Which Clonewheel?

[AJP]

... Most likely on the used market.

Roland VK-7?

Korg CX-3?

Hammond XK-2, XK-1 or XK-3?

Oberheim OB-3Squared?

Don't wanna lay out the cheddar on a Nord, as the addl electro-mechanical sounds are not a requirement, and I want "real" drawbars (and am diggin' on a "wood" cabinet).  Important to me: Emerson, Lord, Banks, Wakeman... unimportant: blues, gospel, R&B/soul.  Opinions??  Thanks!

[delaware dave]

The best emulator on your list is the XK1.  The XK1 also has the better leslie simulation so I'd go this route:

XK1

CX3

XK2

VK7

XB-2

OB3^2

 

If you want that John Lord sound, I would add a Neo Ventilator as the leslie simulator to the XK1 and you are there .....

http://neo-instruments.de/en/ventilator/ventilator-features

 

 

[AJP]

Thanks for the rankings!  You obviouslty know your Hammonds.  XK-3 was a typo, shoulda read "XB-3" (the older one), as the XK-3 is too much scratch.

[TIMKEYS]

 

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AJP wrote:

 

 

... Most likely on the used market.

 

Roland VK-7?

 

Korg CX-3?

 

Hammond XK-2, XK-1 or XK-3?

 

Oberheim OB-3Squared?

 

Don't wanna lay out the cheddar on a Nord, as the addl electro-mechanical sounds are not a requirement, and I want "real" drawbars (and am diggin' on a "wood" cabinet).  Important to me: Emerson, Lord, Banks, Wakeman... unimportant: blues, gospel, R&B/soul.  Opinions??  Thanks!

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I dont know what your budget is, and I am not a high tech kind of guy.   I found a super deal on a VR700.  It was a demo.  It has a great keyboard thats authentic organ, but its easy to play piano on or whatever.  It just a pleasure to play.  This puppy is the only board you need to haul around if you are gigging in most bands.

What i like about it is that you have a bomb organ that dont need to surround with other boards to play a show.   I would love to own a XK, but it too short on cheese.  Steel drums, accordian, horns. etc. 

They got a neat demo     

[AnotherScott]

The VR-700 has a fantastic action. Its weight and bulk makes it a bit of a bear to carry around, but it's a joy to play.

 

One other factor to consider... if you get a clonewheel that sends out standard MIDI CCs from its drawbars (and ideally other controls as well), it's easy to use it to control other sound sources, like the VB3 VST which by all accounts sounds better than the internal sound engine of any of these. Or you could use it to control an iPad organ app like Galileo. So that might be an argument for the CX3 and I think at least some of the Hammonds. I don't think the Rolands do that.

[Kevin T]

VR09 ......distortion good for Lord bad all else. This bd does all u ask @12lbs

[TIMKEYS]

 

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Kevin T wrote:

 

VR09 ......distortion good for Lord bad all else. This bd does all u ask @12lbs

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I would like to play one of those.    I use the overdrive crankedup on  magic carpet ride.    I run just a touch on  touch on my regular organ presets just to warm up the leslie effect.  The VR09 seems to have a lot fo the same features.  How is the action.  Toy like or solid feeling like a its big brother

[Kevin T]

VR09 keys take getting used to but I find them great after that

[delaware dave]

the VR09 routes the percussion through the Chorus/Vibrato circuit...  none of the other mentioned clones (nor a real hammond) do this.

[wesg]

Nordst like the c2d have draw faders, not even as nice as the draw faders on the VR-09 if you ask me. The VR-700 has nice proper rawbars, though!

[timhartigan]

The OB3squared, if you can find one (its quite rare), is very portable, has a unique sound, and looks very cool on your stand with its old school dark walnut case.  Keys tend to develop fractures and are almost impossible to source.