[no subject]

[John Ledwon <jblprod@westworld.com>]

'm new to this list but wanted to put my two cents in regarding classical
music on the Hammond. Early advertising certainly supports the idea that
Hammond was going after the church and therefore, the classical, market.
Older Hammonds equipped  with the chorus generator actually do sound
reasonably good playing non-bombastic classical music. The chorus generator
acted in a similar way as does a celeste rank on a pipe organ which gives a
gentle undulating quality to the extremely straight quality of the tone
wheel sound. This effect took off some of the electronic "edge" and made for
a more rounded sound. Unfortunately Hammond discontinued the chorus
generator in the early 1940's. The chorus generator was a complete extra
generator with the tone wheels tuned slightly off from concert pitch. 

I have an old (1937) model BC Hammond with a metal plate that says The
Hammond Clock Company. This model had the B case with the chorus generator.
I just acquired a model D Hammond which also contains a chorus generator but
in a C case.  If you have never heard a Hammond with the double generators
try and locate one...the sound is very unHammond like with the chorus
generator on and very Hammond like with it off. Leslies with the chorale
slow speed motors enhance the chorus generator effect but the high speed
Leslie causes a garbled sound when the chorus generator is turned on. By the
way, all drawbars were affected by the chorus generator...it was either on
the entire instrument or not. The chorus generator was brought "on line" by
a single drawbar in the upper right hand corner of the instrument above the
start switches. Instruments with the chorus generator usually also had a
"tremulant". Now this effect was pretty awful as it just changed the
intensity of the sound and not the pitch...not terribly musical.

One last point, when we discuss the Hammond sound in today's modern world we
should remember that  Hammond technology,  from the model A through the B3,
didn't evolve all that much. Basically the 1930's technology was still the
major portion of the instrument right up to the end of the B3 production
run. How many 1930's electronic devices can you name that are still in
demand today and are competing successfully with the latest cutting edge
electronics?

John Ledwon
jblprod@westworld.com