Hammond Zone

[Soulstation1]

James Oscar

Thanks for the new section

[Herb]

Thanks for the "Hammond" section!

[Jim Alfredson]

No problem. If you find any old threads that belong here, just PM me a link and I'll move them over.

[Parkertown]

I was just looking at the pictures thread. and Jim: whadda ya mean you play the bass with your left hand?

I thought you Hammond Organ cats did that with yer feet?

(Oooh, I really like this fast reply box... )

[Jim Alfredson]

I was just looking at the pictures thread. and Jim: whadda ya mean you play the bass with your left hand?

I thought you Hammond Organ cats did that with yer feet?

I do both. The traditional Jimmy Smith method, despite what hundreds of liner-notes might tell you, is to shadow your left hand with your left foot. The main bass sound (the part that sustains) is actually coming from his left-hand. This is true for 99% of jazz organists. However, sometimes in my own playing, each limb is doing it's own thing, especially on funkier tunes. It's really a tight combination of both left-hand and left-foot.

[Parkertown]

With a mind capable of doing all of that, you could probably be a physicist of something.

[Parkertown]

Seriously, thanks for letting me know. I didn't know that, but now that I do it makes sense.

I'm gonna go relisten to all my greaze rekkids to listen for this happening.

[Parkertown]

Okay...so I'm listening to "Let 'Em Roll" now...

Any examples of that on this album? (I'm thinking yes, as the bass just kicks ass.) Seems like he's hitting a pedal at the end of the first two tracks.

It's deeeep. I mean DEEEEEP.

Edited July 24, 2006 by Parkertown

[Jim Alfredson]

Any time you hear a big, deep fundamental come in, that's usually the organist holding down the pedal(s). The left-hand bass sound is "lighter".

[Jazz Kat]

Been hinting at my dad for an A100. I think he's finally letting up! I gotta figure out how to get rid of my organ and get some money in return to put towards the new organ. Any ideas on what to do with it?

[Jim Alfredson]

My advice before buying any old Hammond (or any old instrument for that matter) is have someone knowledgeable about the instrument (in this case, a Hammond Tech) look at it first.

Hammonds are tough instruments, but when they develop problems, they can be very costly to repair. You want to make sure what you're buying is worth the money.

Read this for more info:

http://theatreorgans.com/hammond/faq/hammond-faq.html#SEC12

[Jazz Kat]

Hopefully I'll be at that road soon. Anybody have a soundclip of an m3?

[Jazz Kat]

Jim, can you give me a scan on this? I think this is a rather good price for this organ. Is it a scam?

My Webpage

[Jim Alfredson]

That's a very old tonewheel Hammond. One of the first. I have a similar one, although mine is a "BCV". That one doesn't even have the chorus generator (hence no "C" in the name). You would not be happy with that organ. They are really very different from a B3. Plus, you'd still need a speaker/Leslie of some kind.

Look for an A100 or a C3 or a C2.

[Jazz Kat]

thanks for the heads up!

[Jim Alfredson]

For instance, this would probably be a good organ:

http://cgi.ebay.com/HAMMOND-C2-ORGAN-w-LES...1QQcmdZViewItem

It has a Leslie 147 (same as a 122 except it's unbalanced... nothing to worry about...) and TrekII percussion added so it is basically a C3 (which is the same as a B3, just a different style case).

C2s are usually very inexpensive, but it's best to try and get one from the end of production (1953, 1954), right before Hammond switched to the C3 model. Those have the most in common with C3s except for the percussion feature (which again, can be added via the TrekII kit).

[Jazz Kat]

How would this organ sound?? almost simliar to a b3?

My Webpage

[Jim Alfredson]

As I said in the other thread, the problem with M3s is the lack of bass. If you're planning on playing with a bassist, then no problem (although $400 for an M3 is too much. I've seen them as low as $150).

If you want to play left-hand and/or bass pedals, the M3 isn't going to cut it. The keyboards don't go down low enough and the pedals are only one octave and sound like poopy.

However, as I also said in that other thread, I learned how to play organ on an M3 (I still have on in my garage) by using a synth with an organ-like bass patch on top of the M3. I used that to play basslines with my left hand. I had to learn pedals later, once I got my console.

Funny story: I used to have a trio with my dad on guitar and my high-school buddy's girlfriend's dad on drums. That's basically how I learned to play. Anyway, we played my older sister's graduation party (college graduation) and one of my mom's relatives didn't believe I was playing the bass lines with my left hand. He saw the synth and thought that the bass was sequenced. Even after I assured him I was playing the synth, he didn't believe me.

Finally, I had to stop playing the bass at various times in the song and say "SEE, NO BASS!" for him to believe it. Dork.

[Jazz Kat]

Sounds like when I first came to the board and some people didn't believe I was 15..

Where have you seen an M3 for under $200? I guess I should just keep looking on ebay. I gotta find one that either ships it, or is close to New York.

[Free For All]

Sounds like when I first came to the board and some people didn't believe I was 15..

FWIW, I totally believed you were 15, JK.

[Jazz Kat]

As I said in the other thread, the problem with M3s is the lack of bass. If you're planning on playing with a bassist, then no problem (although $400 for an M3 is too much. I've seen them as low as $150).

If you want to play left-hand and/or bass pedals, the M3 isn't going to cut it. The keyboards don't go down low enough and the pedals are only one octave and sound like poopy.

However, as I also said in that other thread, I learned how to play organ on an M3 (I still have on in my garage) by using a synth with an organ-like bass patch on top of the M3. I used that to play basslines with my left hand. I had to learn pedals later, once I got my console.

Funny story: I used to have a trio with my dad on guitar and my high-school buddy's girlfriend's dad on drums. That's basically how I learned to play. Anyway, we played my older sister's graduation party (college graduation) and one of my mom's relatives didn't believe I was playing the bass lines with my left hand. He saw the synth and thought that the bass was sequenced. Even after I assured him I was playing the synth, he didn't believe me.

Finally, I had to stop playing the bass at various times in the song and say "SEE, NO BASS!" for him to believe it. Dork.

So an M3 is totaly worth it?? It sounds like a B3? I found one in Jersey. On ebay, Current bid is 100.

[Jazz Kat]

How will this sound?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hammond-M3-Organ-Works...1QQcmdZViewItem

[connoisseur series500]

No problem. If you find any old threads that belong here, just PM me a link and I'll move them over.

I think Big Al's lengthy thread about keeping it greazzy should be placed in this section. What do you guys think?

[Jim Alfredson]

So an M3 is totaly worth it?? It sounds like a B3? I found one in Jersey. On ebay, Current bid is 100.

How will this sound?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hammond-M3-Organ-Works...1QQcmdZViewItem

Again, it depends on what you want to get out of it. It does not have decent bass capabilities. But it does have the same sound generation as a B3 (no Leslie, but it has an internal speaker).

Call up some music stores in the area and see if they have one (they are fairly common) and go play it. Know what you're getting before you buy.

[connoisseur series500]

What about the threads on individual organ players, like Don Patterson, Charles Earland, and John Patton in Artists? Those threads could be moved as well.

I like this new section too.