Rocket Man 2

If you're doing any serious MIDI stuff, I would highly suggest the XK3c. It has three fully configurable, splittable zones and also the assignable knobs and buttons on the right hand side. I use my XK3 with a Motif ES rack and it works great. Thank you! That's exactly what I needed to know, Jim. Dick

(Grumble, grumble, hrmph...) Seriously, what are they?

It's a great setup, the Korg and the Kurz work very well together, both midi- and soundwise. I can bring my PC3X for weighted keys if I'm playing a lot of piano. I got the SK1 last week, I 'downgraded' from an XK3c which is a great instrument but too big for my current needs. I'm also working on getting my IEM system set up, I have a buttkicker and molded earpieces from Starkey. I'm getting too old for bad sound on stage! ;-) For those of you who have had both an XK3-c and an SK1: Which have you liked for a live rig? Why? I grew up playing real Hammonds. I'm older now, and don't want heavy stuff, but I want to feel like I'm playing a Hammond. I figure an XK3-c (43 lbs. + case)will feel close to right, and there are no stores around to try out an SK1 (15 lbs. + case) or SK2. So, I'm looking for guidance from you who have been there. What worked for you? Was it worth the extra weight to have the SK3-c? Which board was easier to use as a controller to, eg., a Yamaha ES Rack, etc.?

Steve, There are three similar devices: first, to the left of your pedal board; the second to the left of that; the third, underneath the monitor (for the basssist?) They all seem to be video monitors of some sort. What are they, and what do they do for you?

Wow! Cool. Brings back the days. Thanks! And a Polymoog that still works? Amazing.

I have a chopped M3 that I used in the 70's, of which the guts currently reside within a Chamberlin console, and the double keyboard sits on top. To do this, I created a five foot multi-pin snake to allow the keyboard manuals to be plugged into / unplugged from the guts. Thus, I was able to divide the weight into two parcels. PM me if you have further interest in how to do this.

+1 You won't spend much, and you'll get a feel for what the real thing is all about. Understand that you probably won't move it around much, (unless you're young, strong, and have a bunch of friends to help you.)

Vintage telecasters are light and portable. Vintage Hammond organs are not either. Your three selections above are architecture of a similar type--an "evolutionary computer with a keyboard attached". Personally, the CX-3 has never seemed to sound as "Hammond" as a Hammond. But the KC-3 didn't sound right to me, either (unless you heavily "tweak" it and add the Ventilator.) The XK-3c does, but it's a bit heavier than your other two options. Does that help clarify at all? I think B3-er has written a good comparison thread on Hammonds somewhere, but I am not finding it. Does anybody recall the thread?

In the mid-70's I chopped an M-3 Hammond and installed it within and on top of a Model 600 Chamberlin Musicmaster-a large console. (I still have both.) Ran the Hammond into two Leslie 122's, retrofitted wit JBL 15" speakers and JBL 2482 120 watt drivers, powered by large amplifiers. Also had an overdrive system for distortion that worked pretty well. Those Leslies could rip your head off, and definitely keep up with any guitar player. I rolled it around on a permanently-mounted 4-wheel dolly. It was one heavy rig to move around. Sorry, I can't find pictures. It was a good sound. Lee Michaels heaven. This was all before PAs, snakes, equalizers, mixing consoles that could actually do something.