Hammond M-Solo

[ProfD]

2 minutes ago, ElmerJFudd said:

Is this thread going to win over the other?  I just can’t decide who to vote for. It’s like having two home teams. 

I'm hoping @dB will merge the threads resulting in a tie.😁😎

[ElmerJFudd]

2 minutes ago, ProfD said:

I'm hoping @dB will merge the threads resulting in a tie.😁😎

That would be the most desirable outcome. 
 

Although… 

 

[mobi]

It's me, or Leslie sounds kinda weak?

[Mark Schmieder]

22 minutes ago, mobi said:

It's me, or Leslie sounds kinda weak?

 

Because of the two threads, Leslie is spread thin.

[Keyboardplayer]

The standard number of keys on an organ is 61 keys. If you're primarily an organ player, I would imagine you would prefer and most likely insist on a 5-Octave key-bed, at minimum. 49-keys is rather limiting, needless to say. The Hammond M-Solo does sound really nice, though, although 12 more keys would only have added about 7 1/4" to the length of the keyboard and maybe 3 or 4 pounds to its weight. I noticed it does have an Octave +- switch, so that's in its favor. But utilizing them in a live performance situation could be rather daunting but doable with practice. If priced right it might sell fairly well, especially to newbies who want the Hammond sound on a shoe-string budget. I'll personally wait for the 61-key version if they ever produce one. In the meantime, the upcoming Yamaha Montage M might have a tone-wheel organ engine, but that's rather iffy since it still only has 8 sliders. If Yamaha figured out a new way to use 8 sliders +1 (digital?) in a seamless manner, that would be a real plus for Organ aficionados who also want the cream of the crop in other categories of sounds. Good to see Hammond Suzuki release new products on a consistent basis. People have waited literally 7+ years for Yamaha to finally release a Montage successor. And 6 years and counting for a Genos successor. I've heard that's the new business model at Yamaha, i.e. slow-walking product releases in certain product sectors. They used to release new high-end keyboard products about every three years. Not anymore, needless to say. 😉     

[nadroj]

5 hours ago, ElmerJFudd said:

Is this thread going to win over the other?  I just can’t decide who to vote for. It’s like having two home teams. 

My team are gonna go do a midnight raid on the dfcas thread later tonight. You’re welcome to join! 

[ElmerJFudd]

16 minutes ago, nadroj said:

My team are gonna go do a midnight raid on the dfcas thread later tonight. You’re welcome to join! 

something’s got to be done. I’m in. 
 

[niacin]

9 hours ago, drawback said:

From some of the later posts on the XK-4 thread, the stock Hammond sound needs to be edited (WWW said “Got it yesterday.  Unimpressive presets.  Shrill and thin sounding.  Percussion too loud.  But, wait, open up the hood. Pick the Mellow B3 or A100.  Warmer.  Internal eq to tame the shrill.  Dial down the volume of the percussion.  Now, it sounds much better.  Add a Ventilator and you have it!!! ”)

 

Shrill and thin sure describes what I’m hearing on these M-Solo demos, but it doesn’t appear fundamental editing is even possible… .

 

This.  Took me some time to work my SKpro into my rig, swapped the B3 model out for the A100, lowered the crossover to edit the overdrive, changed the Leslie option, spread the mic angle, adjusted the tremolo speeds, adjusted the key click etc., i.e. tweaked pretty much everything.  So yeh give me a software editor please.

[niacin]

11 hours ago, AnotherScott said:

Well they don't claim it has string sounds, their target is "70s string ensemble" which is a much lower bar. 😉 For the string ensemble and especially the synth, there are numerous ways to alter the sound, so I wouldn't judge them entirely based on a couple of demos...

 

The chorus and phaser effects are key.  As usual the demos aren’t very well done.  So if H-S could just send me an M-Solo I’ll dial up the effects and record a single held chord and we can rejoice in the phat and lush sound of a Solina.  Or not.   Happy to take any requests from Shine on You Crazy Diamond or Dogs.  And done.  😀

[Bill H.]

