[HAM] CT older Bill Beer Cutdown and new EIS cutdown B3

[William Mark Bristow]

Notice some posts regarding the Chester Thompson cutdown(s) are referencing
what is probably the Keyboard Products, Bill Beer cutdown.    The clips on
www.keyboardmag.tv <http://www.keyboardmag.tv/>  on the How to Play link are
of Chester Thompson with his new Bob Schleicher Cutdown which CT just
purchased.  Click any of the CT links there and in the video you'll either
see the EIS cutdown - or CT playing an XK3 system.  The still to the right
of the video inset on the web page is from Santana's website link - and
shows CT at the Bill Beer cutdown.

 

The EIS (Schleicher) cutdown uses a modified TREK II solid-state preamp and
has Schleicher's custom cabinet and electronics.  The Keyboard Products
cutdown in the Santana site used Beer's propriety pre-amp (he never let any
of his tech schematics out and even painted over or scratched off part
numbers from every component in his custom pieces).

 

To see a similar unit to the Santana Keyboard Products chop with the High
Power JBL Leslies go to - (and you may have to cut and paste this long link
to get it to work correctly).

http://www.fortunecity.com/business/huntsman/1056/tone_and_tone_cab__svc____
keyboard_products____bill_beer.htm 

 

To see details of the Schleicher cutdown CT is playing on the keyboard.tv
clips go to:

http://www.tonewheel.com/chops_mods_details.htm

 

Both units use the metal "hairpin" folding legs made famous on the old RMI
keyboards of the 70's.  These metal hinged legs were made by the now defunct
Woodstock Metal Company in Woodstock, IL.  Bill Beer's early organs had the
legs nickel plated.  Later units had the legs anodized in black so the
chrome like nickel wouldn't "bloom" on camera in videos.

 

When the Woodstock company went out of business, Bob Schleicher bought the
patents and now has a local machine shop manufacture the legs for his
organs.

 

The overall look of the Keyboard Products and Schleicher chops are similar.
Bill Beer's stuff produced a wonderful sound and were extremely loud with
his high power 122's - but very few can work on his custom electronics.
Schleicher's cutdowns are provided with a full parts list and schematics for
everything in the organ so they are serviceable.  Beer's units are covered
in black tolex and all his units have an extruded aluminum tray in front of
the lower manual which contained controls, Leslie switch, and start/run
switches.  Schleicher's controls are mounted in the cheekblocks and his
organs are wood finish in beautiful lacquer. 

Mark