Hammond V-222

[Chad Thorne]

What kind of organ is this? I have a chance to buy one for $100. Would it be a good candidate for a "chop" job? I'm having a hard time finding specs on it.

[mate stubb]

Never heard of it. A good rule of thumb for Hammonds is: if you never heard of it, you don't want it.

 

That said, google found this:

http://www.organforum.com/forums/showthread.php?2380-Hammond-Cadette-model-V-222s

 

and this:

 

http://img1.mlstatic.com/s_MLC_v_O_f_39857200_6609.jpg

[Sven Golly]

Would it be a good candidate for a "chop" job?

 

Sure! I'd recommend using this for the "chop":

 

http://www.telecoms.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2012/03/short-handle-axe.jpg

 

It's never a good idea to stop at just one "chop" though. Keep going until you're too tired to continue.

 

 

[CEB]

I never seen a chop that was easier to handle than a intact organ.

 

The only reason to chop a organ was so it would fit into the luggage bays on a bus. Now with clones there no need for any chopping. The only spinet I would personally consider worthy if I was determined to ruin ... I mean chop an organ would be an M-3

[Chad Thorne]

Let me add to the knowledge base. Found this on YouTube:

 

[video:youtube]

 

Yeah, not really something I'd be interested in.

[Tobias Åslund]

No built-in rhythms..?

 

Edit: Yes, no rhythms - you need to find a V-322 if you want those expressive and realistic drums..!

 

http://www.musifix.nl/Web-data/Brochures/BlueBook%20CompleteHammond/TheBlueBookHammond.pdf

[Chad Thorne]

Shoot, my inexpensive Casio workstation has better Hammond sounds than that!

[Craig MacDonald]

All my friends know that I'm into Hammonds and for a long time they used to send me links to crappy worthless hammonds like this one that they came across on craigslist etc. I started explaining that only the tonewheel hammonds are really worth any money, but that gets kind of complicated explaining the technology and how to tell the difference, so I started telling my friends to look for coloured knobs/switches etc.. if it has any colored knobs and switches it's probably not a tonewheel and it's worth nothing.. The only exceptions to this rule might be the X66/X77 series which are a combination of tonewheels and transistors. But I've never been interested in them, and they really haven't held their value either.

 

So, unless you're into the x66/x77 models, it's a pretty safe bet to assume that it if has coloured buttons, switches or lights, like this one, it's not worth anything. Tonewheel hammonds have white/cream and black coloured switches along with drawbars that are cream/white, black and brown.. That's the only colours that you should see.. other than some models that have a small run light (that might glow kind of orange)

 

Any other coloured switches and buttons, and it's probably worthless.

 

 

[Craig MacDonald]

I never seen a chop that was easier to handle than a intact organ.

 

The only reason to chop a organ was so it would fit into the luggage bays on a bus. Now with clones there no need for any chopping. The only spinet I would personally consider worthy if I was determined to ruin ... I mean chop an organ would be an M-3

 

I have to agree with CEB, I chopped an A100 and placed it in a chop cabinet, with built-in handles etc.. and I found that it still had most of the weight, and the small handles on the sides would kill my hands trying to lift it for any distance.. Unless you put wheels on it, which look pretty stupid on stage, you're going to have to lift and carry it places that you used to simply roll it, if you used dollies..

 

I put my A100 back in a B-style case and it's much easier to handle!

[CEB]

This is what you want. This would go nicely with my red Farfisa.

 

http://www.b3guys.com/umages/R600_White_Stripes_A100_3300.jpg

[Outkaster]

Whose rig is that? Cool. I told this story before I but I know a kid that copped a pristine C-2. A C-2 is not worth much but it devalued the shit out of the instruments. People never realize the weight is in the manuals and tone generator.

[CEB]

It belongs to Jack White.

 

The B3 Guys in Nashville did 2 of those red A-100 rigs for him.

 

 

[Outkaster]

That's awesome.

[Craig MacDonald]

CEB, VERY NICE!!!! Love it.. and not a chop but it looks like it would be pretty easy to move around!!!!

 

 

[Chad Thorne]

Well, my thought about the chop is that there are Hammond organs around for not a ton of money, unlike, say, the SK2 that I want that costs three grand. I thought if I could get one of these Hammonds cheap and chop it I would have a dual-manual organ that was portable. Obviously I was mistaken in that, and I appreciate the info.

[mate stubb]

Depends on your definition of portable. You can get the weight down to around 200 lbs. 2 people can move that, but it still is a grunt up and down steps.

[CEB]

You can do that. A lot of guys have. The big things to remember are:

 

1) A chop takes up less space and may be easier to transport, but most of the weight in in the manuals and generator so a chop is still heavy and most often harder to physically handle.

 

2) Unless you know what you are doing chopping an organ yourself is easier said than done. It seems many if not most of the difficult technical questions I se at organ forums are chops that went bad. If you would be interested in trying this and not spending a lot of money models to look for are:

 

M-3

L-100

M-100

M-2 (No percussion)

 

If you have a van or a trailer the easiest thing would be get a M-3 for about $100-$250 and put it on dollies. It is basically the same generator as in a B-3. You will need a Leslie or a some sort of sim and a line level signal out of the organ. The action is fantasic but it is a spinet. The manual are 44 keys not 61, There is no foldback so upper harmonics won't scream quite the same through a leslie. There are kits to add foldback but it looks like a pain in the butt to do.

[mate stubb]

There is a guy in Des Moines whom I have just briefly met, who gigs a single manual console chop. It is quite compact and sounds great.

[Chad Thorne]

I actually have an M-3 but don't want to chop it. And 200# to me is not portable unless I were on a national tour and had roadies! Guess I'll just have to save my shekels for the SK-3.

[CEB]

You don't need Roadies. One man generally can do it by himself ..... if there are not stairs other sorts issues with of physical geography. I've done by myself it wasn't that difficult if the terrain cooperated. But it could be a royal bitch depending on the situation.

 

But you need to be equipped for it. If you aren't equipped though, by the time you buy a set of dollies, a trailer, ramps and hitch etc.... you might as well buy a Mojo or SK2 or whatever portable organ is popular at the time.

 

 

 

[video:youtube]

[kanker.]

I actually have an M-3 but don't want to chop it. And 200# to me is not portable unless I were on a national tour and had roadies! Guess I'll just have to save my shekels for the SK-3.

If you don't need two manuals, a used XK-1 would be a great pickup. If you need two, the SK2 is great, but the Mojo or maybe a used XK system would be worth investigating. I got the XK-3c with the pro lower manual thinking I'd use the XK-3c as a single manual from time to time. That didn't last long. I always go 2 manuals with my XK anymore.

[Jim Alfredson]

This is what you want. This would go nicely with my red Farfisa.

 

http://www.b3guys.com/umages/R600_White_Stripes_A100_3300.jpg

 

That's badass. And that's a Leslie 3300.