Bill Beers...

[pizzafilms]

I've been reading bits and pieces of things about Bill Beers infamous Hammond chops and Leslies and I have to say I'm intrigued. Lot's of people talk about them with a very hallowed tone.

 

Can anyone point out some known recordings of his organs/leslies?

 

Also, I know that he was very secretive of his mods, but has there been any discussion or theories as to what made his sound so special?

 

 

[eric]

I've been reading bits and pieces of things about Bill Beers infamous Hammond chops and Leslies and I have to say I'm intrigued. Lot's of people talk about them with a very hallowed tone.

 

Can anyone point out some known recordings of his organs/leslies?

 

Also, I know that he was very secretive of his mods, but has there been any discussion or theories as to what made his sound so special?

 

 

I think he made some really cool chops, but not sure there was anything different about them that would come out in a recording. It was mostly about the slimming down of the console into a chop. I would love to be proven wrong, but I'm skeptical that you'll find a recording of a Beers chop that would sound any different than most any other recorded Hammond/Leslie combination.

 

Out of curiosity, what makes them "infamous?"

[HammondDave]

"Infamous"? Because Bill used proprietary electronics that only he could service. He would remove parts numbers and other identifying marks off the electronics. My tech tells me that because of this they can be a nightmare to service.

[eric]

That sounds familiar. I have a recollection of someone on this forum or in the general circle commenting that after Bill passed away, his organs would be difficult to keep alive.

 

Going back to the original poster's questions, were these unique/infamous mods a big deal in terms of the sound?

[HammondDave]

For a good closeup of one check out John Novello and Niacin (talk about monsters!)

 

[video:youtube]

[pizzafilms]

That's what I'm trying to figure out...hopefully from those that have played them. I've heard from a couple of sources that they sounded incredible. Better than the standard Hammonds out there.

 

It seems that some of the mods are what we have come to expect nowadays on clonewheels... percussion volume adjustments, c/v adjustments, etc..

 

I'm also starting to wonder if the accolades of the sound had something to do with the possibility he was recapping and recalibrating the tone generators before it became common practice, and therefore, his sounded way better than the wax capped tg's that were probably starting to get dull by the 70's.

[musicbysterling]

I owned one a few years ago. According the serial #, the original owner was Steve Miller. Along the lower front of the organ was an aluminum panel that had a ring modulator and a row of nine push buttons that allowed the user to change which draw bar was used for the percussion. I had my old, trusty Hammond organ tech come over once to look under the hood, and after a quick glance, he told me that he wouldn't ever try to service it. However compact and portable it was, it still took two people to remove it from the Anvil case and upright it after the hairpin legs (which I admit were pretty cool) were locked into place. I ended up selling it to a guy in Italy for a ton of money and never looked back with regret. i recall speaking to the guy who took ownership of Bill Beer's workshop and inventory. He's the one who confirmed by the serial # that it indeed was Steve Miller's. I recall way back in my college days, seeing The Steve Miller Band and being enthralled by that actual chop. From speaking with the new owner of Bill's enterprise, who's name I can't recall, Bill Beer was a prolific inventor, who actual made his fortune in designing tools for oil well exploration.

[HammondDave]

Here is some more info......u

 

Keyboard Projects

[pizzafilms]

Great stuff, Dave.

 

Hey musicbysterling, what were your thoughts on the sound of it?

[Threadslayer]

"Infamous"? Because Bill used proprietary electronics that only he could service. He would remove parts numbers and other identifying marks off the electronics.

That would certainly qualify as "infamous".

[Outkaster]

"Infamous"? Because Bill used proprietary electronics that only he could service. He would remove parts numbers and other identifying marks off the electronics. My tech tells me that because of this they can be a nightmare to service.

 

Yes Dave. Tom Petro said the same thing the other day. He didn't want anyone reverse engineering them.

[musicbysterling]

Great stuff, Dave.

 

Hey musicbysterling, what were your thoughts on the sound of it?

 

I was very pleased with how mine sounded. I used it with a 145 and I could really coax a nice warm growl from it.

[pizzafilms]

 

I was very pleased with how mine sounded. I used it with a 145 and I could really coax a nice warm growl from it.

 

Was there anything in particular that sounded different than any other Hammond?

[musicbysterling]

The only thing I can compare it to was my C3, which I traded for the chop. I found the chop a little more ballsy, due I think to the distortion knob which was mounted on the ubiquitous aluminum panel on the front of the organ. It sure was a pleasure to play. My biggest struggle with it was simply ergonomics: at that time I also had a Roland A-90EX which I used to have on top. I really found it difficult to access the keys as well as viewing the screen and access of the knobs and sliders due to it being about 18" or so away from the front of the chop. IT was physically uncomfortable to always have to lean over the manuals to play it.

[HammondDave]

Loved the A90EX. Performed with one for many years when I played in Texas.

