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Crumar Mojo Review - Gig Tested


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Nice! I see you did end up getting a new B3P. Does that mean the Mojo goes back? I can see why you wouldn't exactly need both. However, I must say, it is very convenient (if not funny looking) that I can show up to a gig with the Mojo literally strapped to my back.
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  • 1 month later...

Guido , I bought the MOJO a few weeks ago , an I am very satisfied with the sound quality. ( I used to play on a C3+ Leslie 142 before )

Nice work !!!

 

The function to send midi messages to external VST's is a nice addition in V2.5( exept there is some strange cracking noise when switching the (only) the upper manual to external, when the organ is cold. After a while this noise dissapears ?? )

 

But wouldn't it not be possible and more efficient to use the last preset switch exclusive for that function ( without waiting 1 sec in that case )?

That's rather difficult while playing.

 

Best regards

Roland

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  • 4 years later...

Okay, KCers, I need help and advice, so I'm just going to go for it and resurrect the oldest relevant thread I can find! This thread is from 2012, last post was in December of 2014... it's now July 2019.

 

I've got a shot at a really good deal on a used Mojo (original, not XT or 61) with a hard case plus Mojo Pedals (and a hard case for those) for $1600, no shipping. Assuming the wear and tear is just cosmetic, it's a major discount, but not coming at the ideal time financially. Still, my 30th birthday is coming up and I can probably justify it if it seems like the right move... given the advances made in the last few years, and Crumar's switch from Windows to DSP in the 61, is it still a smart investment?

 

Background on my organ playing:

 

I don't play jazz organ, or anything that would require left hand bass on a regular basis. I play a lot of rock, funk, and R&B. I tend to set up big multi-keyboard rigs, so the second manual isn't always necessary, but on more organ-centric tunes I'm more and more wishing I had a second manual and set of drawbars for left hand comping, or tone switching/blending. My current organ is a Nord Electro 4D running through a Motion Sound KBR-3D. I'm happy with the sound I get out of it, and it conveniently stacks right on top of my Wurlitzer without an extra stand (it's also a really handy as a single one-size-fits-most board for smaller gigs). I don't want to mess around with MIDI'ing up another manual because I like my drawbars WYSIWYG, and because I don't need more pieces in my rig -- part of the appeal of the Mojo is that it's in one portable package with no extra cables to connect. On smaller gigs, I could play electric piano on the lower manual and organ on the upper, and still only need the one board. No clav on the Mojo, unfortunately, but having the tine/B3 combo still means I could use it at rehearsals and some small gigs, not just with a bunch of other boards around.

 

So that's that. Should I go for it? I figured this forum might have an opinion or two. [wink]

 

 

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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That's a toughy. I know where you're coming from. One thing, "No Clav on the Mojo"? Is that true? The Mojo61 has a kickass Clav, but I know less about the original Mojo. I was under the impression that the features were pretty similar, just that one was software and the other DSP. Lack of Drawbars is obviously a bit of a downer for the Mojo61. I don't miss the second set with a single manual (I always like to fly manually with the single set), but I think it would be a pain to use a single set for BOTH manuals. Seeing that you're not a jazz/blues player, typically that means getting by with only one manual, where the Mojo61 shines. However, you already have an Electro 4D, and it's hard to justify spending $1400 on a Mojo61, even if it's arguably better. If it helps, the Mojo61 has Clav, Rhodes, Wurli, and (crappy) piano, which makes it serviceable as a solo board for rehearsal, but then the Electro also does those quite well.

 

I love my Mojo61, but I feel like the original Dual Manual Mojo is a bit of a conundrum, they really need to ditch it and build a dual manual model based on the 61.

Puck Funk! :)

 

Equipment: Laptop running lots of nerdy software, some keyboards, noise makersâ¦yada yada yadaâ¦maybe a cat?

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"No Clav on the Mojo"? Is that true? The Mojo61 has a kickass Clav, but I know less about the original Mojo. . . . If it helps, the Mojo61 has Clav, Rhodes, Wurli, and (crappy) piano, which makes it serviceable as a solo board for rehearsal, but then the Electro also does those quite well. I love my Mojo61, but I feel like the original Dual Manual Mojo is a bit of a conundrum, they really need to ditch it and build a dual manual model based on the 61.
Yeah, as far as I know, the additional sounds on the original Mojo never went beyond the Rhodes, the Wurli, and the transistor organs (and the Wurli can only be called up with one of the transistor organs on the upper manual, so it would mostly be Rhodes for me even though I'm a Wurli guy).

