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Moving Leslie and Hammonds, assessing condition


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I'm sure there have been a few threads about this over the years, but given the specific situation I'm looking at, I thought I'd start a new thread.

 

My guitarist's father, an old-school keyboard player I know well and used to take lessons from, and already the Founder of the Feast as far as the Clavinet I've had on permanent loan for the last five or six years, messaged me yesterday that if I wanted to grab his M3, A100, and/or Leslie 122, I should feel free to do so because they're just sitting there.

 

"There" is his old family house, which had already been going to seed while he was living there by himself in the early-to-mid 2010s, but since he moved in with his new wife a couple of years ago, the place has just been left to the elements. So in addition to looking at old organ gear that, while it had once been well-maintained, hasn't been started up in at least five years, I am concerned there may be some Critter Tenants to contend with as well. Also (of course) they are up a narrow flight of stairs on a landing.

 

Now, rescuing these instruments is a no brainer, since I finally have a dedicated music space and it's a crime to let good vintage shit go unplayed. Where I'm at right now as far as getting my new house and studio together, though, I'm actually not in a big hurry on the organs. We're planning to redo the studio floors in a year or two and I won't want to move an A100 a second time if I can avoid it. Plus, it will cause some reimagining of how we distribute the space, and right now I'm good with the Mojo taking up the central position in Keyboard Land, since it's also my most frequently-used gigging board. The organs haven't gone anywhere for years; if I wait another year or two before I try to move them, it won't make a difference, so while I plan on taking them, I might wait until my life and Covid settle a little bit. But that Leslie I would very happily move in ASAP, so I can relegate my Motion Sound to gigs only.

 

My guitarist has a bigass pickup truck, and I have a reasonably-sized SUV, so I'm pretty sure we can transport the 122. Not so sure about the organs -- the M3 maybe, but an A100 sounds like a U-Haul situation, and I know there are Specific Things you need to know about moving Hammonds (locking down certain components and such) that I might want to pay someone more experienced to deal with, especially since I am paying the Ultimate Price (free) for this treasure.

 

On that front, I do have a tech about 45 minutes from me who I know would happily do maintenance on the Hammonds or the Leslie if necessary. But if I'm trying to limit transporting them, it might be good to know a few things to keep an eye out for so I don't just assume "gotta take it out to Whitney Point and get Bobby to fix 'em up" without giving it a once-over. Again, it could be anything from "just needs a little oil" to "raccoons have turned it into a nursery." I won't know until I'm in there.

 

Also, I know if I'm planning to use a 122 with my Mojo (or, inevitably, guitars, piano mics, synths, the output of the drum bus in my DAW...), I'm going to need a Trek II or some other preamp (I'm pretty sure Neal just hooked his A100 up to it directly, so I'm not expecting he'll have one). There was just a thread about this that I'm going to peruse again, but if anyone has thoughts that come to mind about making this happen that weren't covered there, I'm all ears. I have the Mojo XT with the 11-pin out, but if I'm not mistaken that's only for the modern Leslies and won't match up with a vintage one.

 

TL;DR: Need to lift and transport a Leslie 122 and (eventually) a Hammond A100. There are stairs involved. There may be maintenance needed. Want to know what to plan and watch out for ahead of time so I don't get myself into trouble.

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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You know how to flip the t-nuts and lock the generator? Unless you are going to record with it I"d leave them locked. Only difference is you might get a little noise as opposed to floating the generator.

 

Get some ROKs and padded moving blankets and be careful. Those things are heavy.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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We're planning to redo the studio floors in a year or two and I won't want to move an A100 a second time if I can avoid it.

I think you're over stating the difficulty of moving a Hammond - this from a guy who hauled one around to gigs for years. I would grab it/them while the offer is still fresh just to get them out of the decrepit old house before any existing damage gets worse.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

-Mark Twain

 

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Yeah That.

 

Make sure the generator is locked. Be careful and have a reasonably stout friend and you won"t hurt anything. Most of us used to gig with these.

 

You will need a 5/16' nut driver. Just take a nut driver set with you in case I"m senile and told you the wrong size. Don"t trust me I just a crazy coot on the Internet. Jason can show you how to do it when you get the ROKs. Or it"s probably on YouTube somewhere. Don"t lock the generator and there is a chance you can damage the generator. Otherwise you are good.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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Y'all, this is very helpful, thank you. I've been a little more cautious since we moved our upright piano with friends and a Uhaul -- nothing went wrong but it was a little bit of Russian Roulette; I swore to stick to pro movers after that. But an A100 is not a piano, so it sounds like as long as I can figure out transportation it will be manageable. I'll measure the size of our vehicles before I rent a U-Haul.

