Brother_Dave Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 About ten years ago, an elderly lady called the music store I worked in. I have this organ Ive been trying to sell., she said. No one wants it! I want to put a computer desk where it is, so I want someone to just come take it. I agreed to go out and take it away for her. I had only been playing organ for a little while, and was unsure of what constituted a good deal, so I wanted to cover all my bases. Now, prior to this moment I had been playing a Hammond M-103. I knew what a B3 was, I had seen pictures, but never expected to find one. When I, and 6 of my band mates, arrived I found a mint condition A-100. It wasnt until I got home and did some research, that I found out exactly what I acquired. OK! Fast forward 10 years. I played with it for a while, then the 9 piece band broke up, and I put the organ in a real crummy storage situation. Now I have opened the case back up, and found everything south of the tone wheel cab, to be rusted. Tubes are cracked, the swell petal is disconnected, and did I mention the rust? Nothing looks to be beyond repair. But what do I know? My question is this: Since I received this gift from god, in effect, spit in his face, and am now trying to atone for my sins, am I biting off more than can be chewed? Is it possible to get the rust off? If I cant, are replacement parts available and/or inexpensive? Can a person, with very little electrical knowledge, do something like this? Is it as simple as something tells me it should be? I live in the middle of West Texas with not very many Hammond resources available. Should I burn it and move on? GOD, I dont want to!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannis D Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 GOFF that's the name of your solution. Search at http://www.goffprof.com. Those guys now practicaly everything about hammond organs and they're located in the US so you may find one near you or not too far. It's a pitty to leave it sitting there as it is now! good chance yannis Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Get ready for a slew of responses from forum members suggesting that you don't deserve such a gift from the gods, and that you should hand it over to them. I'll not do that, because it should be an obvious course of action... except I'm 2800km from you. Is it as simple as something tells me it should be?If it's the same "something" that told you to put it into storage all those years ago, I think you know the answer to this. Should I burn it and move on?That is a capital offense; the mere mention of that course of action is a felony in most jurisdictions. I'll reiterate what I say to all posters in situations like yours (regardless of instrument): if you have to ask, you likely aren't the right person for the job. Seek out a qualified Hammond resource; there are MANY of them out there, including (but definitely not limited to) Goff as mentioned above. Please note... this will not be inexpensive. You brought this on yourself; if you can't afford the cost, donate or sell for a reasonable price to someone prepared to undertake the expense (in time and materials) to get this quality instrument back into working order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dementedchord Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 goff is a great source for info but sending it to them or having a service call is probably alittle out of the question though as they are in mass iirc (probably wrong there but you get the idea) as luck would have it there's a real nice guy i know in austin by the name of bob overton... played with him in a band back in like '76 when he still lived in st louis area... name of the co was resurection electronics i think dont remember if he does that much hammond work but a great place to start... "style is determined not by what you can play but what you cant...." dave brubeck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDragonSoun Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Posted by Sven Golly: Get ready for a slew of responses from forum members suggesting that you don't deserve such a gift from the gods, and that you should hand it over to them. Brother Dave Pay no attention such silly statements. I on the other wish to do you a favor and I have an idea. The cost will be extremely high to repair. Why don't you let me take this off your hands for you. I will do all the leg work as I can sense the tremendous strain, pain and frustration this situation has already caused you. Seriously though GOFF is the way to go. Begin the day with a friendly voice A companion, unobtrusive - Rush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother_Dave Posted October 18, 2006 Author Share Posted October 18, 2006 OK so I know I brought all this on myself! For everyone trying to get me to sell it to you, NO! Trust me, I'm in this for the long haul. Whatever I have to do to bring it back to life I will. I want to atone for my sins!!! True I was hasty by suggesting I burn it. That was more of a frustrated statement, not a true option. I, of course, expect this to be costly, I was just exercising some wishful thinking. Now my question is this, when I take this thing to a hammond doctor, how much should I expect. Please no "If you have to ask you can't afford it" responses. I need a ballpark figure, so I know how big of a piggy bank I need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 First of all, does the generator still turn? If it's frozen, it may not be worth salvaging. