X-66

[Jerry]

Does anyone know of a solution to replacing\rebuilding the amplifier on the X-66. I have the four channels running into the tone cabinet connected with splitters and sent to a mixer. Then blended into a two channel amp. The Hammond manual instructions for "Stadium Installation" leaves me like a duck in high weeds when it refers to the Installer building a crossover network for the one channel that carries the reverb and pedal together. Why they didn't just use five leads is beyond me and all of their instructions for using an external amplification system. either for recording or a wider environment of sound, has eluded me so far.

Is there anyone who has dealt with this successfully?
Jerry

[John Bittner]

Lets see if I understand your problem.

The pedal and reverb outputs are combined on a single channel and you wish to separate them?

The simple solution would be disable the organ's reverb and use the mixed output to feed an external reverb unit. You can do a lot better than those springs today!

[Jerry]

John, what I originally wanted to do was replace the amplifier. It is getting unstable and tonal quality changes while playing it. such as the reverb changing fullness. Looking at the schematics of the amp. Hammond was not specific but more in general so reading the chart still leaves one guessing.
In Mr. Hammond's obsession to create the sounds and effects of the Leslie speaker. His company came up with a solution that I today don't really understand, but it works better than any of the tremolo effects that are on any other models.
The problem is when you try to use the organ with any other sound system and the tremolo, you hear this type of "goat" bleating that is absolutely intolerable what ever the original amp does with the four inputs is a mystery to me but I will soon have to either find someone who can rebuild it, or replace it. I am an avid X-66 lover and I just don't want to get rid of it. I am sure someone some where has dealt with this issue. I need to find the solution.
Jerry

[John Bittner]

I'm certain you can find someone to rebuild the amp, but are you sure the amp is really the problem? The type of intermittancy you describe might also be due to bad contacts in the organ stop tabs, cable interconnects, etc.

I owned an X77 for many years, and these sort of issues drove me crazy until I finally rewired everything and eliminated the crap connectors used internally.

Also, are you sure the pedal and reverb are on the same channel? Reverb and percussion on same channel would make more sense. That's how it was on X77.

[SDE]

The thing to realize is, there is no relationship between the X-66 and any other Hammond Organ, never mind between it and the X-77.

Almost everything about the X-66 was completely unique - channeling- key assembly, tone wheel assembly, even pedal assembly. (Did you know, for example, that a set of Hammond console pedals can be made to fit any Hammond console organ EXCEPT the X-66?) To further complicate matters, a great many of the manufacturing techniques used for the X-66 were never used again in any other organ by Hammond.

I know this doesn't answer the immediate question, but maybe it puts things in perspective a little more. You really need to find an "X-66 specialist," or someone really familiar with that organ and how it differs from other organs, particularly other Hammond Organs.

[Jerry]

Yes, I do realize that the X-66 is unlike all other Hammond models. And, if I am not mistaken, ant of the twenty-five pedal sets can be adapted to the X-66 by removing the button tabs and felting the bottoms of each pedal. Just like the AGO has a standard measurement for the thirty-two pedal board, the twenty-five board is also regulated. Hammond was adamant about that. although it would look rather strange, nonetheless, any set of twenty-five pedals that Hammond made would work. Now the D-100 is another story, they are not adaptable being to large to fit under the bench of any other model. the concave structure would not lend itself to the row of flat buttons under the front main frame.
As far as the pedal and reverb on the same channel, I totally agree with you John, but, why Hammond designed it that way has still eluded me. I either have a sound like I am in a cave, and the pedal drawbars out farther than they should, or a dry room with all the reverb on and anything more than one or two pedal drawbars extended to "2" or "3" booming louder than the total of every thing else.
I am sure that the reason Hammond designed the amp this way was to specifically create a tremolo the was like the tremolo of a Leslie speaker. In the X-66 manual, it states that if a "stadium" installation is to be done, which is in effect the same has it would be with any amplification system, a crossover is to be built by the installer. I could be mistaken, but the reason I think they combined the two channels was because of the ease of being able to separate the frequencies. Their amplifier built for that instrument does just that, but replacing it with anything today is something I would like to achieve the first time through. I have yet to find a clear way of doing that. I would like to have the amp rebuilt since it is the way the organ was presented. But if there is another way that makes the X-66 sound better. I would replace the amp without a second thought.
Any suggestions? I value all input, thank you for taking the time to respond to this.
oh, and yes I am sure it is the amp, it snap crackles and pops until a light tap on the front wall of the tone box stops it.
I am also curious if anyone has installed a Leslie to the X-66 and used the tremolo tabs of the organ and not installed the toggle switches.