Price listed here (minus tax) is ¥ 125,000 - which at 148 yen to the dollar would translate to around $850. It might be more here in the US though, because right now the Japanese yen is exceptionally cheap. I'm watching this closely because I'm headed to Tokyo in a couple of weeks. Anyway here's the link: 

 

https://info.shimamura.co.jp/digital/newitem/2023/10/152054

[ElmerJFudd]

31 minutes ago, Bill H. said:

Price listed here (minus tax) is ¥ 125,000 - which at 148 yen to the dollar would translate to around $850. It might be more here in the US though, because right now the Japanese yen is exceptionally cheap. I'm watching this closely because I'm headed to Tokyo in a couple of weeks. Anyway here's the link: 

 

https://info.shimamura.co.jp/digital/newitem/2023/10/152054

Sub $1k would be appropriate.  But will that price point afford a software editor?  There must be some way to make, save, recall, backup setups, and synth patches for sure?  

[niacin]

39 minutes ago, Bill H. said:

Price listed here (minus tax) is ¥ 125,000 - which at 148 yen to the dollar would translate to around $850. It might be more here in the US though, because right now the Japanese yen is exceptionally cheap. I'm watching this closely because I'm headed to Tokyo in a couple of weeks. Anyway here's the link: 

 

https://info.shimamura.co.jp/digital/newitem/2023/10/152054

Sounds about right.  That lines it up against the Yamaha CK61.

[Bill H.]

Hmmm... checking that website if I get a tax free card I could pick up a Gaia 2 for $725. That's more tempting to me than this new Hammond, but whatever... I guess it shows they mark things up a bit for American consumption. Still should be under a grand though. 

[FreshTrooperXBL]

The Solina patches on the SK-1 were really something else. I definitely remember firing it up for the first time after I bought it (used), scrolling through the extra voices, hmm & haw-ing as most sounds were decent  …then I got to those Solina sounds. Wonderful. Those Solina sounds would be perfect for PF cover bands. Listening to the demo of the M-solo ensemble voice …I didn’t hear anything authentic sounding. Maybe it’s the one sample (on whatever drawbar it’s assigned) but it sounds like crap to me. Pitch shifted poorly or a digital imitation of what the sound is and then sampled by H-S?? Hopefully the other “voices” assigned to different drawbars are better / authentic for an ensemble or stringer sound.

 

I feel like indie rock keyboard players may gravitate to this if the price isn’t extravagant. It’s not obnoxious fire engine red (Nord) and it’s compact. It’s basically a modern Farfisa Compact in black or burgundy. Users choice of Vox Continental, Farfisa Compact, or Acetone Top-7 sounds within one discreet looking keyboard will be interesting, hopefully those keys won’t be too cheap and have to much side-to-side movement. H-S seems inspired by Mellotron and their the various sizing options.

[AnotherScott]

10 hours ago, ElmerJFudd said:

There must be some way to make, save, recall, backup setups, and synth patches for sure?  

The manual shows that you can backup and restore to computer, but I'd assume you're only backing up the settings you've made pm the board itself (including anything you've stored into the three presets). 

[Adan]

12 hours ago, niacin said:

 

 Took me some time to work my SKpro into my rig, swapped the B3 model out for the A100, lowered the crossover to edit the overdrive, changed the Leslie option, spread the mic angle, adjusted the tremolo speeds, adjusted the key click etc., i.e. tweaked pretty much everything.  So yeh give me a software editor please.

This resonates with me, and probably with a lot of people on this forum who are serious about getting the best sound they can out of a clone. And the M-Solo may not be for them, at least not for organ-centered gigs. But I think it's useful that there is this sort of emerging class of clones that fall in between the very expensive top tier and the workstation-quality organ sounds. I see a legitimate role for something like the M-Solo or the CK61 for players who are not obsessive about replicating their favorite Hammond sound, or even for players who are obsessive for some types of gigs but not for others, and who might want to have a more portable or more versatile organ keyboard for those other gigs.

 

More choices in the market is better and the M-Solo and CK61 are filling a niche that was previously pretty empty.

 

As someone said in the other thread . . . oh, c'mon, let's be honest . . . who cares what anyone says in the other thread.

[nadroj]

51 minutes ago, Adan said:

I think it's useful that there is this sort of emerging class of clones that fall in between the very expensive top tier and the workstation-quality organ sounds. I see a legitimate role for something like the M-Solo or the CK61 for players who are not obsessive about replicating their favorite Hammond sound, or even for players who are obsessive for some types of gigs but not for others, and who might want to have a more portable or more versatile organ keyboard for those other gigs.

