What Hammond model(s) do you own? What is your all time favorite?

[n2progrock]

Hi everyone!
I am new to the forum. Not new to the Hammond organ,nor, to organs in general.
Just wanted to get things rolling along. Tell everyone what Hammond do you have at
home. Also what you consider your favorite Hammond organ or dream organ.

I have four organs at home and in the studio. A B2 with 145 Leslie (TrekII percusssion),
an A100/122 Leslie, L100 and a M100. I also am building a 2 manual pipe organ (See DIY Organ
builder thead)that will have 15 ranks when completed.

My all time favorite is the C3. I like the way it looks over the B3(SAME ORGAN,Different
Cabinet).

I have owned a CV and a H300. The H100 was a interesting beast. Basically a expanded
A100(Larger tonewheel generator w/additional drawbar pitches).Had some nice sounds,
but, no 2nd/3rd percussions,had lots of extra junk(Bass,drum,crash cymbal..)and a
rhythm unit. Also weighed 600 pounds.

I play progressive rock (ELP,Yes,Genesis,Triumvirate,Deep Purple)!

Ric Tanner

[Kilgen]

Hello;

I presently own a 1936 model A with ER-20 cabinet plus a 1950s S-6 chord organ which are certainly not your cup of tea I am sure.

Past Hammonds I have owned are A-100, B-3, H-100, BC, BCV, RT-2 and X-66. I used the A-100, B-3, RT-2 and X-66 for playing out in lounges.

My favorite Hammond setup of which I once played out on was a early model A that was hooked up through a 31H Leslie. That setup had a sparkilng (Ethel Smith) sound to it but keep in mind that my musical roots are in older styles of music rather than in rock music.

Your B-2 and 145 setup is probably a "Hot" combo very suitable for your particular style of music. Do you have an overdrive tube adapter installed in your B-2?

Gary K.

[seamaster]

I am about to take delivery of a new Hammond XE-200 and Leslie 2102. My previous organs have included a few Farfisas, a Wersi Galaxy W4-SKT and a Yamaha Electone EL-900.

My all-time favourite Hammond is the X-66. If I ever have the cash and the house-room, that's what I'll be having.

I agree with those who prefer the C3 to the B3 (European tastes!), and although they have a bad rep for reliability, I also liked the H-100 series instruments.

Seamaster

[csharp11203]

My set-up is a C-2 with a 147. I haven't installed the trek II yet (I have some terrible techs here in the NYC area) hope to have that done in the near future. I have this bad compelling desire to trade my current set-up for the standard B-3/122. But I keep telling myself that there is nothing wrong with my C-2......... She need a refurbish job really bad and now I am getting a distorted sound from the leslie. ( The volume is on 6 and the tubes are brand new)

[keybo]

I have still the HAMMOND given to me by my parents in 1960 , the A - 100 w/ Leslie ( needs grill cloth replacement ) see my post. Back in the late '70's I owned the X - 77 with two special built Leslie speakers and performed in a local night spot on a revolving stage. That was a lot of fun !!!!! I also now own a Lowrey MX - 1 and a new Technics KN - 7000 Arranger keyboard.

[kurtisthall]

First organ I ever owned was a Thomas, unsure what model, but it had a short, one manual keyboard and built in record player.

As a teenager, I bought a Lowrey Holiday with paper route money and help from my parents. The wooden keys were a little tough on the fingers.

Sold that and bought a Hammond M-3 with Leslie hook-ups when I was seventeen. Had a Leslie Orpheus and then later a 147. Moved and couldn't take that rig with me. That one cranked of course.

Later on acquired a Baldwin Concert Cathedral (C2t?) Spinet, which was a super spinet, with a built-in leslie. Wish I still had that one. Also had a tone cab recepticle. would have liked to hear it cranked through a tone cab!

Gave that one to my church after I bought a Hammond T-443. Still have that one, and added a series 10 tone cab to it. I think this is an underrated spinet! Keys break off easily, bad plastic I think. Have $300.00 invested in that rig. Vibrato quit working.

Looking to get either an E100, H100 or even an R100, with a Leslie, mainly, so I can keep the Series 10 cabinet. I know its not the "classic" Hammond, especially the percussions presets, but I like the reverb and re-iteration, and especially price tag.