 

I can imagine that aluminum shelf on the Beer chop being a PITA. But a good place to hold your joints....

[kanker.]

I gigged an A90EX for a long time. Probably the last truly great MIDI controller, and the EX sounds were killer for the time.

[HammondDave]

I gigged an A90EX for a long time. Probably the last truly great MIDI controller, and the EX sounds were killer for the time.

 

So true... plus it was built like a brick shit-house! With very good action. I loved the ergonomics of that keyboard. Maybe Roland's best ever!

[Markyboard]

That sounds familiar. I have a recollection of someone on this forum or in the general circle commenting that after Bill passed away, his organs would be difficult to keep alive.

Probably from this SE Epitath Eric. Ran across it today and was happy to find an archive of schematics for the Speakeasy products. Didn't know who Bill Beers was until now.

[AWkeys]

Oh, the Roland A-90. Love it, but can't backline it anymore. The 20-year-old keys break on them like a hobo's teeth on a candy apple. I literally had 3 consecutive keys break on me during one song at a pretty high-level gig, and I'm not a heavy-handed player. But the backlined ones are old and tired; I'm sure a clean, cared-for one can still serve its purpose. I finally got with the times, bought a Kronos, learned to use its awesome set list function - now I backline that and fly with a USB stick!

 

That said, I still can't bring myself to part with my A-70!

[musicbysterling]

I gigged an A90EX for a long time. Probably the last truly great MIDI controller, and the EX sounds were killer for the time.

 

So true... plus it was built like a brick shit-house! With very good action. I loved the ergonomics of that keyboard. Maybe Roland's best ever!

 

It's little brother, the A-70EX, keybed was amazing too. Unlike every other semi-weighted keybed, the white keys were solid plastic, with the undersides angling slightly to the rear like the " > " symbol, but with a much smaller angle. To my knowledge, I can't recall any other controller using such a keybed.

[mate stubb]

Roland nostalgia makes me sad. And angry at what Roland has become.

[mate stubb]

Bill Beer Northern chop:

 

 

Bob Schleicher Oakland chop:

 

http://tonewheel.com/Graphics/Chops/chop_oblique_full_sm.JPG

 

Which layout do you prefer? Tall and shallow or short and deep?

[kanker.]

Oh, the Roland A-90. Love it, but can't backline it anymore. The 20-year-old keys break on them like a hobo's teeth on a candy apple. I literally had 3 consecutive keys break on me during one song at a pretty high-level gig, and I'm not a heavy-handed player. But the backlined ones are old and tired; I'm sure a clean, cared-for one can still serve its purpose. I finally got with the times, bought a Kronos, learned to use its awesome set list function - now I backline that and fly with a USB stick!

 

That said, I still can't bring myself to part with my A-70!

The problem with most "piano action" keyboards, like the A-90, is the design of the keys. The underside of the keys are like an open box - nothing but edges. The keys, over time, cut through the felt. By the time it gets to that point, the underside of the keys hit metal, the hammers start striking the top of the keys, and eventually break off. The simple solution is a simple redesign - instead of an open box, you put a ledge on the underside of the keys the same depth as the felt. The felt would still eventually need to be replaced, but it would never cut through the felt, and the hammers would, likely, never break.

[Lindaru]

I vote for Bill Beer Northern chop.

 

 

[HammondDave]

I prefer the Oakland Chop...

 

Looks like Jon Lord's Machine Head chop:

 

[video:youtube]

[Jazzmammal]

I don't have any pics but my chop was literally between these two. It was done in Chicago and I have no idea of the guys name but he had a pretty big shop. What was different about it is the pre-amp was in a separate box with the expression pedal and there was a wrapped cable with all the wires needed from the amp that went from the box up to the console. That meant the console was about as deep as the northern chop above but the same height as the Oakland chop and a little bit lighter in weight. I could have it done that way because I had no need for pedals. I also had a chopped/modded Leslie but that's another story.

 

The deal was he had a customer who rolled his van in Atlanta who wanted a standard B3 case and mine was pristine. He traded me my case for his chop and it fit in the back seat of my 69 Riv and later my 71 Coupe DeVille. I've never cared for vans and trucks and cars in those days were big enough.

 

Bob

[musicbysterling]

Bill Beer Northern chop:

 

 

Bob Schleicher Oakland chop:

 

http://tonewheel.com/Graphics/Chops/chop_oblique_full_sm.JPG

 

Which layout do you prefer? Tall and shallow or short and deep?

 

I'll scan a pic of my Bill Beer chop tonight and post it tomorrow

[Barryjam]

What makes the Oakland Chop size configuration possible is that it has a slightly (Schleicher) modified latest update Trek pre-amp. Schleicher reports that experienced pros cannot hear a difference between the Trek and the Hammond tube preamp in blind listening tests.

[mate stubb]

Aesthetically, I love the Oakland chop's proportions. I modeled the look of my organ controller partly on this organ.