 

 

This 100%. In my current band a dual manual clone is probably my best option. In future if I’m ever in a more generalised band, I’ll want good organ regardless (definitely something a step up from a workstation organ), but probably won’t want to take a redundant clonewheel. In such a case, something small and light like the M-Solo would never leave my rig, regardless of what was below it. 

[Delaware Dave]

On 10/1/2023 at 1:08 AM, cphollis said:

1973 called and wants their disco lights back.

 

Quote of the year ......

[Delaware Dave]

On 10/1/2023 at 1:08 AM, cphollis said:

Well, the demo didn't do them any favors.   1973 called and wants their disco lights back.

 

It looks like it'd need a Vent and a Tall and Fat to sound ballsy, so probably more trouble than it's worth. 

 

Depending on price, might make an ideal controller for B-3X software.

 

Absolutely nothing wrong with that leslie, actually way better than the internal leslie in a Stage 3 or 4. I thought the hammond tone was way too bright, the upper drawbars are loud and cant be adjusted.  Not sure why if you are going to only provide 4 sounds that one of them would be a combo organ, i don't use mine that much unless i play the doors or pink floyd, otherwise i have little use for the sound. I would have opted for a different 4th voice ....  My two cents....

[AnotherScott]

33 minutes ago, Delaware Dave said:

Not sure why if you are going to only provide 4 sounds that one of them would be a combo organ, i don't use mine that much unless i play the doors or pink floyd, otherwise i have little use for the sound. I would have opted for a different 4th voice ....  My two cents....

There are 6 sounds. Four organs (tonewheel and 3 transistor... Vox, Farfisa, Acetone), the string ensemble (which also has "voices"), and the poly synth.

[Delaware Dave]

From Barry Carson:

 

"Someone got a tentative price from Hammond for the Msolo for me.   1999$US which is (imho) pretty bizarre.  That's a fair amount more than an XK1c which is a full featured organ, the same price of a YC61, and I've seen an XK4 for a mere 100$ more.  The guy said the actual price could be lower - I hope it is or I can't imagine anyone actually buying one of the things".

 

I reported in the "other" MSolo thread: "The price, probably more than we expect".

 

[Fleer]

€1200 in France, first sighting so may go lower. 

[stgermain]

£999 at Bonners in UK

[CyberGene]

I know there are many type of string machines but I’m still baffled at how bad the following demo sounds:

I can’t remember any famous recording with such a cheap and dull sound. It’s not a Solina, nor a Melo (tape) sound. What is that? This could have been the perfect portable Pink Floyd keyboard but it isn’t 🤦🏻‍♂️

[Spider76]

Well, let's be polite and say that they're not the most characterful strings I've heard. It sounds more like a GM preset than a Solina or whatever.

 

For that kind of money one could get a Mellotron Micro and a Behringer Solina, and be covered for all the 70s "fake string sounds" forever.

[ElmerJFudd]

39 minutes ago, Spider76 said:

Well, let's be polite and say that they're not the most characterful strings I've heard. It sounds more like a GM preset than a Solina or whatever.

 

For that kind of money one could get a Mellotron Micro and a Behringer Solina, and be covered for all the 70s "fake string sounds" forever.

Since it isnt shipping maybe there is time to address this before.  But as with all of these instruments, if it doesn't do what you want at purchase we can never count on it appearing in a firmware update later.  It's a crap shoot.  It's their job to get it right.  

[niacin]

For the string machine sounds it'll come down to the quality/character of the chorus and phaser fx.  As mentioned above the SK1 could do a rather fine job, as can the SKpro.

[Delaware Dave]

I'll stick with my Gemini module and attach any midi keyboard i want to it. The gemini module can practically do it all and guido put in very acceptable yamaha and steinway acoustic  pianos. And the cost is way less than this.

[Adan]

5 hours ago, stgermain said:

£999 at Bonners in UK

Still mostly spitballing, this could indicate a US street price of about $1300.  That's kind of in the realm of reasonableness. No one expects a lot of bang for the buck from Hammond, and I think Hammond calculates that a significant number of people will pay more for the Hammond name (as illogical as that may seem to some of us). 

 

[Adan]

21 minutes ago, Delaware Dave said:

I'll stick with my Gemini module and attach any midi keyboard i want to it. The gemini module can practically do it all and guido put in very acceptable yamaha and steinway acoustic  pianos. And the cost is way less than this.

Why make a change if it's not going to affect your gigging life.