How much is a Hammond X5 organ worth?

[WhinyLittleRunt]

I have a chance to get a Hammond X5 is what looks to be semi-good condition. I guess the electronics just need to be cleaned according to the seller. He hasn't told me what he wants for it yet but asked me to make an offer. I don't want to offer anything yet until I know what they're worth. Any ideas? I'd love to add it to my rig but not if it's outrageously expensive...

[suitandtieguy]

as long as the X5 works i would feel safe spending 40 dollars on it.

 

cherish the time you have with it and then when it inevitably {censored}s you on a gig a week or a year from now and you find out it'll cost 400 USD to fix _if_ the tech can find one of the NLA ICs in the thing so you just say "screw it" and leave it in the tech's dumpster which persuades him to send you a bill for the time it spent in his dumpster and you won't feel bad about it because "hey it was only 40 bucks to begin with."

 

i'd say any more than that is an unwise investment.

 

they sound pretty cool though. some Hammond snobs might not like them but the trick is to not think of it as a Hammond but as a fancy combo organ and run it through a straight speaker and make it sound as reedy and bright as possible. use it as a "hammond" and you'll be disappointed.

[WhinyLittleRunt]

Well the guy wants 250 for it..

 

Are they really that bad? I recently saw someone playing an X2 live at a bar gig and thought it was pretty rad. Maybe not worth what he's asking?

 

If I offered him 200, A) am I stupid, and B) am I gonna regret getting this thing?

[suitandtieguy]

does it come with a speaker?

[WhinyLittleRunt]

haha - actually, no, he does have a Leslie there for $450..

[gilwe]

I dunno the prices in the US, but it seems that you guys can get M100's for a few bucks. In that case, please look for the "real" thing

 

And no, the X5 doesn't sound bad at all - as long as you don't expect it to sound like a tonewheel

 

Check this out:

 

[mate_stubb]

haha - actually, no, he does have a Leslie there for $450..

 

What model?

[suitandtieguy]

depending on the model leslie ( 760 for example ) it might be a good idea to offer for both.

 

then you're basically getting the x5 for nothing if you look at a potential value for the leslie.

[pink floyd cramer]

When I went to pick up my A100 from the shop, met a church musician playing a similar transister Hammond model through a solid-state Leslie (not 760, 860 though)and it sounded great- brighter and more clarity to the sound than most tonewheels for sure.. But the tech did say that particular model was a PITA to keep running, so the guy was going to get it for a low, low price.

[WhinyLittleRunt]

It is a Leslie 760 - he said he would take 400 for the pair...

 

I'm starting to think I'll wind up passing on it because he said the organ doesn't really work that well (scratchy, some notes let out a whine) and due to the fact that I really don't have much money right now I really don't want a fixer-upper project organ. Been there done that.

[pink floyd cramer]

Leslie 760 alone is well worth $400. Dump the organ and get a Speakeasy (or Hamptone) preamp. Then you will have something that won't sound quite as warm as a 122 but will have more bass and more volume and no wood cab to worry about scratching up. I used a 760 (with a tornado-siren Altec HF horn driver) for some time with a house band and I really enjoyed it- no need for mic-ing either.

[suitandtieguy]

yeah give him 400 for both and use the x5 until it just explodes on stage. that is a great price (not a steal, but really nice) and it would be a shame to pass it up if you're interested in a Leslie and that thing's in good shape.

 

you're in luck! Speakeasy doesn't sell anything to connect to a 9-pin leslie.

 

either get this from Mike at Trek II (he can modify it to have a brake switch, which you'll want with a leslie like that that can handle it): http://www.trekii.com/UC1A.html

 

or i could i suppose build something for you in the way of an interface, but if i were you i'd just get the TrekII pedal and know that you'll have something that you can use with any (or multiple) leslie(s) you'll ever own.

 

the 9-pin leslies are the _easiest_ to hack into as the connector has AC mains, ground, signal, and 2 motor switching lines, one for fast and one for slow, that when you short one of them to ground it trips that relay.

 

i actually took a 9-pin female plug end and just soldered an AC cord, an inline 1/4" TS jack, and an XLR (to connect to a half-moon or footswitch) when i owned a 760.

 

something else i'd do is clip or jumper (can't remember which) the capacitor that times the "brake" circuit, which basically means you can't coast from fast to off, which is a really cool sound.

