Blonde B-3

[Outkaster]

I had always heard these exist but never saw one. WOW

 

Ebay

[Jim Alfredson]

My tech has a blonde C3 with a matching PR-40 cabinet. It's very pretty. I have a blonde M3.

[Outkaster]

I have seen a few C-3's. In fact there is one on E-bay now.

[mate stubb]

There is blonde, and there is limed oak. Blonde is rare, limed oak not so rare. That looks like limed oak to me, which was generally a lot lighter and had white in the pores. I've never seen a blonde organ in person.

 

Here's my limed oak C-3, which has darkened considerably over the years. If you look closely at the pores, you can see they were filled with a white colored filler.

 

http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/hammond/mansionstudio1.jpg

 

 

 

Here is a pic of a true blonde B-3 from a Hammond catalog I scanned years ago. It's closer to the fruitwood finish:

 

http://theatreorgans.com/hammond/hamcat13.gif

 

 

I guess the way to tell them apart would be the wood itself. If it is oak, it's the limed finish, otherwise not!

 

[Synthoid]

Here's my limed oak C-3, which has darkened considerably over the years.

 

http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/hammond/mansionstudio1.jpg

 

You need more amps...

 

[Outkaster]

Yeah wow. Looks like a retail store.

[mate stubb]

Recording studio actually. There is a nice Yamaha grand piano in the other corner. And a keyboard room with 2 wurlis, a rhodes, and another B-3.

[Outkaster]

Moe did you ever gig with that C-3? I don't know many guys that carried them around but have heard of it.

[mate stubb]

I have gigged with it, but only at special gigs. I generally take my portablized B-3 if I am using the real thing, as this one is totally pristine and untouched inside.

 

However, it has been the go-to rental organ for various acts that come to town. It has been played by Billy Payne, Joey D, and Jimmy McGriff among others.

[Moonglow]

....There is a nice Yamaha grand piano in the other corner. And a keyboard room with 2 wurlis, a rhodes, and another B-3.

Pics?

[Marzzz]

Oh crap. The location is Arizona. How could I possibly sneak this into the house past my wife? :idk

[eric]

They are not actually that rare. Not too many rock stars touring with them, but look at eBay and craigslist any week, any location and you'll find some blondes.

[Outkaster]

Eric I guess I have never seen any B cabinet in those colors to be honest. No B/V, B-2, BC, or B-3s. Todd would no about this.

[mate stubb]

Pics?

 

OK, here's a few more of the main room at Mansion Studios.

 

This is a nice Yamaha, it is midi equipped with a midi player under the keyboard. We can also record midi from it and then mic it up and play it back later just like a VST.

 

http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/slaughterhouse/sessions/yamaha.jpg

 

 

At some point we started having all the organists sign the inner modesty panel who played Cathy live. I had forgotten it was also signed by Hank Marr and Mike Finnegan:

 

http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/slaughterhouse/sessions/cathy_sigs.jpg

 

 

http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/slaughterhouse/sessions/upperhall.jpg

 

 

http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/slaughterhouse/sessions/foyer1.jpg

[B3Nut]

I've run into a blonde B-3 or two. According to Sal Azzarelli, blonde B-2, C-3, and B-3 organs were known as Korina Blonde and were quasi-unofficially available as a custom color. They were ordered as unfinished by the dealer, then sent through either Hammond's finishing shop or to a finisher arranged by the dealer. They were a natural walnut veneer painted yellow and finished with a clear topcoat. A little bit of grain can be seen, but not much. Very different from limed oak. There probably is a true limed oak B-3 out there someplace, they occasionally did some one-off stuff when enough cash was thrown at them. Occasionally an unfinished organ would end up with an ebony finish. But prior to the -3 series the only console finish officially available was walnut, but once in a blue moon an exception would be made if the right connections were made. M-2 and M-3 organs were available in walnut, cherry, blonde, ebony, and limed oak. The C-3, A-105, RT-3, and D-100 series were available in walnut or limed oak. The B-3 was available in either walnut or cherry. For a special finish order, the dealer had to have the cash up front, they'd order the organ unfinished and the Hammond service shop would finish it. It is suspected that if a buyer asked the right people and had cash up front, they'd make darn near anything..."special orders don't upset us!"

