[HAM] How many organs and chopped Hammonds

[William Mark Bristow]

Guys,

First, why all the yelling and name calling?  I have always enjoyed reading
the list - and have learned valuable information to keep my (and a few
friend's) Tone Generated Hammonds alive.  To read the list the last couple
of days has been very discouraging.   

One of the Hammonds I currently own is a Bob Schleicher Full Chop with
pedals and bench.  The chop is made so that when set-up it is to the exact
dimensions and spacing of pedals, keyboard height, bench height, etc., it
duplicates a B3 perfectly.  I purchased it as a chop from Bob and it travels
in two road cases - one for the organ and one for the pedals and bench.  All
components are mounted, secured and designed for the road.  I did that so as
not to destroy a B3 cabinet.  I remember well renting a B3 and Leslie from a
famous dealer in LA a few years back.  Bill Beer maintained the guts - but
the dealer didn't do much to maintain the cabinet - and it was delivered to
the ballroom of the Disneyland Hotel in an anvil case.  Though it sounded
great, the B3 cabinet was literally duck taped together.  That's one of many
road organ stories.  That's why I researched and purchased what I consider
to be the finest chop available.

I previously owned a Cordovox organ and 330 (solid state pro Leslie 145) -
sorry couldn't afford a B3 at that time.  Then I owned a B-3000 and HL-722
Leslie (I know - I don't know what I was thinking.)  Then I bought a late
model (marked footages on drawbars and fluted plastic chorus knob) B3 chop
and added pedals myself using 50 pair telephone cabling and connectors - I
can still smell the solder.  I bought it with 2 stock 122's.  Although the
chop was well made and sounded fantastic there were constant road-a-bility
problems concerning the tubes in the Leslies and the Hammond pre-amp in the
organ.  I eventually had George Benton of Benton Electronics high-power the
Leslies using Hammond Condor solid state 100 watt amps and he built custom
solid-state switching boards for the Leslies.  

I currently own an XB-5 full Hammond portable with the XB engine.  The XB-5
is paired with 2 760's outfitted with JBL M-151-4 bottoms and 2470 top
drivers.  I also have a little 322 Leslie that came with the organ - which
Bill Beer was high-powering when he died.  I have never liked the simulated
bottom rotor in that Leslie so we don't use it much.  We have the EIS full
chop (finished in black) which is paired with 2 Bill Beer 122 High Power
Leslies (formerly my 122's from the original B3 refurbed and high powered by
Bill Beer).  We had a cabinet maker lay black formica on the Leslies and
route the louvers.  They have anvil aluminum strips and chromed ball corners
- making the Leslie itself into a nice looking road-case.  The 122's use a
solid-state 100/100 watt bi-amp of Bill's design and appear to the organ as
a 122.  They use JBL E-140-8 woofers and JBL 2482 treble drivers and play
about 3 times as loud as a stock 122.  They will also go into a tube-type
blur when overdriven.  The EIS chop uses a Trek-II solid-state preamp
customized by Bob Schleicher.  IMHO the preamp with Bob's mods sounds much
better than any stock TREK-II equipped organs I have played.

I also have an XK-3 and Motion-Sound Pro-145 (and Leslie 2101) which we use
in small venues - and those without funds for roadies.  And I have a stock
1953 B2 and 1960's stock 145 Leslie which sounds great - though I should
refinish the cabinet's of both.

The EIS B3 chop and Beer 122's is my favorite rig for sound, playability and
power.  Next comes the B2 & 145, then the XB-5 & 760's, then the XK-3 &
Motion-Sound.  The XK sound's great - but it is the playability factor of
trying to fit pedals, lower manual, upper manual onto one keyboard.  It can
be done and sounds good and I can put the XK3 and Pro-145 in my car - or fly
it (in cases).  But it requires a real modifying of my playing style which
can be frustrating for me - to create and hear what I want to hear.  Friends
who work with me regularly can't tell much difference in what they hear - so
it's just nuances and more in my head probably.

As a working musician, I very much appreciate the information dispersed
through this list.  Thanks.

William Mark Bristow