Dave Pierce Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 My wife and I just learned that we are getting a modest tax refund, for the first time in many years. Being the authoritarian dictator that she is (terrible!), my wife has insisted that I use the money to upgrade the top keyboard in my rig. (God I love that woman). Some of you may remember that I dropped my Nord Electro 2 61-key from the stage a month or so ago, and that I don't have a spare Hammond-clone board. She wants me to move the Electro 2 to home studio use, so that it can also be a backup (I already have a backup stage piano). My current rig is a Kurzweil PC1se on the bottom, with a Nord Electro 2-61 on top. All through a Motion-Sound KBR-M. I use the Nord's piano/organ split feature and a line mixer to get organs through a Speakeasy preamp and into the rotary channel, and everything else into a clean channel. I'm also experimenting with putting my Mopho into the rig, but I haven't gigged with that yet. So -- what to get? The new Ocean Beach Drawbar Module has made me realize that I MUST have drawbars, and the Hammond XK-3c is awfully tempting. Many of you whose opinions I trust say that it's as close to a real Hammond as you can possibly get. It wouldn't need an external drawbar module, and the controls would be even more like a real Hammond. Using the B and Bb reverse-key presets to have two sets of drawbars sounds really appealing. And of course, I would have half of a XK System at that point. I'd like to have the full dual-manual board for bigger gigs someday. OTOH, it is very convenient to have Electric Pianos on my top board. If I went with the XK-3c, I would have to either forgo that convenience, or add the complexity of driving the Kurzweil's EPs with MIDI from the XK-3c. A bigger drawback is that I would be missing the Electro's wonderful clavinets entirely. This wouldn't hurt my main gig, a Santana Tribute Band, but when I sub in funk and R&B situations I sure do need me some decent clavinets. And the Kurzweil's clavs don't even hold a candle to the Electro. So, what do you guys think? Hammond XK-3c, or Nord Electro 3? Or something entirely different I haven't thought of yet? I'm about to head off to a weekend retreat in a few hours. I'll probably check back before I go, then I'll look forward to all your discussion on Sunday afternoon! --Dave Make my funk the P-funk. I wants to get funked up. My Funk/Jam originals project: http://www.thefunkery.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe P Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Dave, Since you are going to keep the Electro anyway, simplify the decision by using your Electro for the sub jobs with the Clav requirement and get the Hammond for the Santana tribute gig. Regards, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pierce Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 Dave, Since you are going to keep the Electro anyway, simplify the decision by using your Electro for the sub jobs with the Clav requirement and get the Hammond for the Santana tribute gig. Regards, Joe Yeah. That's a really good thought. --Dave Make my funk the P-funk. I wants to get funked up. My Funk/Jam originals project: http://www.thefunkery.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 I think if I was in a Santana tribute, I'd own an XK3c. Having met your wife I have to agree, she is the perfect musician's partner. Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 I think if I was in a Santana tribute, I'd own an XK3c. That line jumped out at me as making a lot of sense. Yes Dave. It's that obvious. Go with the HAMMOND XK-3c. http://www.sweetwater.com/images/items/350/XK3c.jpg Tom "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 You already know what I think. BTW, can your wife do a Vulcan mind meld on mine? Daddy needs a Motif XF6. Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meisenhower Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Yup. XK3c all the way!! Yamaha C7 Grand, My Hammonds: '57 B3, '54 C2, '42 BC, '40 D, '05 XK3 Pro System, Kawai MP9000, Fender Rhodes Mk I 73, Yamaha CP33, Motif ES6, Nord Electro 2, Minimoog Voyager & Model D, Korg MS10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Loving Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 XK3c for sure. The xk's sound terrific through motion sound amps -[ at least mine does (xk3 to speakeasy 122ama to pro3x and pro145)] so the KBR-M is up front. or you can just use the excellent sim. The Nord Electro 2's clavs are the best. You'll be good to go. Please have your wife focus her brain waves to my wife - I want a ventilator! "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JpScoey Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 "my wife has insisted that I use the money to upgrade the top keyboard in my rig. (God I love that woman)" So -- what to get? --Dave I'm not surprised Dave - wish I had a lovely woman like that! I tried out the XKc-3 alongside the XK-1, & I went for the XK-1 merely for the convenience factor... It sounds exactly the same as the XK-3c, but is much more portable. If you are intending to go down of route of the double-manual thing, then maybe XK3-c is the way to go. All-in-all both are excellent keyboards. Enjoy your weekend away fella John. some stuff on myspace Nord: StageEX-88, Electro2-73, Hammond: XK-1, Yamaha: XS7 Korg: M3-73 EXpanded, M50-88, X50, Roland: Juno D, Kurzweil: K2000vp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 So, how much us your tax return going to be? Maybe you can squeeze a Leslie 3300 into the rig too? Just dreaming. Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 I tried out the XKc-3 alongside the XK-1, & I went for the XK-1 merely for the convenience factor... It sounds exactly the same as the XK-3c, but is much more portable. I haven't heard an XK3c yet, but yours is the first post I've seen that says there's no audible difference between the two. Maybe it depends on what you're playing it through, or the demands you're making of it (what kind of playing)... If nothing else, the tube should change it some... Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 IIRC, a KB mag article stated something to the effect that if the over drive sound of a B3 is a big part of your sound, then the XK3c would be a better choice because of the tubes. Or something like that. Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JpScoey Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 I haven't heard an XK3c yet, but yours is the first post I've seen that says there's no audible difference between the two. Maybe it depends on what you're playing it through... If nothing else, the tube should change it some... I play the XK-1 through a Line6 pod XTLive - a great amp simulator & FX unit rolled-into-one. If you you DID want the authentic 'tube overdrive', then you could go for a used Marshall combo or similar - & still save yourself some serious £££ ($$$). Personally, I didn't think the price difference (XK3-C costing twice as much as the XK-1) justified spending the extra money, when the sound quality was virtually identical. The £1,100 I 'saved' effectively meant I only paid £400 (approx $600-ish USD) fo my Korg M3 !!! John. some stuff on myspace Nord: StageEX-88, Electro2-73, Hammond: XK-1, Yamaha: XS7 Korg: M3-73 EXpanded, M50-88, X50, Roland: Juno D, Kurzweil: K2000vp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 IIRC people here have praised the overdrive quality on the Ventilator and you can still buy an XK1 and a Vent for less than the XK3C, providing you're happy with the XK1's keyboard and layout, and think you're never going to need/want to go double manual/pedalboard route at any time. Studio: Yamaha P515 | Yamaha Tyros 5 | Yamaha HX1 | Moog Sub 37 Road: Yamaha YC88 | Nord Electro 5D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pierce Posted October 17, 2010 Author Share Posted October 17, 2010 I'm back from the weekend retreat, and WOW!... that's a pretty overwhelming response for the XK-3c! And as someone has already pointed out, since I'm keeping the Electro, I can still use it for gigs when I need clavs. I'd love to get a Leslie 3300 too, but the tax return isn't really that big. In fact, it won't be enough to pay for an XK-3c, but it will be almost enough. My thinking at the moment is that this is decided, I'm going to get the XK-3c. Of course, I don't have cash in hand yet, and I never know what I'm really going to do until I actually do it. Thanks for all the responses! --Dave Make my funk the P-funk. I wants to get funked up. My Funk/Jam originals project: http://www.thefunkery.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 I loved the XK-3c when I tried one recently. I won't be getting one to replace my NE2, due to cost and convenience, but there's no denying it's a real joy to play. I guess I'll have to try an XK1 too, based on the above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mididude Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 I love my XK-3c. I love Santana too. It's very capable of closely emulating If not 'nailing' Santana organ/Leslie sounds right out of the box. The XK-3c's C3 chorus/vibrato is very good btw if you ask me... I think I hear that setting in a lot of Gregg Rolie's (Santana) playing. Sounds like you have your mind made up in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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