SS1's A100 Organ Question Thread

[Soulstation1]

i hear a humming sound that goes up and down w/o playing the organ

ss1

[Jim Alfredson]

i hear a humming sound that goes up and down w/o playing the organ

ss1

Up and down in pitch or in volume?

[Soulstation1]

how should these buttons/ knobs be set

volume - normal/ soft

vibrato swell - off/on

vibrato great - off/on

percussion - off/on

percussion volume - soft/normal

percussion decay - fast/ slow

percussion harmonic selector - third/ second

reverb switch

vibrato/chorus switch

ss1

Edited February 1, 2005 by Soulstation1

[Jim Alfredson]

what should this be normally set at

volume - normal/ soft

vibrato swell - off/on

vibrato great - off/on

percusiion - off/on

percussion volume - soft/normal

percussion decay - fast/ slow

percussion hormonic selector - third/ second

Percussion hormonic selector?!? Careful, man!!!!

Seriously, the classic Jimmy Smith setting is:

B preset pressed down on top manual.

Volume set to normal

Vibrato Great (this is for the top manual) - on

Vibrato Swell (this is for the bottom manual) - on

Percussion - on

Percussion volume - soft

Percussion decay - fast

Percussion harmonic - third

And the big black round knob that's next to the white vibrato great and swell tabs should be set to C3.

[Soulstation1]

ok

ok in the jimmy smith mode

now when i press the volume control pedal it seems/sounds like a cd that is stuck/continuously plays the same thing over and over. that's the best way i can describe it

[casanovas347]

Congrats SS1!

A100 for 300$ is a burner!

if ya need any schematics or service manual...i should have them in my archive....(workin as a service tech in two musicstores since 6yrs....)

i can send you a Mail with a copy of the schematic part you need....just have to wait until next week (b/c my workplace is closed over the weekends )

send me a pm if you wanna have it!

the A100 preamp is near the same as the B3....i guess the A100 has a built-in speaker driven with a 2 EL84 poweramp or similar.....

what is need to be fixed....maybe i got some hints (but be careful...tube-equipment use high-voltage inside....could be dangerous!)

best wishes and many cool moments with your organ!

all the best & greeetz

Paco

if you need technical assistance...

[Jim Alfredson]

ok

ok in the jimmy smith mode

now when i press the volume control pedal it seems/sounds like a cd that is stuck/continuously plays the same thing over and over. that's the best way i can describe it

This is something I'm going to have to hear... I don't really understand what you're hearing. You're not pressing any keys, but you're hearing a sound that repeats?

I know you're probably low on cash but I would get that tech over.

[Soulstation1]

b3er

can i give you a call later tonight?

and i'll play what it does for you over the phone

pm your phone number if that's cool

i'm gonna call that guy back today and ask him if i could damage the unit by playing it.

jeff

[Soulstation1]

i won about $1000 in fantasy football this year which paid for this a-100.

last time i won i bought a 90 gallon fish tank

otherwise i am completely broke 24/7

ss1

[casanovas347]

b3er

can i give you a call later tonight?

and i'll play what it does for you over the phone

pm your phone number if that's cool

i'm gonna call that guy back today and ask him if i could damage the unit by playing it.

jeff

don't trust the guitar player ...hahaha!

no seriously...can you send me a recording of that noise....

hum can have some reason:

- wrong bias on the power-tubes (if they have gird-bias!)

- non balanced heating-voltage

- ground problems

- old tubes sometimes have those symptomes too...

or..its maybe a problem with leakage (old filter caps need to be replaced)...does it sounds like every note is pressed on very low volume when you not play any note?

i'm not a hammond-organist, got very tiny key-knowledge...but i fixed a few leslies and two organs in my past ....got all the service-manuals over here...if ya need something let me know...

btw....i wished i had won anything....but didn't yet!

all the best & again, have fun with your organ.....you spend your money on the right thing...congrats!

Paco

btw...Jim: i love your avatar...this is really cool, you started playing right after your birth, didn't you?

[Soulstation1]

jim

are you up?

ready to hear this noise?

jeff

[Jim Alfredson]

yes, give me a jingle

[Soulstation1]

i'll call in 2 minutes

jeff

area code 520

[Jim Alfredson]

[Rooster_Ties]

jim

are you up?

ready to hear this noise?

jeff

We all want to hear it too!!!!

[Jim Alfredson]

[Jim Alfredson]

http://www.prevailingwinds.net/agelist/agelist.php

[Soulstation1]

b3-er

i think it's a 1964 a-100 hammond

ss1

[Soulstation1]

this is almost exactly how mine looks

ss1

[Soulstation1]

b-3er

are any of various a-100 series better than the other?

mine is serial number # 36984

i saw a a-100 with the wood flip down over the keys.. nice

can i hook up head phones to this?

it looks like some things in the back have been been replaced.

no way something 40 years old can be this clean and shiney

the people who owned it took care of it

i still haven't taken any pictures yet

ss1

[Soulstation1]

how much $$$$ did a new b3 cost in the 1950's-60's?

which years are considered the "best" for the b3?

ss1

Edited February 28, 2005 by Soulstation1

[Jim Alfredson]

I don't know exactly, but the spinet models cost around $1300. So I assume the big consoles like the B3 were about twice that.

The B3 was introduced in 1955. I personally have a thing for the late 50s B3s. So anywhere from 1955 to 1959. Mine is a 1958. I just played a minty mint mint one at the local music store that's a '59. Gorgeous.

In the 60s they started to change them subtely. They still sound great, just different. From the ones I have experience with, I can say that the B3s from the 1950s just have more balls and are a little grittier, for lack of a better description.

[Soul Stream]

My B's a 56. Real deep and rich, but not as sharp as I might like sometimes in a live situation. I like the models around 63 myself. Wish I could get my hands on one. The 70's B3s are great, but feel and sound very different to me. Wish I had one from every era!

[Jim Alfredson]

Mike, what are you using for a horn driver in your Leslie? That can make a big difference in how the Leslie cuts through in a live situation.

My Leslie 122 has had a Peavey 22A driver (8ohm) in it since I got it almost 10 years ago. I just put in one of BT Productions new drivers that are real alnico like the old Jensen V21s but can handle 100watts, so you don't have to worry about blowing them. Man, what a difference!!! I haven't used it live, but that Peavey has always had a really screechy high-end. The BT Productions driver is nice and smooth in the top end and not harsh at all, but still just as bright.

I put the Peavey in my 21H, which is where the BT driver was. It actually sounds really good in there, because my 21H is very dull even with the BT in there. I think the crossover needs to be rebuilt. So for the time being, I'm going to keep the Peavey in the 21H and the BT in the 122. I'll see this weekend how the BT does live.

[Soul Stream]

Jim, my 122 just has an original Jenson driver in it. Sounds very nice and smooth to my ear, but live...just seems like you've got to cut through without sounding screechy. I'd rather be a bit on the dull side as opposed to screechy. Especially since I play with the slow motor unplugged. Seems that in itself can really cause too much treble. But in the end, sometimes it sound good, sometimes not. Even in the same spot in the same club week after week. Plus, I always get the feeling the people out front aren't getting a good sound through the PA. The organ can sound so rich, but at the hand of these terrible soundman...uggg. I get a lot of..."Couldn't hear the bass." Which is a drag, since as you know, a hell of a lot of your attention is happening on the bass-side of things.