HAMMOND check-out procedure

[GOFFProf@aol.com]

If your are interested in buying a used tonewheel generator HAMMOND ORGAN,
here are some tips to be sure you get the organ you want.

Due to many recent Internet and AOL inquiries about how to decide which
organs to buy and more importantly, which organs NOT to buy, I decided to
share some of my own "methods" of selecting and testing used-organs.  Keep in
mind that my purchases are not for my own use, but for GOFF Professional
custom-building needs for amatuer and professional HAMMOND players worldwide.
 Each individual organist has specific requirements, therefore, a "stock"
organ selected for rebuilding for one organist's particular style may not be
a good candidate for another organist due to inherent tonal and other
differences among the SAME models (B-3, C-3 A-100), due to age, model year
changes, condition, etc..  

For clarity, I'll group my comments toward the purchase of most console
organs, such as models B-2, BV, B-3, CV, C-2, C-3, A-100, RT, RT-2, RT-3,
D-100, etc.   Some of the comments can be applied to other spinet organs such
as L-100. M-100, M-2, M-3, etc.

We select only certains organs within certain models for rebuilding.  Others
are purchased as "parts organs" to supply similar hardware parts for our
selected models, or as general repair parts. Of the organ models listed
above, our PREFERRED models for rebuilding include B-2, B-3, C-2, C-3, A-100,
RT-3, D-100, M-3, and L-100.   Given today's U.S used-organ market
availability, and keeping in mind the advanced age of all HAMMOND tonewheel
generator organs, these organs offer the average buyer the best value and
performance without modifications, and also can be custom-tailored for
individual needs.  Other organ models such as M-100, all T series, Porta-B,
etc, have similarities and some properties of the other models, but should be
carefully scrutinized.  (STAY AWAY FROM H-100 - 300 series, E-100 - 300
series.  These are nothing but trouble and will cause you problems forever!)
 

As an example, the Porta-B, which is not a B-3 at all, but a portablized
L-100, was largely purchased by bands and are generally now in horrible
condition. Most have missing or broken cabinet and hardware, or are very
troublesome.  With so many better organ models to choose from, selective
purchase is a much better and cost-effective long-term strategy for finding a
good organ.

Some considerations for a typical B-3 purchase:

1.  If you happen to find a B-3, remember that it is at LEAST 20 years old,
with a last-model-year (1974) organ, among the hundreds of thousands sold thro
ughout their 30 years of production.  The average B-3 found in the used-organ
market is around 30 years old.  The average B-2, C-2 and other older model
HAMMOND approaches 40-50 years old, regardless of the cabinet condition.

2.  Purchase the organ as a "used piece of equipment", not a one-of-a-kind,
"lucky-I-found-this-one" piece of history.  If you inject your personal
feelings into this type of a business transaction, you will certainly lose
more often than not.  MANY buyers purchase the "perfect B-3 and Leslie 122"
and find out it's a BC, BV, or B-2 and an ancient single-speed Leslie, or
worse yet, a HAMMOND tone cabinet.  Think of this purchase as a "used-car
purchase".  There are MANY similarities!

3.   Once you find your "perfect" organ which you have checked the model of
by inspecting the builders plate (inside the rear of the organ), made certain
is technically-sound, negotiated a fair price, and gotten it safely home,
THEN you can start to giggle, dance or whatever it is you need to do to
celebrate your purchase.  BUT, let's not get hasty.....

4.   Generally,  I look at the overall cabinet first as a good indication of
the organ's function in life up until now.  If it's in poor shape, with
missing wooden parts, broken keys, etc., and the seller is insisting that his
Mom used it only in her home for church practice, RUN, do not walk toward the
door.   But if the cabinet is in very good to excellent shape, has the origina
l music rack, bench, pedals, and the finish looks like a fine piece of
furniture, THEN I start the test procedure. 

5.   Start the organ (SEE #8 below). Test each drawbar on each manual, (in
the case of a B-3 or other console), using the A# and B preset (reverse
color) keys, and the corresponding sets of nine drawbars.  The far left set
is for the Upper Manual "A#" preset, the second set is for the Upper Manual
"B" preset, the two drawbars in the middle are for the pedals, the third set
is for the Lower Manual "A#" preset, and the fourth set is for the Lower
Manual "B" preset.  Hold a key down on the manual and try each drawbar to be
sure they sound, making SURE it's corresponding preset is pressed. 