I consider myself an amateur, although I have played pipe organs in college, was an organist for an Episcopal Church, pianist for a Baptist Church, and in various garage rock bands and electronic/industrial projects.

[back52887]

Your Thomas would have been a GS or LS, the LS was later but both were about the same inside: all 8' voices controled by dials, shared oscilator 12AU7 tube generators( adjacent notes would onlysound the upper)

My present main organ is a Hammond concorde 2107, which I really like( I paid $5 for it at an auction). Its not tonewheeled, but then the oil never runs dry either. I attached a leslie 44W directly to the organ's leslie chanel output wires, so I can switch to the slow internal rotor for classical sounds and use the 44 for fun sounds. I wired in separate on/off controls for the respective bass and trebel rotors, which gives me a split vibrato effect with interesting qualities.

Some drawbacks of my setup are that the pedal, reverb, and percussion still come through the console's non-rotary chanel, but since there is a gt-ped coupler ( the first since the pre-war Es) I can get 16' pedal sounds through the leslie that way.

I have a Yamaha PSR540 set up at 60 degree angle on top as a third manual, and outputed directly to the Main organ chanel. This gives me much better rhythms and more tonal versitility, though a separate stero amp and speaker for the yamaha are in the works. The Concorde's built in rhythm sucks.

I also have an M-3 and an M-100 with a leslie 25 so I know what tonewheels and scanner vibrato are like but I can live without them. I would like an A or AV with a 31H on one side and a DXR or CXR on the other, but that's for when I can move into my mansion( ie after I trade my mobile for one) All good fun.

Lee

[jorhojr]

I just started taking lessons about a year ago, but I grew up in Church loving the sound of the Hammond. I've always wanted to play so now I'm learning. I own a Hammond XB-5. It was a mid 1990's attempt by Hammond Suzuki to create a portable B3. Poor, poor, poor is all I can say. It's functional but its tones, when the drawbars are on odd numbers sound distorted and dysfunctional, and leave alot to be desired. It works good for me to practice on, but that's about it.

My favorite, hard choice...
A105 from early seventies with a 251 Leslie

B2 w/ TrekII Percussion & Smooth Drawbars w/122 Leslie
has the vintage sound and vintage weight, it's sooooo gritty and warm

New B3 - portable or convential style w/771 Leslie or the new 2101&2121
Much lighter and sounds like the original
Hammond's Best attempt at recreating the vintage sound. Hard to tell the difference.
Even the new C3's look nice. I wish they would reintroduce the A100 series too.

or; and I know this is not a Hammond but it is a less expensive alternative to a vintage B2/3 and less expensive than the New B3

Diversi DV with a MS1771
Pretty cool alternative to the Hammond. Sounds great. Kinda like the new B3 in that it has MIDI capabilities as well. In addition to that it's easy to understand. You can check it out at either
www.hammondorgancenter.com or www.diversiorgan.com

[Jerry]

I have an X-66, A-102, M-100. All with leslies . my all time favorite is the X-66

[Highwaystar50]

I have a DV with TrekII and Leslie 21H with two speed modification (currently with only fast speed until I can figure out what's wrong). I have an XK-2 for gigging. I also have a Thomas 820 which I'll probably unload as my living room is getting crowded. My all time favorites will have to be the ones I own.
Karl

[Thetube]

I have four organs. Mint A102 with mint leslie 351. Mint E112 with A100 modification. (click filter out, percussion modified A100/B3) Same B3 sound. Hardly used Porta-B with leslie 21H, but inside pure leslie 147. Roland VK7+Fatar CMK49 master with Allsound 3 way, 2 pieces leslie for gigging.

I play early rock, hard rock, but i better like the jazz, theatre music now. Zsolt Szabo H-Bp

[X66 Hammond]

My all time favorites are the model X66,X77 and the HX100.

gr. X66 Hammond

[Orgrinder010]

My Twins, Two Cherry L-133's. Both Heavily Modified (Electronically) and oddly enough, They were "born" within the same month. They sound very much like a BV.

Dream Organ would have to be a model D, With a 3-series Split Vibrato, and a Trek Percussion kit.

