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How many of you have gigged with Hammond chops?


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Wow, great stories.

 

I gigged for one year with a portabilized L-100; the body could be split from the base and pedals. It was covered with black paint; I bought it like that already.

'Portabilized' or not, even the individual sections weighted a lot!

 

Unfortunately, I didn't keep it.

 

I chopped my L100 that I grew up playing the same way. Didn't save much weight but made it a little easier to carry.

 

I was REAL close to getting a chop when my dad passed away a few years back and left me a little money. At the time I was doing a couple gigs with horrible stairs and knew I'd never get anyone to help me carry it so I decided against it.

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I have chance to pick up a C-3 and 147 that someone rewired. I could get the pair cheap from a buddy but I would want the orginal 147 amp plus the organ needs some work. Right now he is using a Peavy head on it. I don't think its worth it. It is not that protable and the welded legs on the organ and heavy as shit. The person that modded it really did not know what they were doing.

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

 

 

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My chop was an M2 I bought in '68 for about $700. I cut off the bottom half including the amp, expression pedal and bass pedals. One of the guys in the band was an electronics major and rewired the bass pedals to a 12 prong cable (similar to a leslie cable). That worked fine, but I rarely had the need for them. The amplification was rewired to a 1/4" jack which I used a guitar cord to a Cervin Vega amp. That went to a leslie 145 which had its amp removed and rewired to a 1/4" jack. Originally I had 4 legs made from 2x3 lumber and bolted with wing nuts to the remaining cabinet. Later, I replaced that with some hinged folding sides which replicated the cabinet in its original form, without the pedals and amp of course. After writing about this I can hardly believe what I had done. But at least for the time, it sounded great and was easier to transport. As long as there were no stair cases longer than 3 steps, I could move the whole rig in and out myself.

Stan

Gig Rig: Yamaha S90 XS; Hammond SK-1; Rehearsal: Yamaha MOX8 Korg Triton Le61, Yamaha S90, Hammond XK-1

Retired: Hammond M2/Leslie 145, Wurly 200, Ensoniq VFX

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Back in the day I inherited what must have been THE worst gigged Hammond C in existance. It was held up with 2x4s and some of the biggest nails I'd ever seen. Once I got it up and running, which was a labor of love, and since there was no internet I had to find the schematics at the Library of Congress, I proceeded with a chop that utilized a few 2x2s that braced a set of carry all's onto the bare chassis. It was a beast to haul around but sounded fantastic. She still lives in my basement but will never be gigged again.
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I gigged with an M3 and Leslie 145 for about 1 year in the very early '90s. It was not chopped, but I did add a frame and wheels to it. I have photos of this rig. We had roadies and a big truck at the time, so that made it much easier.

 

I have never owned a chopped Hammond, but did play Billy Payne's one time during a soundcheck when my band was opening for Little Feat. If I get back into carrying heavy gear like this, I would prioritize a real Leslie over a real Hammond...I have gigged off and on with my 122, but last time it was out of the house was probably 6 years ago.

 

Regards,

Eric

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Now that this topic is on its second page, it chopped, er, piqued my curiosity. I ignored it at first since I hadn't a clue what "Hammond chops" are. Still don't, even after reading the thread.

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Holey moley, and here I thought this whole topic was one giant joke! Sorry for not taking it seriously. I guess it takes being an old-timer to be on the inside track of that terminology. I doubt the clonewheels will get chopped. :-)

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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I gigged with a chopped C2 and two leslie 145s for a few years. I bought the rig as a set from the guy who chopped all that beautiful wood off the C2 and replaced it with plywood and a separate stand made from iron pipe. It played and sounded great and never broke down but was still heavier than hell. Concentrated evil to move and, with no attached legs, you couldn't put it down to rest unless you went all the way to the floor. In the end, it would have been just as easy to leave it the way it was.
Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. W. C. Fields
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Chester uses a beautiful maple Oakland Chop with TOP (naturally), as seen on keyboardmag.tv.

 

http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/hammond/chesterchop.jpg

 

When he is with Santana, he usually has something else.

 

When I saw him it was a different looking chop in a case with handles and Art Neville had the same thing. Maybe Bill Brown did it I am not sure?

"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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Chester uses a beautiful maple Oakland Chop with TOP (naturally), as seen on keyboardmag.tv.

 

http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/hammond/chesterchop.jpg

 

 

WOW! That is sweet looking...and sounding I'm sure. Nice flattop design. Does it have "B" style legs and undercarriage as well?

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I have seen both Art Neville and Chester Thompson using what could be described as one of Bill Brown's "Northern Chops." To take nothing away from him, however, this seems to be a pretty standard chopped configuration and I've seen it done by others besides BB Organ.
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I know. Put me on his list too. My XK3 and both halves of the leslie 21 system are from BB along with various pieces-parts for my vintage C3. Can't say enough nice about the place. The best chop he has produced so far IMHO is the one in cherry wood. You could put that one in the living room.
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That's cool. Actually a pretty well known tech is going to help me with a Leslie 145 soon named Sal Azzarelli.

"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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