Lou_NC

I keep a variety of solvents on hand, here's the order of usage I would suggest, based on my experience with regard to "plastic friendlieness": water windex rubbing alcohol (from your medicine cabinet) denatured alcohol (from a paint store) paint thinner (mineral spirits) The following have demonstrated some degree of "unfriendliness" (a.k.a. melting) to plastics, so I can't recommend using them on your synth case, but just for reference: Goo Gone lacquer thinner epoxy thinner acetone Lou

Keep the console. Keep the console. Keep the console. If you need silent practice at home, connect the A100 through a preamp/mixer, use a Ventilator, and run thru headphones. Benefit: you're playing the "real" keybed, and getting a really good sound through your headphones. Take your time and find/buy a real vintage Leslie to match that console, for when the kids are awake! This is *not* an "either-or" proposition by any means. Oh, and if you do end up playing outside the home, buy yourself the Mojo (or whatever keybed feels good to you and has the price/features you want). They're *all* compromises compared to the console keybed, but the light weight sure makes up for it!! Lou

LOL........no real secret........I play barefoot in summer (in socks in the colder months). Seriously. I couldn't imagine playing bass pedals, or feeling the kick switch on the expression pedal, with shoes on! Lou

I count nine different rock-n-roller models on Amazon........are you all using the same one? The R12STEALTH seems to have the largest tires, is that the consensus choice? Thanks, Lou

I believe the function of the pedal side switch is actually configurable in the XK3. The mode I use is fast/slow, where one smack switches slow to fast, the next smack switches fast to slow, etc., etc.. I believe it can also be configured so that speed is configurable when you "hold" against the switch (hold for fast or hold for slow)........but I'm not 100% sure of that, since I never looked into using that mode. Lou

Looking to replace an old, worn folding hand truck. Was thinking that I'd like to have the option to have one that can function as a dolly as well as a hand truck. I'm not afraid to spend in order to buy quality......but of course I'd like to spend only as much as I need to. I'll be moving a max of about 60lbs. or so at a time, up to the size of a Motion Sound KP-500 amp, or equivalent. Thanks, Lou

I play the Hammond XK3/XLK3 dual manual setup, with a 13-note bass pedal board (Korg), and absolutely LOVE the leslie speed switch on the Hammond EXP-100F expression pedal. I could never go back to a stomp switch, or even a toggle on the lower keyboard for changing leslie speeds. I've thought about buying a 2nd setup (Mojo, Viscount, or Hammond SKX) in order to get a 2nd, portable (lighter weight), dual manual organ. If/when I ever get around to buying one, in addition to key bed feel, one key decision factor for me will be the quality/feel of the expression pedal, and whether it has a speed switch on it. The Hammond EXP-100F is a great feeling pedal. Lou

Isn't it ironic that lots of "keyboard" players back in the "golden ages" used to shlep 350# Hammond B3's and 150# Leslies around to a gig.........and they actually played them! Now they bring a 40# keyboard and don't even play it?? Sheesh, kids today.......... I wonder how they ever managed to put on a show like Woodstock with no backing tracks? :-) Lou

I took a quick look at the user manual, and I didn't see a way to split the keyboard.........is that possible?

Put me down in the Hammond EXP-100F expression pedal kickswitch camp. I play organ with both hands, bass with my left foot (sitting down), so combining expression and Leslie speed in one place just makes the most sense to me. In fact, back in the 80's when I owned an analog Korg BX-3, I actually added a kick switch to my Morley volume pedal by fabricating a bracket and installing a Radio Shack pushbutton on/off switch. I must say that I like the Hammond expression pedal switch much better! :-) Lou

First of all, MANY thanks to all who responded and provided such excellent advice & tips in terms of this potential checkout and purchase. As life sometimes "happens", I have not been able to re-arrange my schedule and priorities to make the 300 mile, 5hr trip from Raleigh to Baltimore to proceed with this transaction. I held back responding until I knew I would not be able to make this happen, and it won't happen for me until 8/26 at the earliest, and I'm sure this Leslie will be long gone by then. I don't know the Forum policy about posting a direct link to a sale item, so I'll just say if you go to Craigslist in Baltimore and search on Leslie, you'll find this item, a 142 with an asking price of $700. I hope it finds a good home (if it hasn't already), and that it doesn't immediately get tossed into the back of a van for gigging.......it looks to be in beautiful condition, and there aren't many left out there like this one. Lou