[Jerry]

John! John! John! When you say X-77. you must understand that the letter "X" is the only thing that the X-66 and the X-77 have in common. I would guess that the only reason Hammond built this model was because of the constant nagging of all Hammond lovers to have the sound of the Leslie. If old man Hammond would have read the Dale Carnegie Book, "how to win friends and influence people" instead of harboring a deep felt hatred for someone who made the statement, " I can make a Hammond sound better than Hammond can" maybe, just maybe, had he encompassed Leslie then and incorporated his patent, Hammond would have been even better all around than it was. hard to believe when they were on the top anyhow. Why have anything better when they're the best. why? Well, maybe if Hammond knew his company was bought out of bankruptcy by a motor bike outfit, he might have thought differently.
Getting back to your 77. You had it for years? your are a true warrior, how did you keep it running? No body I knew could, and every one I knew sold theirs not long after the problems would start.
Had Hammond resolved his feud with Leslie in the beginning, I doubt that either the X-66 or the X-77 would exist, but a much better product that would emulate the top of the line model for his company.

[John Bittner]

yes I am sure it is the amp, it snap crackles and pops until a light tap on the front wall of the tone box stops it.

Then you've got a mechanical problem: dirty connectors, bad solder joints, or something like that. Shouldn't be too hard to locate the precise problem and fix.

As for replacing the amplifier entirely, while I'm sure better amplifiers exist and could be utilitized, isn't there some value in preserving the instrument as it was originally intended?

[Jerry]

As for replacing the amplifier entirely, while I'm sure better amplifiers exist and could be utilitized, isn't there some value in preserving the instrument as it was originally intended?

John, the organ itself sends clearly as it did when it was first built. Amplifying it with a better amp, just as Leslie did with the earlier models, would only improve it. Compare a B-3 sound hooked to a Hammond tone cabinet to a B-3 hooked to a Leslie speaker. see what I mean? I am looking forward to doing the same with my X-66. I just need to find the best solution first so I am not redoing it later.
Hammond tried very hard not to have what happened between him and Leslie concerning the B-3 happen again with the X-66. When the approach of that happening, voila! here is the X-77 w/Leslie tone cabinet.
Doesn't it make you wonder what kind of instrument would be here today had Hammond and Leslie been close friends instead of conceited boasters!

[albaners]

Hello Jerry,I'm hoping you can help me.there's a guy selling a hammond and a cabinet that used to be hooked up to a X-66.he won't give me the model number of the cabinet and say's it says leslie on it and leslie is the inventor of the spining speaker meanwhile from what i researched it seems like a tone cabinet with no spining baffle and no spinning speaker.can you check this link and look at the picture and tell me if its the cabinet you have and if it's a tone cab or leslie cab please. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?viewItem&item=2370790502&category=16219 or put in a search for hammond organ L100 at the ebay home page and check out the picture.i don't have your email so cant send a picture.i'm trying to fix an amp myself right now from a R195 hammond.thanks for your help from AL in staten island ny

[Jerry]

Hi Al,
From what I can see in the picture, the cabinet in not a Leslie. Besides that, the X-66 did not have a Leslie with it. The X-66 had its own tone cabinet that matched it. a 122 Leslie could be added to X, but only the drawbar channels and reverb would be sent to it. Here is a link to see the X-66 with its cabinet. If you are thinking of purchasing that speaker, I would look at it closely. modifying Leslie's, especially ones from transistors to tubes, which is the case here with the L-100 is a no-no in any electric\electronic type combination. e-mail me at JerryTaylor501@aol.com

http://theatreorgans.com/hammond/X66.JPG

[cobra1023]

This posting is "late" on this subject, but here it goes....
Mr. Paco de la Rosa in Mexico city has a similar set-up to what you are trying to do. His web-site: www.hammondx66.com shows his X-66 with a mixing board and JBL speakers attached. I'm sure if you e-mailed him he might be able to provide you the technical info necessary on the X66 amplifier.

Jeff

[Jerry]

This is a late follow up to this post also,

Mr. Paco de la Rosa has the answer! Out of a long search which included Hammond Suzuki, Goff, etc., I ran across a fine gentleman who had the answer. he provided me with a Hammond round pin connector with four standard Quarter inch jacks on the other end than plug very nicely into any modern day mixer. Instantly, my X-66 sounded like it did when it was new! a very easy solution that Hammond Suzuki or Goff should have been able to provide and didn't. Much thanks goes to Paco for his help, without it, the X-66 I own would have become unplayable!