SK-1 and 2 Tips, Tricks and Other Cool Stuff.

[ptsmith]

ok, here you go: after an evening of cut&paste and at the grand expense of 5.80 in dc-fix, I introduce you to my (fake) wooden SK2!

That looks awesome! Excellent workmanship.

[b3halt]

Spider76,

 

This looks very nice. Actually it looks better than the real wooden end caps. I should try this.

 

Is it pretty difficult? There are many corners, so in order to make no bubbles and smooth surfaces, it requires some skills?

[Six-string-man]

That looks great! i really like the wood grain effect.

 

 

SSM

[Aidan]

I'm far too ham-fisted to attempt anything like that. It's a great job, given the challenges. My concerns would be twofold, though:

 

a) In my experience, that sort of covering gets knocked about fairly easily.

b) If it gets too tatty to tolerate, getting that stuff off, even if only to re-cover, is going to be a nightmare.

[Spider76]

Spider76,

 

This looks very nice. Actually it looks better than the real wooden end caps. I should try this.

 

Is it pretty difficult? There are many corners, so in order to make no bubbles and smooth surfaces, it requires some skills?

 

I don't think anything is better than real wood but yeah, the cost-effort-result ratio is definitely great.

 

It wasn't very difficult, and note that I'm not a very skilled DIY guy.

More than skill, it needs patience. Going very slowly and carefully, and not being frustrated at repositioning the same piece of film multiple times until the result is satisfactory.

It took me about 2 hours to do each end cap, 5 hours total with all the measuring, drawing, disassembling and reassembling.

 

But Dc-fix is a great help in this. It is very easy to apply and very forgiving of mistakes, you can detach and reattach it multiple times, it's very flexible and adaptable.

 

Straight corners are not really an issue, the film folds neatly around.

The real trouble are curved surfaces, you need to take special care for those. A blowdryer can help, as the vynil film becomes softer and more extensible when heated, and adapts even better to the surface.

 

It's relatively easy to avoid bubbles (start from a side and proceed always in one direction) but some will be inevitable, I have a trick for this: just pierce them with a needle, the air will go out, you can flatten them cleanly, and the tiny hole will be invisible to anything but a microscope inspection.

 

Some very useful tips & tricks I made good use of: http://www.vinyldepot.co.uk/content/2-faq

 

If you really want to do it I can send you some pics of the intermediate stages of the process, especially the shape of the film cutouts and the way I folded it.

 

Thanks for the appreciation guys, didn't expect it!

[Spider76]

My concerns would be twofold, though:

 

a) In my experience, that sort of covering gets knocked about fairly easily.

b) If it gets too tatty to tolerate, getting that stuff off, even if only to re-cover, is going to be a nightmare.

 

I don't have an answer for these concerns (yet), will need to wait and see how it goes with time and gigging life wear & tear!

 

But as far as I can tell:

a) sure the vinyl film is soft and will get scratched easily. But not so much easier than the original lacquer paint, which looked rather delicate. I'm pretty obsessive about handling and caring for my instruments, so I'll just give it the same attention as before - always in a bag or under a cover, no hits, no scratches, no drinks or dancing people nearby, etc.

Even in the worst case scenario of a bad bump or scratch, the film will actually provide some protection to the original paint underneath.

 

b) the end caps are easily unscrewed and reassembled in half an hour, no hassle at all.

And dc-fix comes off quick and easy, leaving no traces of glue. At least now that it's new, I don't know if after months/years it will be harder to remove or leave sticky traces, but I doubt it. Anyway the glue is easily removed with a bit of alcohol - I tried it beforehand on some small pieces of leftover film.

 

Of course every time you modify something there's the risk of some unpleasant surprise, but I'm quite confident there won't be any. Finger cross!

[Spider76]

btw, I just realized that now I have a sort of SK2-Mojo hybrid...

 

 

http://www.crumar.it/products/4/pics/main.jpg

 

 

[Tonewheel]

This looks great.............love it

 

[b3halt]

Thanks to Spider76, I tried his modification. I also used the dc-fix film (Golden Walnut which looks closest to the vintage Hammond organ to my eyes). This wasn't easy to me, and took a long time. It took about 8 hours to do both end caps, so I couldn't do it faster like Spider76. The end caps are so irregular, so I had to use a hair dryer to stretch this film a lot, especially for corners. I did okay. There are small bubbles and wrinkles here and there, but overall it looks great. The actual color is more like brown, but it looks brighter in the photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[OB Dave]

Wow that looks really classy. Very nice.