Then, pick a preset and drawbar group and pull out the first drawbar from the
left in that group (brown) and play from the first "C" note to the last "C",
a total of 61 notes. It is NORMAL for the first octave of tones to repeat on
B-3 and similar organs due to the manual wiring. (This is NOT the case in
some very early models)  Then, push in the first brown drawbar and pull out
the last white drawbar and starting from the SECOND "C" (notice it's the SAME
tone as key #61, last "C" was with the first brown drawbar out) on the same
manual,  play all remaining notes up to F#  an octave from the end where the
notes will again begin to repeat. This repeating is called 'Foldback" and is
very important to the classic B-3 sound. 

6.  Repeat this procedure with all drawbar groups and both manuals. You can
also try every note on every drawbar to be sure they all sound.  If you have
missing tones, this may be simply a broken wire on the tonewheel generator,
or in the harness between the manuals, OR it may be a broken resistance wire
within the manuals or other problem.  Some are an easy fix, some are very
difficult.

7.   Check the percussion on B-3 and similarly equipped organs keeping in
mind it ONLY functions on the UPPER MANUAL, with the "B" PRESET.  It does NOT
work on the lower manual, or with any other preset down.  Push ALL drawbars
in, press the "B" preset for the upper manual, turn the percussion "ON" and
play a note, listening for decay. Check the decay and "second / third"
harmonic rocker switches. The "normal / fast decay" should function in this
manner - the Fast decay should decay in about one second, the Normal decay
should decay in about four seconds. There is an adjustment on the preamp for
setting the decay. If you have NO percussion, be sure you are checking it
correctly!  It may be simply a dead 12AU7 tube, or it may be a bad percussion
transformer or other problem in the organ.  The tube is a $10 fix, the rest
vary.

8.  LISTEN to the "START" and "RUN" motors when you start the organ 

CORRECT HAMMOND ORGAN STARTING PROCEDURE - (Hold the START switch ON for FOUR
SECONDS, then while still holding the START switch ON, turn the RUN switch ON
and hold BOTH ON for EIGHT more seconds.  Let go of both, the START switch
will spring to the OFF position, and the RUN switch should remain ON.)  Each
switch starts a separate motor in the organ. Be sure BOTH are functional.

9.   Try the pedals.  Pull out one of the pedal drawbars (two in the center
of the organ between the sets of nine manual drawbars) and play EACH pedal.
Then push the first in, pull out the other and repeat the test. 

10.  Check the vibrato for each manual.  The SWELL vibrato switch is for the
UPPER manual, the GREAT is for the LOWER.  Check all positions of the Black
Vibrato knob - V1,V2,V3,C1,C2,C3.  If the chorus or vibrato sounds choppy, or
is dead, problems exist which require repair.  A very common problem in older
organs is choppy or "motorboating" vibrato and chorus, which requires vibrato
scanner rebuilding.  Other possibilities include preamp component problems,
bad tubes, bad vibrato line box components, etc.  None of these are
particularly easy to fix for most owners. 

11.   If a Leslie is included, you should ABSOLUTELY check the model number
and it's operation.  DO NOT rely on the cabinet condition!!  Plug-in the
cable to the Leslie, be sure the Leslie changes speeds, sounds good from both
the upper horn and woofer, and is COMPLETE with all wood back pieces (three
on 122 / 147 models).  Many organ deals go sour due to bad Leslie's, so don't
be surprised.  Not all organs are B-3's, and not all Leslie's are 122's or
147's.  If it turns out that ONE or the other is NOT, and was advertised as
such, reduce the offered price, and hold your breath.  WALK AWAY if the
negotiation gets nasty, or if something doesn't seem right to you. Most
single-speed Leslie's can be converted to two-speed for $249. and we even
offer a brand new easily installed kit for most single and all two-speed
Leslie which offers VARIABLE SPEED from almost dead-stop through faster than
normal Tremolo (fast) by using a volume pedal. The kit, not including
volume-pedal is $379. 

12.   BE CAREFUL WHEN MOVING the equipment.  If you pay cash for the
equipment, then accidently destroy the organ during moving, the old owner is
NOT at fault.  I strongly suggest using ONLY organ dollies and adequate
blanket covers to move any HAMMOND organ (New dollies are $349., custom
blanket covers are $99 to $199.)  This is a small price to pay for safe
moving of your classic equipment!  

13.  GET THE CORRECT SERVICE MANUALS to determine how to properly maintain
your organ and Leslie.  These manuals will pay for themselves immediately and
many times thereafter! 

14.  Take responsibility for the care-and-feeding of your classic equipment.
 With proper maintenance, they will last almost indefinitely!  

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR HUNTING!  If you have any specific questions regarding org
an / Leslie selection, Email them to us via AOL, or post them to the board.  

Al Goff, GOFF Professional, via AOL