instead of something useless like "banjo" seems to me to be a simple job with a soldering iron. Some of the "sanctified" black keys on the lower manual could be rewired to emulate the more manly presets of the B3 or anything else that can be constructed by additive synthesys. Instructions for rewiring are on a label on the back. In the far future, I'm thinking about putting magnetic switches on the lower manual and midi encoding it so I can play any sampler sound without standing up. The absolute can't be modified feature of the H is the weight- it has more tonewheels than any other model, and the generator weighs more, so it is not suitable for taking to gigs. For more exhaustive discussion, and dicussion of other Hammond models by fans of them, see the Hammond forum of organforum.com
I recently picked up a Hammond M-3. It was dead, and appeared to have not been turned on in 30+ years! After unsticking and oiling the generator, replacing the dead tubes, and bringing it up SLOW on a variac (there's a trick to this, if you need to know ask), it started singing! However, it is currently out of commission while I rebuild the vibrato scanner.
It has a dual-manual keyboard, "percussion", vibrato (after I get the scanner fixed anyway), and a one-octave set of pedals.
If you want to hear what one sounds like, Booker T. used an M-3 on the original recording of "Green Onions"!
Oh yeah, if you do manage to pick up a vintage Hammond with a tone-wheel generator, make sure the generator is BOLTED DOWN before you move it, and don't unbolt it until it is in its final location.
It has a dual-manual keyboard, "percussion", vibrato (after I get the scanner fixed anyway), and a one-octave set of pedals.
If you want to hear what one sounds like, Booker T. used an M-3 on the original recording of "Green Onions"!
Oh yeah, if you do manage to pick up a vintage Hammond with a tone-wheel generator, make sure the generator is BOLTED DOWN before you move it, and don't unbolt it until it is in its final location.
Hammond value
around here, Hammond T's are 0$, also other late transistor organs. Most of these have color tabs instead of black and white. L's and M's up to $300, ABCD 1's and 2's without percussion up to $1000, E's and R's about $500, H's about $200. Anything working with 25 pedals or more is worth something as a practice organ for classical music. On the east coast H's are free. Then, if you move fast, there are bargains. A working C3 with percussion sold in Georgetown for $800- in 2 hours.
around here, Hammond T's are 0$, also other late transistor organs. Most of these have color tabs instead of black and white. L's and M's up to $300, ABCD 1's and 2's without percussion up to $1000, E's and R's about $500, H's about $200. Anything working with 25 pedals or more is worth something as a practice organ for classical music. On the east coast H's are free. Then, if you move fast, there are bargains. A working C3 with percussion sold in Georgetown for $800- in 2 hours.
M's
Compared to a B/C3, M's are missing some key switches in the upper octaves. If you are playing 08800000 sounds like Booker T of the MG's, it doesn't matter. If you play a more exotic sound, you would notice the difference. Steve Winwood adds and subtracts upper overtones as he plays- See the concert with him and Clapton at Madison Square Garden on PBS. Also the M has one octave pedals. If you don't play with your feet, doesn't matter, but I've learned some songs with the feet in 4 months on my H, and if the song is in G or F, one octave bass lines slop over into two octaves on the pedals. Inna-Gadda-Davida bass line is fun on 25 pedals. Also Bach was a big low C fan- Passacaglia &F hits low C every 16 measures. Rattles the windows on the H with the pedal to the metal. M & B people use a Leslie speaker to get extra bass volume.
Compared to a B/C3, M's are missing some key switches in the upper octaves. If you are playing 08800000 sounds like Booker T of the MG's, it doesn't matter. If you play a more exotic sound, you would notice the difference. Steve Winwood adds and subtracts upper overtones as he plays- See the concert with him and Clapton at Madison Square Garden on PBS. Also the M has one octave pedals. If you don't play with your feet, doesn't matter, but I've learned some songs with the feet in 4 months on my H, and if the song is in G or F, one octave bass lines slop over into two octaves on the pedals. Inna-Gadda-Davida bass line is fun on 25 pedals. Also Bach was a big low C fan- Passacaglia &F hits low C every 16 measures. Rattles the windows on the H with the pedal to the metal. M & B people use a Leslie speaker to get extra bass volume.
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