[spazzkey]

nice job!!

[Spider76]

Thanks to Spider76, I tried his modification. I also used the dc-fix film (Golden Walnut which looks closest to the vintage Hammond organ to my eyes). This wasn't easy to me, and took a long time. It took about 8 hours to do both end caps, so I couldn't do it faster like Spider76. The end caps are so irregular, so I had to use a hair dryer to stretch this film a lot, especially for corners. I did okay. There are small bubbles and wrinkles here and there, but overall it looks great. The actual color is more like brown, but it looks brighter in the photos.

 

Wow, this looks absolutely great!

 

I honestly think you did even better than me, probably because you spent more time on it... as I told, it's not really a matter of skill but of patience!

 

And now enjoy your new-look SK2... I'm quite proud to have inspired you, and that the pupil has surpassed the master!

 

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/10377868.jpg

[b3halt]

Thanks guys! Spider76, thanks again for your idea. I didn't think it is that difficult or requires a lot of patience.

 

I'm far too ham-fisted to attempt anything like that. It's a great job, given the challenges. My concerns would be twofold, though:

 

a) In my experience, that sort of covering gets knocked about fairly easily.

b) If it gets too tatty to tolerate, getting that stuff off, even if only to re-cover, is going to be a nightmare.

 

This film is pretty durable. I had to tear it off before I fully tried this whole thing. It was pretty strong, and actually it really sticks hard. It's possible to get this stuff off, but it's not that easy. It's not very hard, but you do need some strengths to peel it off.

 

I don't know how strong this surface is, but if it gets scratched, the original surface gets probably scratched as well. I waxed the end caps after I did this modification because it prevents from some light scratches. We'll see how durable this is.

 

If you go back to the original end caps again, I don't recommend this mod. It probably leaves some sticky glues which you have to get off.

[Piktor]

Looks like there are two more library releases on the Hammond USA site (http://hammondorganco.com/).

 

Synth Heavy Stack

Synth Stack

 

Release notes include the following: "You must upload and install the new system software (SK updater Release 4, MAIN 1.112 or later) before you install this library."

 

I can see that the most recent system update here is 8.3 (though at http://www.hammond.eu/ the latest is 8.4) and I know that my SK2 has that 8.3 update. I'm not sure what "Release 4" is referring to, so I have a little figuring to do.

 

[JMcS]

This is the difference between 8.3 and 8.4:

 

HAMMOND SK1/2 Updator Release 8.4

 

Jul 02, 2014

Suzuki Musical Inst. Mfg. Co., Ltd

 

Updated Files:

- mainV1621.sys

 

Updated Areas:

- In Tonewheel organ,improved the problem of errors in writing to sound engine by the value of the attack / release parameters.

- When Default-Global has run,it improved the problem of errors in writing to Percussion internal parameters.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------

HAMMOND SK1/2 Updator Release 8.3

 

Apr 16, 2014

Suzuki Musical Inst. Mfg. Co., Ltd

 

Updated Files:

- mainV1619.sys

- DSPV1009.sys

 

Updated Areas:

-To improve the level of LINE output.

 

 

I think the Hammond US has the 8.4 update they just didn't update the web page.

[Aidan]

Quick question: I really like that Emersonesque preset 'The Gnome', but it's frickin' loud compared with all the others in the default set! I've dug without success trying to identify how to tame it. Suggestions, guys?

[DenCV]

under the drawbar section there's an organ volume setting, not sure if it was per patch or global

 

[DanL]

It's per patch. I've adjusted it a few times on different patches.

[Jazzmammal]

Well, in spite of folks saying you can go ahead and experiment, you can't hurt anything...

 

All I did was save a couple of organ patches without the split button turned on because when I wanted to make a quick change from piano to organ I didn't want the bass on the left. Fine, that worked. Now I have a gig coming up where I'm playing bass and you think I can get the bass split back? No way. The split button and/or the M.Bass button do squat. I've been playing the U patches so I found the original P patches and it's the same there. The split button seems dead even though it lights up.

 

The only other thing I did was I experimented (there's that word again) with midi'ing up the SK to my FA06 and the book says a midi connection bypasses the split but I unplugged the midi cable and turned it on and off several times. No change. No bass split. Sigh.....HELP

 

Bob

[JMcS]

When you connected the other keyboard you probably changed the MIDI IN setting, try setting it to sequence. Also, check the troubleshooting tips on pg. 134.

