Got a Hammond !

Well, it is NOT a B3... but still a Hammond.

This is the 144K model, which is basically a home organ, Japanese made (Suzuki), it has a built in Lesslie and it sounds incredible !

Minor problem with the '8 flutes... when '8 drawbar is all way open the '8 sounds will make loud noise.

I got it from a friend who bought it from an organ teacher, who didn't agree to get rid of the stock chair !!

rule #1!!!

Do you have a picture, link to specs, etc?

Must be a transistor powered Hammond and not an older tonewheel one, I could not find any spec listings on the Hammond FAQ page which features Hammond tonewheel organs.

Clyde

Yah, most chances it is transistor based, but it still sounds very good. A bit limited as it only has the drawbars active for the upper manual, but this on its own is great sounding ! Leslie works perfectly, can't wait to start recording it in stereo !

To tell the truth I am quite amazed at how cheap these are being sold at the states ....

Where I live it takes very long till you come across a Hammond for sale... shame

I has costed me about 500$ while for the same price I could get a tonewheel-full featured Hammond at the states...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hammond-H-100-Church-Organ-like-B3-EVERYTHING-WORKS_W0QQitemZ180032005748QQihZ008QQcategoryZ64429QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

Congrats Gil.

BTW You might want to ask STG about the problem

I assume it is a bad capacitor or transistor in the '8 flute circuit.

Will have ot open it up soon. The problem doesn't arise as long as the '8 bar is not fully opened.

Originally posted by gilwe Yah, most chances it is transistor based, but it still sounds very good. A bit limited as it only has the drawbars active for the upper manual, but this on its own is great sounding ! Leslie works perfectly, can't wait to start recording it in stereo ! To tell the truth I am quite amazed at how cheap these are being sold at the states .... Where I live it takes very long till you come across a Hammond for sale... shame I has costed me about 500$ while for the same price I could get a tonewheel-full featured Hammond in the states... http://cgi.ebay.com/Hammond-H-100-Church-Organ-like-B3-EVERYTHING-WORKS_W0QQitemZ180032005748QQihZ008QQcategoryZ64429QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

I paid about $800 USD for my Hammond C3 and $150 for a 910 Leslie, but that was almost twenty years ago. Most of the dealer prices I've seen lately for B3s etc. including a Leslie (usually a 122 or 147) have been in the $3,500 to $7,500 USD range, you might pick one up much cheaper in a private sale situation.

Clyde

It's amazing how C3 and B3 are asked 4000-5000$ nowdays while equivalent Hammond models are only asked a few hunderds.

OK, I found some pictures, not of my 144K, but of the Composer, which looks almost 100% identical to mine.... Except for those nice front legs, panel and keys are almost identical

Originally posted by gilwe It's amazing how C3 and B3 are asked 4000-5000$ nowdays while equivalent Hammond models are only asked a few hunderds.

Well, people obviously don't consider them equivalent, do they?

A Volkswagen is equivalent to a Ferrari in a certain sense too...

How different are the B3/C3 and the A100 for example ?

Just wondering...

Originally posted by gilwe It's amazing how C3 and B3 are asked 4000-5000$ nowdays while equivalent Hammond models are only asked a few hunderds.

I used to think the same way with Spinets vs Consoles, so I bought my Hammond M3 for $300 instead of buying a console for a couple thousand. The M3 was decent for the sound it did, but nothing, and I mean NOTHING, sounds and feels like a console hitting you at the chest in a club setting. I was fortunate enough to see Ivan Neville play locally (amazing organ player) with a B3/Leslie setup and I sold my M3 shortly thereafter. I'm now saving for a A-100.

Now, the differences between transistor and tube is pretty huge to. However, the bottom line is - you're happy with your purchase. Just do yourself a favour and don't check out any B3 players live. Ignorance is bliss when it comes to the pocketbook

Originally posted by Jonny_Q I used to think the same way with Spinets vs Consoles, so I bought my Hammond M3 for $300 instead of buying a console for a couple thousand. The M3 was decent for the sound it did, but nothing, and I mean NOTHING, sounds and feels like a console hitting you at the chest in a club setting. I was fortunate enough to see Ivan Neville play locally (amazing organ player) with a B3/Leslie setup and I sold my M3 shortly thereafter. I'm now saving for a A-100. Now, the differences between transistor and tube is pretty huge to. However, the bottom line is - you're happy with your purchase. Just do yourself a favour and don't check out any B3 players live. Ignorance is bliss when it comes to the pocketbook

I love my C3, same as a B3 except for the full cabinet and I've heard quite a few excellent B3 artists over the years. And in all honesty when I'm playing/recording in my home studio I usually use a Hammond patch on my SY77 or SY99 and run it through a Leslie, it works well in my recording setup and sounds excellent, most of the time you would be hard pressed to decide whether it was a synth or the Hammond. I agree with your bottom line, if you are happy with your purchase and it works well for you, then play it and enjoy it rather than worrying about what it is.

Clyde

@ OP.

Looks like a 70s vintage transistor spinet. I had the Aurora for a while, pretty much the same.

If you look inside, you probably have a big styrofoam baffle with a speaker in the middle. This is your Leslie. (Mine actually said "sound automation by Leslie" on a plaque)

Also, check for spring reverb. Mine had it.