J-512 Info

[Threecaster]

Greetings:

First, a bit about myself: I am no keyboardist, only a lowly drummer. But I LOVE music
of all kinds, and have quite the good set of ears.

I have just been given a Hammond J-512, S/N D176757 in fairly good shape.
It has a single-speed Leslie built into it. It also has a "rythym section" that makes the
electronic back-beat for Samba, Ballad, Rock, Parade, etc...

It has no other names on the front or the back, other than "Hammond".

It looks and feels very 70's-ish; especially based on the formal ciruit boards with actual
traces on them (as opposed to solder flow traces (circa 1965), or hand-wired), and
the fact that it actually uses phenolic transistors.

The "Rythym section" is also a dead giveaway for seventies, but was probably
state-of-the-art, wow-gee-whiz stuff at the time.

The lack of any digital IC's (however primitive) suggests pre-1978.

Besides: Analog is good!

I have been unable to find ANY mention of a J-512 on the web. Very unusual, as I can
usually find quite a lot of info on something quite easily.

I was wondering if anyone knew when it was made, what it's current value is, and where
I might could find paperwork on the thing.

The closest I have come is a mention of J-Series Service Manual from
www.hammond-organ.com, which is a guy in the UK.

It does need some tweaking, as some of the keys make sounds out of sequence with
thier neighbors, and I would like a map before I start taking it apart.

In advance: Thanks!

Threecaster

[Orgrinder010]

Try looking around for a more Broad Search. Such as: J-500 Because the last two numbers in 500 are just the Wood color and Decor style. The 5 would most likely mean That it has a Rhythm machine, Usually Internal Leslie, A bunch of Percussion Sounds.
I Know the J-100's and such Did not have drawbars, does your J-500 Have them? I guess having drawbars raises the value a little and makes the organ a little more useful for getting the "Hammond Sound".

[andyg]

The J500 was the last of the Hammond J series, and was last made in 1971. The J series itself goes back a few years earlier, to when Hammond took over the Everett Organ Company in the mid/late 60's. Info is going to be a bit thin on the ground as the J series was never one of Hammond's big sucsess stories. As for the value, the answer has to be very little, they're on ebay in the UK for £10 - around $20 - and not selling. Darren at Hammond-Organ.com is a great guy - I was with him last weekend - and if you can get the manual from there, go for it. The only changes over the years with the J's were the addition of a leslie from the J200 and auto rhythm on the 400 and 500. Any J manual should therefore be OK.

Andy G

[Threecaster]

Apoligies for the Delay, I got called out of town on business.

First question: What are Drawbars?

Are they the large "keys" you press with your feet?

If so, It does have them. (even if one doesn't work)


Any J manual...O.K. cool

It's all right that it may not be that valuable. It's more value to me as an instrument
of music, and the potential therein. I was just curious...


Thanks folks!

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