Re: Value, $ & Otherwise, of Porta B

[Ken Townsend <kent@tiger.hsc.edu>]

At 08:33 AM 9/2/96 -0400, you wrote:
>I have a line on a Porta B.  Are there any opinions on its value -- both in
>dollar terms, and also sound.  How "portable" is it?  How close in sound to
>the "real thing"?
>Thanks in advance,
>Barnes88
>

Basically, the Porta B was a factory chop on the L-100 spinet.  In the right
hands--listen to anything Emerson has ever done with his L-100--the L-100
series organs sound great.  As far as portability goes, the Porta B is quite
portable, when compared with a spinet or console model Hammond, quite
ungainly, when compared with the XB-2.

As far as comparisons go with the B-3, you'll only have one set of drawbars
for each manual [nine for the upper, seven for the lower] and one pedal
drawbar.  The chorus is non-scanner.  You get full percussions.  44-note
keyboards, of course.

Spinet sound?  Listen to "Green Onions" by Booker T. & the MGs.  Remember, a
Hammond spinet doesn't have foldbacks--at least my L-102 didn't.  No problem
on 888000000.

Value? This topic is so subjective.  Me, I'd search for a decent M-3, which
is good-sounding, great-looking, and generally less expensive than the
Porta-B--often much less.

Good luck.