 

something else you really ought to do is verify that the upper horn driver is fully functional, then remove it _immediately_ and replace it with an Atlas PD-60A and Perspex adaptor plate from Tonewheel General Hospital. the amplifier in the 760 _WILL_ fry that V21 for breakfast if you play it enough.

 

after the x5 inevitably erupts into fire in front of a crowd of excited drunks, you might want to consider buying a new 122 amp (a friend of mine is a dealer and he'll do his best for you), a crossover, and a new woofer as that's all which is needed to turn that 760 into a 122. the 760 has a slightly larger cavity for the woofer to resonate in so in good shape they sound _better_ than 122s IMHO.

[Outkaster]

Forget the Speakeasy. It is too expensive for what it is. I would take my TREK II pedal over one of those anyday.

[pink floyd cramer]

I have a Speakeasy (bought used) with dual outputs (both 9-pin and 6-pin) and the "Barker" option. I can't compare to the Trek but I will vouch that that the SE sounds Really {censored}ing Good with an Electro or Voce V3 into either a 760 or my modded 22H. BTW I was set to do the 760-to-122 conversion STG described and wish I had followed through with it.

[LineDrawing76]

I bought a Hammond X-5 a few years ago for $450. I feel like I paid a bit too much, but let me qualify that. It wasn't in the greatest condition. It might have rattled apart a bit during shipping (though the seller did try to pack it well). Well, now it doesn't work at all. I didn't take care of it as well as I ought to have, but I also think it already had problems by the time it got to me.

 

If it had been in the condition that it should have been to allow it to keep working, sound wise, I think it'd be worth $450 by itself. I had to use a guitar amp to make it work, and of course it came with no leslie. I could never afford one. I still like it a lot as a musical instrument.

 

I should have had it looked at a long time ago and repaired, but I just never got around to it, and I often just never had the money.

 

I'm sure that since I'm getting to this thread about a month after you posted it, you might have already made your decision to buy or not buy it, but just in case I'm not too late, I'll give you a few pieces of advice.

 

First of all, don't use the aluminum tube stands that go with the instrument. I hate those stupid things so much. It makes it so that it's almost impossible to put up or take down the instrument by yourself (and I'm assuming that we're talking about the same x-5, here, the "portable" one that was made by the Hammond corporation back in the early 70's). The awkward size and weight of the instrument already makes calling it "portable" quite questionable as it is. The aluminum stand and hinged wooden back brace might be lightweight, but they're a huge hassle. The way you're supposed to make those pieces fit together and hold up the big, heavy top part of the organ stay up is really, really inconvenient, and possibly even dangerous. I've slammed the top half of the organ into my shin once while trying to stand it up by myself, and let me tell you, that hurt. With my organ, the wooden back brace piece is a bit worn, and it's getting to the point where it might not really be safe to keep using it.

 

I might sell mine, and since it's not currently making sound, I might get almost nothing for it. I kind of don't want to, though, but I can't afford to fix it right now (even though I'm sure it will probably only cost me $100-$200, I just ain't got it at the moment). If I do keep it and get it running again, I'm definately just going to get some 2x4's and nail something together to use as a stand, or buy some sturdy carpenter's horses or something. I just got tired of being the guy who had to say "Hey, can you two guys help me put my organ together? It only involves a few minutes of holding up a big, awkward 120 pound organ precariously onto a couple of hollow aluminium tubes and a thin piece of plywood and finding a free hand to put in a couple of giant metal screws at the same time."

[DON TAYLOR. JR]

12:20AM EDTsAT 9-14-19

Hi, I just found this URL while searching for any info on MY HAMMOND X-5  LOL  .  i MAY be quite tired yet, i must inform you all--I bought my X5 in Feb of 1977....'She'' worked w/me 6 nights a week, Holiday Inns, Marriotts, Shreatons,  Bars & grilles and 1st shoe was mated w/ TWO Leslie 925s.  Did we shake the stage ! Rock on and we did...I had a trio then a duo performing top 40 & dinner & dance music and we were booked !  ONE TIME  ONLY one time did she need big time help. While in Ohio I was LUCKY to find an old-time tech who knew how to replace the MM??? chip that gave each note its sound. After that, I contacted a Ca. wholesale chip supplier & bought 50 -they came shipped in a transparent plastic tube, for those who care.  Well I traded my 1 925  for a Tascam Portastudio 2 then, I don't remember what i did w/ the other 925 (those years have gotten fuzzy-not because of drugs, i didn't do drugs...i did musical equipment !) .  Then again all those Scotch & waters must have taken a toll     Anyway, I bought a Leslie 760 w a 15" Jenson woofer & Jenson powered tweeter.   I still admire those 2 'toys"  that made me a lot of $$ along w/my ARP Odyssey, ARP Omni II, & my Ochestron (1976) tht played from disks. Man, what a vocal choir when doing "Nights in White Satin" or MY Way.