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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"Bobby in Worthless Point"... LOL

 

I've known Bob for YEARS. He's the go-to guy in my area for Hammond and Leslie work, very competent.

 

I would call him expecting to talk a few minutes about a repair I need, and the next thing I know we're chatting about vintage analog synths for 90 minutes.

 

An A-100 down stairs... ouch. Have some strong friends to help. The 122 is a classic Leslie, it just won't get loud.

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"Bobby in Worthless Point"... LOL
Nailed it!!!

 

Yeah, Bob's my guy! I know he can be a little challenging to work with for some folks, but he decided early on that he liked me, so he does quick work for me (once turned around my Wurlitzer really fast when I had an issue with it in the middle of a big run of gigs). And yes, I can't get in or out of his place without him showing me some fun new toys, even if we're stopping on the way to visit my parents in Pennsylvania and my wife is waiting in the car. :roll: He has some stories to tell... especially about the Deep Purple crew.

An A-100 down stairs... ouch. Have some strong friends to help. The 122 is a classic Leslie, it just won't get loud.
Volume won't be too much of an issue given the size of the studio room it will be living in. I am a little stressed about the stairs, haha.

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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I agree that getting them out of there sooner rather than later is paramount. Animals can cause "interesting" damage.

Sounds like you have a good tech but chewed up wires or piles of feces may be out of his realm of endeavor.

 

Stairs? If possible - 2 guys on the bottom end (where all the weight will be) and 1 on top. You may find a large furniture dolly with straps and inflateable tires useful for going down stairs, I have. It provides more control. Slower, one stair at a time. Still, one on top and two below if possible.

 

Years ago, my bassist and I carried an M-3 (smaller and lighter I know) UP and DOWN a floor and a half of stairs for one gig. We also carried a full Ampeg SVT rig up and down the same stairs.

 

People wonder why I try to travel light - lol.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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By the way, other interested parties, these are the two best threads I've found on these issues:

 

dB's A100 moving thread - https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2875163/1

Moving a Leslie 122 - https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/1811611/Re_Transporting_a_Leslie_122

 

But your personal responses to my situation are helpful and getting me excited. Gotta make sure my wife is down with the Hammond before I get too carried away.

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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Go over there ASAP and put out a Roach Motel and rat traps.

 

You don't want to bring vermin home, you may want to tent the room and fumigate prior too.

 

At the very least you need to know exactly what you are dealing with.

 

I bought a guitar amp once at the swap meet that had a wasp's nest in it but a black widow spider had taken over instead.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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For stairs, strap on a ROK and have one stout fellow on each handle.

 

Then thou must count the number of stout fellows to four. Four shall be the number of the counting and the number of the counting shall be Four. Five shalt thou not count, neither shalt thou count three, excepting that thou then proceedeth to four. Six is right out. :Python:

 

If you have a tight landing to turn at top or bottom, I've had best luck standing the organ on end (on its ROK) and spinning it 90 degrees to turn.

 

Put a quilted blanket over the organ and strap the ROKs on top.

Moe

---

 

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I'm still considering paying some stout fellows so as to avoid a flesh wound.

 

Or straining your back. I see no downside. I repeat the warning regarding importing vermin. Avoid!

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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When I was in college, my band's singer knew of a Hammond organ in a local rec center that was going to be disposed of, an A-102 (ahh, french provincial). He claimed it for our band and we moved it into our practice space above the garage of the guitarist's parents. I forget much of the logistics (wasn't there when it was picked up from the rec center, for example) but helped move it up the narrow staircase to the practice space. We had at least four guys to get it up there. I vaguely recall strapping it to a refrigerator dolly laid on its back and sliding it up the stairs. Just a little bit sketchy. Also had to turn it vertically on its end to get it through the doorway at the top of the stairs, which was perpendicular to the run of the stairwell. Pretty sure the TWG was not strapped down, but everything worked fine when powered up.

 

Years later, we brought it back down to bring to my parent's basement. By this time, the second floor garage practice space had a new exterior staircase that was wider and easier to maneuver on. 4 guys again for this move, but this time we each worked a corner and slowly brought it down. Also had to put it on its end again to navigate a landing, but this time the TWG was locked down. We loaded it into the bed of my Ford Ranger (6' long bed), then I strapped it down and made the short trip to my parent's (which requires going up and down a lot of hills since this is southwestern PA). 4 guys again to unload, then put it on a dolly to wheel it up the backyard to the basement door.