 

When you power on watch the display and make sure it shows SK-1. Pressing Upper and Pedal and powering on tells it it is an SK-1, Pedal and Lower tells it it is an SK-2. Occasionally owners have

told theirs it was the other model usually by pressing the wrong buttons when starting an OS update but it can happen accidentally other times as well.

[Jazzmammal]

Thank you! Yes, the "midi in" was set to Lower+Pedal, changing it to Sequence fixed it. But...I know this isn't your problem, why the hell doesn't that default to the basic split if there's no midi connection present? Jeesh.

 

Bob

[JMcS]

Because if it did that how would it know what you wanted it to do the next time you connected something or you connect it after powering on. The easiest solution may be to have 2 setup files one for a single manual and a second for when you have something attached. Just power on and load the setup that matches the configuration.

 

Besides, if they start reading peoples minds and boot up with the settings people want, people will want them to start playing the notes they should have played and not the ones they actually hit.

[Jazzmammal]

I guess that's why I'm such a midiot but thanks a lot for telling me what to do.

 

Bob

[snakehips81]

Hi there !

 

I'm new to this forum.

I've had my SK2 for about 2.5yrs and love it.

I've had a few clones over the years (analogue Korg CX3, then Hammond XB2, then Roland VK7) before getting a real Hammond - an A100 about 4yrs ago (though I've never gigged with that !).

 

I was already familiar with having just 1 set of drawbars on clones, including now my SK2, so I actually find myself getting mixed up on the A100 with which set of drawbars to adjust, sometimes !!!! (Yeah, I know, daft, isn't it !!).

Now I've got used to gigging with a dual manual keyboard, I think I would prefer having one set of drawbars for each manual - as it's so far been difficult for me to check which drawbar set the buttons are set to, on the SK2, in the middle of playing a soloor something, if I want to make an on the fly drawbar change on one of the manuals.

 

Soon after I got the A100, and didn't have a Leslie, and being quite naive, I thought I could buy and hook up a Ventilator to the A100's speakers without any trouble - but ultimately found it was a silly/complicated idea. So the Vent sat in it's box the last 3 or 4 years.

 

When I got the SK2, i found it's internal Leslie sim so good, I didn't bother to try hooking up the Ventilator to my SK2, until the weekend just past, for a big gig.

OMG ! Fantastic ! I had tried them together at home, but wasn't overly fussed.that was into a crappy sounding Roland KC-300 keyboard amp.

 

Now, other than hearing on records, I've not much experience of how a good Hammond and a good Leslie sounds in the flesh. All I know is I want it to sound wicked !

On the weekend's gig, with the Vent+SK2, I found both the Slow, AND Fast speeds were sexier and fatter sounding than the SK2 alone (I always felt that the SK2 was the only clone I've ever had to have a fat sound through a PA system).

And the ramping up to Fast was the best I've heard - unbelievably cool !

 

The gig venue - a large bar - was very busy, and there wasn't a stage. A good portion of the crowd was right in front of me, and round the left side of me - and many could see me flicking the Leslie speed switch on&off (I have the Hammond speed switch attached) - and the audience could instantly hear the effect kicking in amd were giving me the eyes of "Wow! That sounds COOL !".

The band just had a simple vocal PA, so I was playing solely through my latest acquisition, a Yamama DXR12 powered PA speaker (as an alternative to the Rolnd keyboard amp). I can highly recommend these speakers. I bought just the one for now, and figure I can buy another when I'm ready, to give me a stereo spread - which would be great for my e.piano too.

 

 

As great as the SK2 is, for live gigs, the addition of the Ventilator, takes it to another level !

 

Sorry for the rambling !

 

[FreshTrooperXBL]

Well I bought a used Sk-1 yesterday and love it! I've owned a Roland Vk-7 and an Alesis QS7 + Sanctuary Q card and can say the Sk-1 has them beat in spades in both Hammond organ and church organ sounds. (I've never done B3 + real tube leslie, but have played extensively an M3 + Motion Sound leslie).

 

The Vk-7 was pretty fun, but it too also suffered from crap overdrive at high levels. The Vk-7 had 5 or 6 adjustable overdrive models, but they all sounded digital at 12 o'clock levels and up. The Sk-1 sounds nowhere near as bad as the Vk-7, but still is kinda harsh. The Sk-1 OD's are musically more useful then the Vk-7 ones.