[organic]

Hammond Colonnade - I am very impressed with this. I have owned an A100 in the past but I enjoy the Colonnade much more. I also have an M3. The built-in Leslie in the Colonnade sounds just great and it has a few solo voices (which the old tone wheels lack)... I was under the impression that after the era of tonewheels the Hammond organs were not very good, but playing on this Colonnade has changed my mind about this!

Also, I do not usually play much with "rhythm section" but the rhythms on this instrument are kind of fun, and with the solo instruments this organ is a lot of fun. It also has that traditional Hammond sound, and to my ears is no different than the original tonewheel sound... All in all - a fabulous and very entertaining instrument!

[andyg]

I've had a few across the years, but after 35 years in the business playing ever more complex instruments I wanted something 'live' again, so I just got myself a T402 and a seemingly rare walnut Leslie 760 (not black vinyl and not on casters!). It's one of the early ones, assembled in the UK (as was the organ). Now undergoing a bit of TLC to bring it up to as new standard. All time favourite? Always enjoyed playing concerts on the X66! Andy G

[KickinB3]

HI!!

Newb poster here.

I own a 1972 Hammond C3 which I play through a 21H Leslie (Jazz at the Brewery). I kick all the bass so I have the top and bottom rotors miked seperately and run into an 800 watt mono amp driving a JBL cabinet with (2) 15" drivers and a horn. If I pull my 16' drawbar out to "8" I can shake the downtown metro area.


My church rig is a 1968 C3 with a 145 (dual channel) Leslie which absolutely screams.

I guess my favorite rig would be my C3 with my church's 145 Leslie. I wouldn't even have to mic that sucker.

[KickinB3]

EDIT: Sorry the dual channel church leslie is a 251, not a 145. My bad.

[NYCFarmboy]

Hammond CV with a 147 Leslie

Hammond D-152

Hammond RT3 with a PR40, Leslie and a Maas-Rowe "Vibrachime" chime unit with the key actuators installed underneath the great manual.



my favorite is the oldest, the 1947 CV with the Leslie 147

[Orgrinder010]

I own a Modded 1967 L-133 Played through a 125, and a Stock-as-a-rock 1967 L-143. Also, I have a 1979 LSI Hammond Aurora Custom.

I have been eyeballing a 1940's model D with 31H collecting Dust at a nearby Church Though (they just bought a newer Rodgers, and pushed the hammond back into the corner of the reception room).

[vMac]

Typically I'm an M3 player, that's what I have at home. When I play at church sometimes, I play a C2. I'm more a fan of the C cabinet, personally.

[josh01970]

I too prefer the C cabinet. I just picked up a '47 CV recently retired from a church where it had spent it's entire life. I plan on adding percussion and installing smooth drawbars. I also have a Porta-B (my first organ) which I picked up a few years ago with a 122 with a custom amp. As far as I can figure the amp is a 5E3 which is basically a 50's era Fender Deluxe. It has two volumes - off and LOUD. Obviously intended for rock. A little too much for me. My plan is to restore the original amp in the 122.

[Spinner]

I own just one, a Hammond X5 which I snaffled for gigging purposes. Still, I don't look forward to lugging it around... :D

[arty]

My first Hammond was a split M102 with no leslie. Later I got a Cherry C3 with matching leslie (a 122 RV I think). It was Ok but I prefer my current RT3 with twin Leslie. The RT3 Just happens to have a better sound IMHO. I know they are the same but .....

I also bought a M100 but sold it recently. I really want a UK spec B3 but who does'nt.

Basically Prog rock and let it wail.

[kanker]

Hi all, new to the forum. I have owned an A-101 and 122 for the last 15 years (still have it), and have just picked up an A-100 and 147 this week. I used to own an M-3 (my first Hammond).

My all time favorite is the A-100 series and the A-101 in particular. First, they're cheaper than B's and C's. Second, I really like the internal speakers - gives you a bit more reinforcement/volume. Third, regarding the A-101, I think the cabinet style is really hip.

That said, I'll take any of the B-3 generator organs - they're all so wonderful.

Kevin

[nuclearchildren]

I currently have a Hammond L103 and since this is the only one I have had, it is certainly my favorite. In the future, will be looking to upgrade to A100 etc.

Regards,
Kevin