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Hammond B1 1?


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Does anyone know what a B1 1 is? Or maybe just a B1? B1 1 might be a typo. A nice old fellow who is moving into a retirement home is offering me one, but says it needs a little repair, and I am not able to go see it until after he has to move. I can have a friend go pick it up though if it is worth taking. I can't find any information on Hammond B1s on the net. If it was a B2 or B3 I'd definitely take it, obviously. Do these things exist or do I need to ask him more questions?. I don't want to trouble him too much or look a gift horse in the mouth (while he is looking, anyways).

 

Has anyone heard of these? What are they like? Leslie?

 

thanks in advance for any info,

 

HH

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Thought so...I'll get a friend to go take a look...I'm laid up from surgery for a collapsed lung, was hoping to spare my friend the journey. Is there a way to tell the difference between a tonewheel Hammond and a transistor one just by looking? I don't think the thing currently makes any noise.

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1959 Hammond had quite a few different organs available. Drives me crazy when someone talks about the B3 onstage, and there's no Hammond onstage. I get a great sound out of my Roland VK-77 and a 760 Leslie, but I wouldn't call it a B3. (And cause I don't like the dirty Hammond sound, I prefer the Roland for it's ease of moving and flexibility.) I wouldn't be expecting a B model Hammond in this case. Doesn't mean there isn't a nice organ waiting for you, but I'd plan on holding onto your money until you can figure out what it is. Remember that 1959 full size Hammonds are large and very heavy. (Organ without pedals or bench would be 275 lbs or heavier.) Plan on some furniture moving dollies, ramps and at least two strong helpers. Even the Hammond M3 weighs 250 lbs. Steps are hell and a truck or open van would be a good idea.

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Is there a way to tell the difference between a tonewheel Hammond and a transistor one just by looking?

Yes, if you get close enough to read the model plate. :thu:

 

Aside from that, if you can discover if it has two power switches (start & run), it's a lot more likely to be a desirable model.

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Next:

 

Assuming it is a tonewheel Hammond, as it would almost surely have to be if he truly got it in 1959, you can't just send a friend to go pick it up. It will take at least 2 people if it is a spinet, and 4 people plus dollies if it is a console.

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dude seriously when someone says "come and take my organ", don't post on the internet about it until you have it and can't figure out what it is.

 

if you listen to someone's description you'll wind up passing up a B3 because the guy on the phone made it sound like a Piper.

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dude seriously when someone says "come and take my organ", don't post on the internet about it until you have it and can't figure out what it is.


if you listen to someone's description you'll wind up passing up a B3 because the guy on the phone made it sound like a Piper.

 

 

Heheh...I hear you guys and I will definitely do my best to grab this thing, but like I said, I'm laid up and not allowed to lift 5 lbs for 4 - 6 weeks, let alone drive over there with buddies and move it. There are also some inconveniences, maybe impossibilities depending on size, as far as where to stick it. He is determined that it goes to a 'good home' (he probably wants to come play it from time to time), and I would like to honour that request--something I can only do if it is an organ I will use. My studio is not huge, and I am not primarily a keyboardist, so I don't really have the luxury of a big old keyboard collection. I only want this thing (and the repair job I'll need if I want to use it), if it will be an improvement on my VK-8, as a go-to organ for recording (mostly rock n roll). The VK-8 is great for the stage, but doesn't really have all the character I'd like on a record...even when heavily neve-ified.

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yeah I definitely don't want one of those, but if I show up at his house and it's one of those, I'm definitely going to have to take it and hang onto it. I've got third party confirmation he got it in 1959...those pipers came much later, right?

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Forgive me if you already know this, but any Hammond is going to sound uninteresting without a Leslie. If that comes with the organ (even if it is a Piper) grab it.

 

It's too bad you can't just have someone look at the model plate on the back. Or snap a pic to post here. I wouldn't get my hopes up; 99 times out of 100, when someone tells me about a 'nice Hammond organ' for free or cheap, it's a turd.

 

In the meantime, here's more info than you probably want to know about the various tonewheel models and when they were produced.

 

http://www.dairiki.org/HammondWiki/HammondModels

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Forgive me if you already know this, but any Hammond is going to sound uninteresting without a Leslie. If
that
comes with the organ (even if it
is
a Piper) grab it.


It's too bad you can't just have someone look at the model plate on the back. Or snap a pic to post here. I wouldn't get my hopes up; 99 times out of 100, when someone tells me about a 'nice Hammond organ' for free or cheap, it's a turd.


In the meantime, here's more info than you probably want to know about the various tonewheel models and when they were produced.


 

 

 

Yup fingers crossed for a leslie, of course. I'll post any snaps or info if and when I get it. Thanks for your help, everyone.

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The OP want's something that will sound better on recordings than his VK-8. I don't think any of the Hammonds that came with built-in Leslies will measure up.

 

 

Probably right. I would also be pretty excited if I could run other things through the leslie.

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Hammond organ Band Series "B" offered B1, B2 & B3. The B1 is self contained amp/speaker included split keyboard with rockers, bass pedals and no draw bars.. The B1 offers a simulated Leslie like temelo sound. It is a solid state unit with the old 50/60's sound. It is most assuredly a lesser organ than the B2 and B3 units.

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If the organ was made after 1953 and bought in 1959, look at the keyboards. If the top and bottom line up properly and there are drawbars all along the top, it's a B3 or equivalent. If they are offset, it's an M3.

 

Either is worth getting. Seriously. Listen to "Green Onions" by Booker T and the MGs, that's the M3.

 

Neither will have a built-in Leslie, but it might come with an "organ speaker", which could either be a Hammond tone cabinet or a Leslie speaker.

 

If it's a B3 equivalent and has built-in speakers, it's an A100 or A102. A102 has ugly-ass curvy legs.

 

If it's a church model, a C3, it will have quatrefoil carvings in it.

 

Make sure you ask about the pedals, speaker, and bench when picking it up.

 

And bring three friends and a u-haul trailer.

 

GO GET IT NOW.

 

Wes

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