[HAM] Preserving Hammond Organs/Chopping Hammonds

[Scott Hawthorn]

At 10:56 AM 7/1/2007, JOHN HABURAY wrote:
>
>   Scott Harwthore wrote:

Hawthorn's the name, and playing and fixing organs' my game.

> > OTOH, since John makes his living by chopping Hammonds, AFAIK, it
> > seems
> > pointless to try to change his mind.

>   John Haburay Writes:
>   NOT spending money seems also to be what matters to some people as 
> well, but I will leave it alone for now and post it maybe later in 
> reference to somebody who talks without knowing the facts. Scott! This 
> post concerns preservation and chopping and Hammond facts. I have never 
> pushed my business on this list. I only stood up for what I do for a 
> living to counter some ignorant statements which I feel are not based on 
> any factual information of any kind. An example is Mr. Hawthornes 
> statement above. Totally fact less and shot from the hip in a 
> condescending manner, directed directly to and at me, by name.

I was actually defending you. The comment about money meant, simply, that 
you are in business and so you do what serves your business interests. I 
measured my words carefully before hitting 'send,' but I didn't mean that 
being in business to make a living is a bad thing!

>Guys who limp around stock Hammond's playing the same old tired jazz tunes 
>that everybody has played for years are not qualified to tell anybody 
>anything about preserving a Hammond Organ. Go to a reliable source for 
>information. Somebody that can show you credentials and clients. Opinions 
>will not help

I assume that was aimed at me. I play a relatively stock C-3 that I have 
lovingly rebuilt and has a few basic add-ons, like reverb. When the jazz 
stars come to play Seattle, they always ask for this organ as backline. 
They know it has a great sound, and is solid and utterly reliable. As a 
matter of fact, as a jazz organist, I go out of my way NOT to play "the 
same old tired jazz tunes that everybody has played for years." That 
happens to be a pet peeve of mine and I won't do it. I'm always searching 
for, and learning, obscure and cool tunes, and I play a number of McDuff's 
brilliant arrangements that few others play. My opinion is based on years 
of experience and years of fixing Hammonds. I have never seen one that I 
couldn't fix, except for one that had been so badly chopped and altered 
that I refused to even touch it. "Credentials and clients"? Since when has 
that been a requirement to have a significant opinion on this list? 
Whether-or-not one "likes chops" is not a matter of facts; it's only a 
matter of what one likes, and not subject to correction. I have already 
said here in regards to chops, "Live and let live."