Planning to take a drive this week to look at a Leslie 142. I'd be connecting it to my XK-3 using a 1122 kit (which I don't own yet but would buy after buying the speaker). I've been playing clones for decades, but have never owned a Leslie (vintage or otherwise), nor have I ever been inside one. I'm an engineer (electrical) and pretty mechanically inclined, so I'm not intimidated by maintaining a Leslie, either mechanically or electrically. T hat said, I'd prefer to uncover any major issues BEFORE I purchase. The seller tells me that he'll be able to connect it to a Hammond console, so I'm planning to open the back, look, and listen for anything odd. I plan to check for sound (of course), belt tension, rubber o-ring condition on the motors. I was planning on spinning the rotor and horn by hand with the power off, to feel for bearing issues with the motors or rotor, but can't think of much else to check out. Should I check for any specifics with the amp? I see that the 122 amp has a volume control......any recommendations on where it should be set when I test it? What am I missing? Thanks, Lou

Steve, I've been in Raleigh for 28 years, worked at IBM and Qualcomm as a HW design engineer during that time. I'd be happy to share my experiences in the area with you. Is there a PM function on this board? (I'm not a very experienced user, I lurk here more than I contribute). My initial advice would be that if you want to get to/from the coast frequently, I'd advise living on the side of the Triangle closest to the coast. Southeast Raleigh (downtown area) can be tricky real-estate wise, I can explain more privately. You may want to look into the Garner area, it's a quick hop onto NC70 to get to the coast. That said, if you end up working in RTP, the commute traffic will not be fun heading from Garner to RTP every day! Lou

Does anyone know whether Motion Sounds intends to continue production of the KP-500S along with these new KP6xx models? I've been eyeing a new KP-500S for some time based on reviews here, and am wondering whether I should consider pulling the trigger sooner rather than later? My goal is getting as close to the bass response of a 15" Leslie as possible with one of these Motion Sound amps (without having to resort to a subwoofer). Thanks, Lou

Reminds me of the Wurlitzer spinet organ I learned on in the mid 70's! Back then there were "Piano and Organ" stores. Now there are only "Piano" stores. I really don't understand why, because for anyone who wants to take the time to learn, I think a spinet organ is still a great instrument to play. Heck, you're a "one-man band" if you have a drum machine built-in. My Wurlitzer had five (count 'em, FIVE) built-in rhythms (Waltz, March, Latin, Rock, and Swing), and I could play any Broadway tune from my fakebooks using those 5 patterns. My mom was in 7th heaven when I would practice! I never became Rick Wakeman but I've had a lot of fun over the years, and I never need a bass player or drummer to have fun with music......... Fast-forward to today, and I play a Hammond XK3 with XLK3 lower manual and 13-note pedalboard. My drums come from an outboard unit, but the principle is still the same. That old Wurlitzer started me on a lifetime of musical enjoyment. I don't think the cheesy keyboards that replaced the spinet organ in the home have brought folks anywhere near as much pleasure. Lou

I guess I was lucky back in the 70's when I told my parents I wanted to play the organ (wanted to be Rick Wakeman back then!), and they went out and rented a Wurlitzer spinet with 13 note pedalboard! My organ teacher had me learning bass pedals from day 1, so it was never an issue. (The hardest part was learning to play bass/lower keyboard chords in an alternate pattern. I still remember the first "latin" song I learned, using the pedal/chord pattern P-C-C, P-C, P-C). That was a challenge, but once I "got it" I've never forgotten the technique. Now when the bass player doesn't show up, I pull out the MIDI pedal board, plug it into my XK-3, and abracadabra, instant bass! Lou

Have you looked at YouTube? On a lark one time, when I was away from my trusty 80's vintage Yamaha RX-15, I searched YouTube for a drum beat (I think I simply searched on "Latin"), and I was able to plug my phone earphone output into a mixer input channel and use it as a "pseudo drum machine". Lou