 

The QS & Sanctuary church organs were pretty fun since they were seemingly realistic in the middle and lower-middle range. Those sounds faltered in the extreme low end, high end, and extremely high end. The samples were pretty well hidden by church/hall reverbs, but you could hear them the moment the reverb was rolled off even a bit. The Sk-1 is ten miles above those church organs. Amazing. Then throw on the SK's reverb and you are set until you download a Hauptwerk organ. Amazing x 10!

 

The Sk-1 reverb is worth bringing up. I have not AB'ed the Sk's reverb to my Eventide Space reverb, but it is gosh darn impressive! I know the Vk-7 reverb was never so impressive as what the Sk-1 has.

 

I own a (previously working) 1st gen Farfisa Compact. The Sk-1 is also darn impressive for a digital keyboard. Note that the Farfisa Compact is raunchy compared to the Vox Continental. Any Farfisa Compact (duo, compact, compact deluxe, mini) is truely truely known for having the Multi-Tone Booster AKA the ability to boost the treble frequencies to extreme levels. While the Sk-1 does not model that ability of the Farf and neither do ANY of the Nord products, the Sk-1 gets the basic foundational Farf tones right. Boosting the treble gets remarkably close to the MTB though on both Sk-1 / Nords. Makes me not want to deal with and fix the Farf haha

[DenCV]

Yep, got a farf in the studio with a bad oscillator card, after ABing the farf in the SK, I haven't even thought about opening it up.

[hatricklov]

What kind of sustain pedal do you guys use for the damper jack/function?

 

I'm trying to use a sustain pedal I use with my Roland keyboard. I've went through the manual plus the menus where you can change the pedal functions and polarity and each option makes it either not work at all or sustain after playing a key but stopping the sound after pressing the pedal!

 

I would very much prefer a piano-style pedal over Hammond's FS-9H or the Yamaha FC5. It wouldn't be the end of the world if I did have to order one of these models, I'd just prefer the action and look of a normal piano sustain looking pedal.

[Spider76]

What kind of sustain pedal do you guys use for the damper jack/function?

 

I'm trying to use a sustain pedal I use with my Roland keyboard. I've went through the manual plus the menus where you can change the pedal functions and polarity and each option makes it either not work at all or sustain after playing a key but stopping the sound after pressing the pedal!

 

I would very much prefer a piano-style pedal over Hammond's FS-9H or the Yamaha FC5. It wouldn't be the end of the world if I did have to order one of these models, I'd just prefer the action and look of a normal piano sustain looking pedal.

 

I use a standard fatar-type piano sustain pedal (it's the model used by almost any brand that doesn't manufacture its own pedals)

http://www.fatar.com/pages/VFP1.htm

works flawlessly without having to dig into any menu, and yes it's way better than a foot switch.

 

I think your problems depend on the settings of your SK, not on the pedal itself.

First you have to set the sustain pedal on/off for every part (organ upper manual, organ lower, organ pedal, extra voices). Go to the "Control" menu, in the "damper" section.

 

As for the sustained-stopped notes, are you sure you're connecting the pedal to the right input, that is, the "damper" jack?

If you connect it to the "foot switch" you can have all kinds of behaviours because the foot switch functions can be deeply edited, but the damper input should only work for sustain.

[JMcS]

What kind of sustain pedal do you guys use for the damper jack/function?

 

I'm trying to use a sustain pedal I use with my Roland keyboard. I've went through the manual plus the menus where you can change the pedal functions and polarity and each option makes it either not work at all or sustain after playing a key but stopping the sound after pressing the pedal!

 

I would very much prefer a piano-style pedal over Hammond's FS-9H or the Yamaha FC5. It wouldn't be the end of the world if I did have to order one of these models, I'd just prefer the action and look of a normal piano sustain looking pedal.

 

Can you check the pedal to determine if it is a normally closed momentary switch? It is working as if you are holding the pedal closed and then releasing it. The SKs expect a normally open switch that closes when you step on it.

[DanL]

If the pedal is plugged in before power up, the SK should detect what type it is. I have a Kurzweil double pedal I use for Leslie and sustain triggering, and also use a Roland DP2 once in a while, and they are opposite (one normal open ,one normal closed) and I never have to adjust any settings for it.