 

The Mojo 61 seems killer, but my Electro makes me happy enough as a single-manual organ-plus-electromechanical-stuff. I'd only want to upgrade to get two organ manuals with dedicated drawbar sets; being able to call up an electric piano on the bottom (or MIDI out one of the manuals to mainstage) would be a bonus for making rehearsals and small gigs easier. The fact that everyone raves about the Mojo's authentic sound and action is the other reason I'm considering it.

Samuel - would a Hammond SKX be of interest as an alternative? Two manuals, two sets of drawbars, decent clav, meh AP.
If the right deal came along, sure; I don't know as much about the SKX as I do the Mojo. I'd have to like the organ sound and action at least as much as I like the Nord.

 

So I guess I'm really asking two questions:

One, is the original Mojo still the mind-blower that it was a few years ago given technological advancements? (This is a subjective question, but arguable given evidence and examples.)

Two, do I want a dual-manual organ badly enough for gigs and recording to spend a lot of money I don't have, and complicate my already-complicated stage setup? (No one can really answer that for me, but I either have to tell the seller no, or justify this to my wife!)

 

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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I have an Electro 4D and dual manual Mojo. The Mojo sounds authentic while the 4D does not. Im not a fan of the Mojo internal sim so I use a Vent 2 but many folks like the internal sim so YMMV. Note that not all dual manual Mojos have the action people rave about so you might want to know which vintage your dealing with. A while back I asked Crumar when they started incorporating the improved action and they said Starting from serial number 2015370
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Note that not all dual manual Mojos have the action people rave about so you might want to know which vintage your dealing with. A while back I asked Crumar when they started incorporating the improved action and they said Starting from serial number 2015370
This is HUGELY helpful to know; thank you!

 

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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"No Clav on the Mojo"? Is that true?
Yeah, as far as I know, the additional sounds on the original Mojo never went beyond the Rhodes, the Wurli, and the transistor organs (and the Wurli can only be called up with one of the transistor organs on the upper manual, so it would mostly be Rhodes for me even though I'm a Wurli guy).

 

do I want a dual-manual organ badly enough for gigs and recording to spend a lot of money I don't have, and complicate my already-complicated stage setup? (No one can really answer that for me, but I either have to tell the seller no, or justify this to my wife!)

all the above are correct. Once you have a dual manual organ you will wonder how you managed before aquiring it. :)

 

Like Al, I use a Ventilator II. Since you are not playing jazz organ the internal sim will suit you fine, it is very good. Don't sweat the action. I have an early model Mojo, and while it is certaily not equavilent to my A 100, it is very good and you will like it.

 

Put your clavinet over your Mojo on a 2 tier stand of your choice and be very, very, happy. :cool:

 

:nopity:
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Once you have a dual manual organ you will wonder how you managed before aquiring it. :)
Thats what I was afraid of! [laugh]

 

Like Al, I use a Ventilator II. Since you are not playing jazz organ the internal sim will suit you fine, it is very good. Don't sweat the action. I have an early model Mojo, and while it is certaily not equavilent to my A 100, it is very good and you will like it.
Good to know about the action, in both respects. Is the original Mojo action the same thats in the GSI dual-manual controller?

 

Not too concerned about the Leslie sim since Ive been using the rotary channel of the Motion Sound outside of rehearsal anyway.

 

Put your clavinet over your Mojo on a 2 tier stand of your choice and be very, very, happy. :cool:

Oh, trust me, if I get this thing, thats happening. Visions of Ivan Neville and Kofi Burbridge!

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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I had a Mojo, never could get into it. I hated the name for one thing but I started drinking the Kool-Aid around here and got one. It broke down twice and I had to send it back and it was before an important gig. That part sucked and I always felt after that it could break at any moment. It sounded weak out of the front of house compared to other clone models. I was told that by musicians also in the audience of whose opinion I respect. Right out of the box the Hammond sounded way stronger. I put a comparison thread up here with Hammond and Mojo. We ran it through the same speakers and with the same drawbar registrations. Tuckronix came over to help me that day. The thread went south by the some members that aren't really here anymore. I know the company in Italy really has tried very hard to keep up to date with it. What they are doing is great but I just could get into it. I had high hopes based on everything everyone was saying around here and was disappointed. I won't do that again as much as I love the forum. I never really needed any other sounds either. That said the Rhodes was very nice. I realize now, three years later its the musician playing that makes the difference.

"Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello"

 

 

noblevibes.com

 

 

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