     I'm in the process of resurrecting my X5 & Leslie 760 which I still have in storage. When I do, I plan to play 'her' for old time sake then put 'her' up fpor sale to pay for my Service dog's (BUDDY) vet bill & meds as well as my post cancer meds. Yea, all those smoke infested lounges & bars & Disco lounges filled my lungs AND contributed to my stage4 throat c.  The radiation & chemo took my voice away (FOR NOW !!!) yet, I'm learning to eat most of my food puraid <?>. I'm not complaining nor looking for any sympathy. I'm alive o enjoy my wife, KAREN, BUDDY-even though he's going blind, and I can still play the keyboards.  

  That man who wouldn't pay more than $40 ??  who made him the consummate expert ???. My HAMMOND X-5 sounded like a Hammond and performed like a 2-tier HAMMOND especially for my pride & joy:  "a WHITER SHADE of PALE" ; Misty; and 1000's of other songs i had the privilege to perform and make a living doing so.

tHANKS FOR READING. Regards, Don Taylor, JR.

[tanasic]

Hi people,
I have a Hammond X5, someone took the opportunity and pulled out a tone mixer board as well as a tone frequencies divider board. If someone has these boards, they can be faulty, to help me play my Hammond again. Thanks in advance

Brana

[Outkaster]

On 9/14/2019 at 12:37 AM, DON TAYLOR. JR said:

12:20AM EDTsAT 9-14-19

Hi, I just found this URL while searching for any info on MY HAMMOND X-5  LOL  .  i MAY be quite tired yet, i must inform you all--I bought my X5 in Feb of 1977....'She'' worked w/me 6 nights a week, Holiday Inns, Marriotts, Shreatons,  Bars & grilles and 1st shoe was mated w/ TWO Leslie 925s.  Did we shake the stage ! Rock on and we did...I had a trio then a duo performing top 40 & dinner & dance music and we were booked !  ONE TIME  ONLY one time did she need big time help. While in Ohio I was LUCKY to find an old-time tech who knew how to replace the MM??? chip that gave each note its sound. After that, I contacted a Ca. wholesale chip supplier & bought 50 -they came shipped in a transparent plastic tube, for those who care.  Well I traded my 1 925  for a Tascam Portastudio 2 then, I don't remember what i did w/ the other 925 (those years have gotten fuzzy-not because of drugs, i didn't do drugs...i did musical equipment !) .  Then again all those Scotch & waters must have taken a toll     Anyway, I bought a Leslie 760 w a 15" Jenson woofer & Jenson powered tweeter.   I still admire those 2 'toys"  that made me a lot of $$ along w/my ARP Odyssey, ARP Omni II, & my Ochestron (1976) tht played from disks. Man, what a vocal choir when doing "Nights in White Satin" or MY Way.

     I'm in the process of resurrecting my X5 & Leslie 760 which I still have in storage. When I do, I plan to play 'her' for old time sake then put 'her' up fpor sale to pay for my Service dog's (BUDDY) vet bill & meds as well as my post cancer meds. Yea, all those smoke infested lounges & bars & Disco lounges filled my lungs AND contributed to my stage4 throat c.  The radiation & chemo took my voice away (FOR NOW !!!) yet, I'm learning to eat most of my food puraid <?>. I'm not complaining nor looking for any sympathy. I'm alive o enjoy my wife, KAREN, BUDDY-even though he's going blind, and I can still play the keyboards.  

  That man who wouldn't pay more than $40 ??  who made him the consummate expert ???. My HAMMOND X-5 sounded like a Hammond and performed like a 2-tier HAMMOND especially for my pride & joy:  "a WHITER SHADE of PALE" ; Misty; and 1000's of other songs i had the privilege to perform and make a living doing so.

tHANKS FOR READING. Regards, Don Taylor, JR.

Awesome story.