Hello, All! I acquired a Hammond C3 with a Leslie 122 last year. I made up my mind and changed it about a dozen times over the last year regarding "chopping" the C3. I've performed out for over a year and a half on a chopped M3 which is now in my rehearsal space. I'm using the cut portion of the C3 as a stand for my M3.
Am I a Hammond "serial killer"?? Anyway, here are some pics. I'm going to have a 1/4" output put in. It already has 3 channels from the previous owner who was a Hammond engineer. (2 Tone Cabinets and a Leslie 122)
I don't want to get into a philosophical debate regarding the moral issues of a Hammond chop! I am a musician by trade, and this organ will give MUCH pleasure to the many people that will hear it. Otherwise, it would have sat in my living room not really having much of a chance to go to 11. Besides, the cabinet wasn't in the best of conditions.
I'm no expert but in the 70's when I was playing with an B-3 organist, he had a custom plywood cabinet built and the B-3 installed. When he decided that a B-3 was too much to carry around, he moved it back into the original cabinet and it still sits in his living room today.
Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations?
There aren't many churches interested in a C3, so the old cabinet is kind of obsolete. From the look of it, that cabinet needed serious work anyway. My church traded in a C2 or 3 on a Rogers, because the volume pot was bad. They wouldn't let me fix it, it would have messed up the begging campaign. They probably got $100 for it.
city Hammond H-182 organ (2 ea),A100,10-82 TC,Steinway 40" console piano, Sohmer 39" piano, Ensoniq EPS, Wurlitzer 4500, Dynakit ST120, ST70 amps, Herald Ra88 Mixer, Peavey SP2XT speakers,BIC turntable; country Hammond H112.
I disagree completely. Most churches around here have the C cabinet.Originally Posted by indianajo
My issue with your chop is, I play pedals. I now can no longer play your organ.
I like Bob's solution.
Funny thing is about a chop is that all or most of the weight is still contained in the "saved" upper portion of the organ....since you dont move a hammond console with its pedals attached. Now I have seen chops that do eliminate at least one keyboard......usually the wrong one....that would seem sensible...just saying
The weight was/is not the problem. Not having a van or truck is! Eventually, I would like to have it placed into a lighter-weight road case. I've heard that this reduces the weight. Some of the wood inside the C3 case is over 3" in thickness! That can't be light.
Yup, no van is my reason too.
I tried the Electro 3 the other day and the organ sound gave me sparse joy.
Chopping's cheaper than buying a van. I play pedals too, so the redesign is taking some time....
1959 C3 and PR40
1964 M101
1967ish Leslie 122
1975 T500 (modded..chopped, and reassembled!)
DIY 760 FrankenLeslie/rat hideout
1992 Korg 01W/fd
1992 G&L S-500 geetar
1990 Jansen GMF150 amp.
Yamaha electric Harmonium (early 80's?)
Rhodes MkII stage piano - borrowed (Now returned. Now I'm sad.)
And I touched a 1958 M3 once.
Buying a van might not be cheaper, but it is easier. Get a ramp and a set of dollies, and you can set up the organ all by yourself with no help, before the drummer has even unloaded all his drums. Unless there are stairs.
I ALWAYS swear that as I'm moving a Hammond console, which seems to be more and more now, that it will be the last time! I'm getting too old for it and as soon as I ask my friends for a favor in helping me lift/move one suddenly they run like elephants in a field of mice! LOL The Roll or Kari dollys help but not with the weight...thats for sure!
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