 

TP

[Outkaster]

Wow I will have to ask Sal that. He lives about 45 minutes away from me. I did not think Ebony was a stock color either.

[B3Nut]

Ebony wasn't stock for any consoles, but a custom one got made on occasion if someone shook the right trees and waved some cash around. I'd love to see one of these ebony consoles, all the black B-3's I've seen pics of have been refins. The only black B-3 I ever saw in the flesh was a spray-paint job....

 

 

[Outkaster]

So it seems Limed Oak for a B-3 is even rarer?

[The Real MC]

Not as rare as rosewood. UK Hammond made a C3 in rosewood, probably the only one. There's a pic of it on the net.

[Root]

I've never seen a blonde organ in person.

 

What a shame.

 

Now what the heck is a B-3?

[HammondDave]

My first B3 was almost a blonde. It was the cheapest organ that this guy in Dallas was selling back in the early 90's. He went to So Cal buying up cheap Hammonds and Leslies and brought them back to Dallas to re-sell so he could pay off the IRS for back taxes. He was selling the blonde one for about $1000 (if I remember correctly). I ended up purchasing a lovely 1963 cherry B3 with a 122 from him.

 

Also, the fruitwood color is certainly not blonde. I have two fruitwood B3's and they are beautiful organs.

 

Personally I am not crazy about the blonde color. The yellow does not seem to blend well with the black manuals of the organ.

[Outkaster]

I would imagine lime oak would look better. That will be my next quest to see if one is around!

[B3Nut]

I never cared for either blonde or limed oak...too light. I like a nice dark finish on fine woodwork, something rich and elegant, as well as black satin Steinway-esque finishes...always thought a B-3 would look classy in a Steinway black satin ebony finish. The look certainly works well on the pianos...

[HammondDave]

I've run into a blonde B-3 or two. According to Sal Azzarelli, blonde B-2, C-3, and B-3 organs were known as Korina Blonde and were quasi-unofficially available as a custom color. They were ordered as unfinished by the dealer, then sent through either Hammond's finishing shop or to a finisher arranged by the dealer. They were a natural walnut veneer painted yellow and finished with a clear topcoat. A little bit of grain can be seen, but not much. Very different from limed oak. There probably is a true limed oak B-3 out there someplace, they occasionally did some one-off stuff when enough cash was thrown at them. Occasionally an unfinished organ would end up with an ebony finish. But prior to the -3 series the only console finish officially available was walnut, but once in a blue moon an exception would be made if the right connections were made. M-2 and M-3 organs were available in walnut, cherry, blonde, ebony, and limed oak. The C-3, A-105, RT-3, and D-100 series were available in walnut or limed oak. The B-3 was available in either walnut or cherry. For a special finish order, the dealer had to have the cash up front, they'd order the organ unfinished and the Hammond service shop would finish it. It is suspected that if a buyer asked the right people and had cash up front, they'd make darn near anything..."special orders don't upset us!"

 

TP

 

So where does the "Fruitwood" finish come from? I know that these are relatively rare.

[B3Nut]

"Fruitwood" is a colloquial term for the cherry finish.

[mate stubb]

Here's a page from my old catalog showing various finishes.

 

http://theatreorgans.com/hammond/hamcat11.gif

[HammondDave]

Take a look at my 1961 and 1959 B3's on this page...

http://www.csulb.edu/~djacques/page_davids_keyboard_collection.htm

 

The finish is much lighter than the Mahogany finish on my 1955.

 

The photo in the brochure for the Cherry finish looks much darker.

[B3Nut]

They had a darker and lighter cherry stains, the A-102 in cherry is typically very light, an A-143's cherry finish is darker (darker even than the average cherry B-3.) They had varying shades of walnut also from really dark to medium-light with an almost reddish tinge (my '63 B-3 is the latter.)

 

[Outkaster]

Todd what kind of finish was on an A-122? Dave I did not know that was your gear. WOW. I saw that page sometime ago.

[HammondDave]

Todd what kind of finish was on an A-122? Dave I did not know that was your gear. WOW. I saw that page sometime ago.

 

Yes, that's my gear... and I have the most wonderful understanding wife in history... Although I have agreed to live under the cap of three B3's and seven Leslies.