 

Your friend's pickup would probably be fine for hauling, but consider the height the tailgate is above ground. If he's got a lifted truck, a U haul may be a better option, they are typically lower to he ground and may have a ramp (inclined planes are your friend when moving heavy objects!)

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... here's a video of two guys moving a spinet up stairs using a

? I've seen the shoulder dolly in action and was impressed. I suspect an A-100 weighs less than a spinet, even with the speakers and power amps installed.

 

[video:youtube]

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I had my A101 and 122 in my basement 'music room' for nearly 20 years until my more official 'garage studio music room' was built and ready. I did research and paid professionals in my area to do the move for me. I believe I paid $300 back in 2013 and it was worth every penny. I locked things down ahead of time. No way I would have wanted to deal with the steps from the basement and steps up into my garage room.
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I'm still considering paying some stout fellows so as to avoid a flesh wound.

 

Or straining your back. I see no downside. I repeat the warning regarding importing vermin. Avoid!

 

Leave some moth balls inside the cabinets of the organ and the Leslie for a few days before you move them. The smell will repel any vermin.

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Okay, well, my guitarist and I are going to head over sometime this coming weekend to check out the situation with the A100 and 122, see if they're currently able to power on, put some mothballs inside, etc. Assuming all is manageable, we'll figure out if we want to get some ROKs and a couple of extra friends, or just hire some movers to get the A100 down the stairs and transport it to my place. Might take the Leslie right away, if possible; I can always leave it in our garage with mothballs in it before bringing it into the studio. But I'll see how I feel about it when we get there. I don't want to get too carried away...

 

Trying to keep my expectations measured as far as things needing to be serviced and other potential challenges, but I'm in semi-disbelief and seriously excited that I might soon have a vintage Hammond and Leslie in my home. I've wanted that since I was a teenager.

 

Since it'll be a few days before I can get in there and take a look, any other tips or things I should be ready for? There are a lot of good pointers on dB's thread about acquiring his A100 and I've been reading through them. I can check and see if the tone generator is locked down when I get there and have the appropriate tools... should I make sure I have some oil ready to go, perhaps? Is there any danger in trying to start them up where they are if they've been sitting unused for a few years?

 

Thanks everyone for your input. It's been very helpful! Love this forum.

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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I would do a very close internal inspection before firing up.

 

Mice love to eat wire insulaton of any description. Look closely inside everything for mice droppings, and use your mask when you clean them as they actually have their own virus which can be deadly. Not kidding. We had a local guy die.

 

I did not fire up my RT3 or my 2 Leslies for weeks after I got them home, till I had examined them closely and shown the guys at the organ forum.

 

Here at my house, my cat was really old, and the mice started to move in right away. First I just trapped, but now I have 2 young cats who present me with the Hammond killers almost daily.

 

In Russia, the German Army was brought to a complete standstill in the spring of 43, when it was discovered critters had devoured wiring on a mass scale over the winter, and large numbers of vehicles were unusable.

RT-3/U-121/Leslie 21H and 760/Saltarelle Nuage/MOXF6/MIDIhub, 

SL-880/Nektar T4/Numa Cx2/Deepmind12/Virus TI 61/SL61 mk2

Stylophone R8/Behringer RD-8/Proteus 1/MP-7/Zynthian 4

MPC1k/JV1010/Unitor 8/Model D & 2600/WX-5&7/VL70m/DMP-18 Pedals

Natal drums/congas etc & misc bowed/plucked/blown instruments. 

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Oil it after you move it. Hope the wicks take oil. May take 4 days for the oil to do its thing. May have to direct oil parts. ..... and it may fire up perfectly.

 

You never know.

 

You know how to test the organ and generator once it"s running? I"m sure Google knows. Basically systemically playing every note both manuals one drawbar at a time both B and Bb sets. Test will tell you if the generator is dropping tones or whether there are any contact or connection issues. If it"s is dropping any tones let the tech Go through it.

 

Pay the tech get it done right and have cheap organ in good order. Scanner might need maintenance.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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PS - if percussion is on then the 1" won"t work. The organ steal the 1" for percussion. Also percussion only work on the top manual. This isn"t totally flexible like many clones.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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should I make sure I have some oil ready to go, perhaps?

 

knowing both haven't been oiled in years, I would oil before trying to power up

This may have already been mentioned or be totally obvious, but make sure you use the right oil - i.e. Hammond, not 3 in 1.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

-Mark Twain

 

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