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother_Dave Posted October 19, 2006 Author Share Posted October 19, 2006 Yes, the tone wheel turns. Everything in that area of the cabnit is "fine". Its the stuff in the lower cab I'm worried about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latchmo Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Goff is in Newington, CT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzdoc52 Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 What about Speakeasy? dont they repair vintage stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Rinker Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Originally posted by Brother_Dave: I live in the middle of West Texas with not very many Hammond resources available. Should I burn it and move on? GOD, I dont want to!!!!!! NOOOO, don't burn it! I wonder if Tommy Young could help - he is in Garland, which still isn't too close, but at least he's in the same state! (I know, that isn't saying much when the state is Texas ) I don't have any personal dealings with him, except I recall forum member daviel telling me some nice things about him in an email conversation once. My only other contact with him is his CD - The Keeper of the B - it is to die for! Anybody who created the title song has to have some true passion for the instrument! It seems like that might be a useful quality while restoring a neglected specimen, as it sounds like yours is. - Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother_Dave Posted October 19, 2006 Author Share Posted October 19, 2006 Garland is not "close", but not unresonable. I must admit, I was wanting someone to say "Oh yeah!!! All you gotta do is get new tubes, spray this stuff on it, and go after the power amp, reverb, etc. with a steel brush, and you'll be fine!" Hypothetically(aka holding on to a sliver of hope), if the damage was located only on the units underneath, and not in the compartment with the tone wheel, then a simple take out the bad piut in the good would work right? As I look at the guts(it's in a dry climate controlled enviornment now), it strikes me that the complicated stuff is in the top compartment. The lower section, the section that basically doesn't exsist on a B3 is where 99.5% of the damage is. Those 5 units (power amp, reverb, pedal etc.) appear to be siple to replace. Am I wrong? If I coulkd find a new power amp, for example, and then replace my existing with the new one, is it a mater of "the wire goes right where it was" or is it WWAAYYY more complicated than that. I know I sound like a kid saying "but....but....but....", however, believe it or not, I have always loved that instrument, and had I known I was doing such damage to it, I wouldn't have, and I just want to fix it myself!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dementedchord Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 the motors turning is a good sign.. but may not indicate the condition of the scanner... when i was working on these things there was an organization starting to take hold a lot of the members were doing organs exclusively google MITA musical instrument tech assoc... im no good with geography are ya close to austin??? the bob overton suggestion is a good one.... "style is determined not by what you can play but what you cant...." dave brubeck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesdisciple Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 For the basis stuff---preamp, tubes, pedal, etc., you may not be in bad shape. If you can find someone who knows basic vintage electronics, you can find replacement parts including the amp and tubes several places online or easily on ebay. If its just the bottom parts, you're probably looking at a thousand cahones easy to replace with new parts---not counting the labor. You could also scrounge through ebay to find old Hammonds which don't work but have salvageable parts which may cut costs too. Now if its the wiring and tonewheel generator and other distinctly Hammond parts, then without a doubt, a certified Hammond techie is what you need. The key is finding someone who is old enough to know basic electronic repair. Our drummer, who is in his forties, is a certified electrician from his youth and a master auto mechanic. He has worked on my Hammond and cleaned up the pre-amp and tubes and is now working on a Leslie 122 preamp rebuild. He can look at those old schematics and figure things out....its all greek to me though. It would be an unpardonable sin to do anything to harm this instrument and the Gods would reap their destruction and wrath upon you.....or at least those of us on here who are Hammond freaks would whisper bad words about you under are breath. Just kidding. Hope this helps, BD 1956 Hammond C3 with Leslie 122, Roland V-Combo, Trek II Preamp, Peavey KB 100, 1976 Natural Maple Rickenbacker 4001S bass And yes folks, I do gig with a Casio WK 3700...So there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesdisciple Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Besides Goff, google Antique Electronic Supply and Tonewheel General Hospital. Between those two you can easily find the parts you may need...including the big stuff. Plus the staff at Tonewhell General Hospital can probably provide some email or phone consultation that would be helpful too. BD 1956 Hammond C3 with Leslie 122, Roland V-Combo, Trek II Preamp, Peavey KB 100, 1976 Natural Maple Rickenbacker 4001S bass And yes folks, I do gig with a Casio WK 3700...So there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother_Dave Posted October 19, 2006 Author Share Posted October 19, 2006 Miles to Garland 292 Miles to Austin 205 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyRubberDuck Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Don't be too hard on yourself. At least you had the smarts to realize your mistake and act to correct it. DRD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrokeys Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Nobody has mentioned it yet, but Bill Brown at BB Organ is also a great resource for this sort of thing. Lots of parts and knowledgable too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother_Dave Posted October 19, 2006 Author Share Posted October 19, 2006 OK, so I know I'm gonna show my true idiocy, but I throw myself at the mercy of the group.: There are 4 large metal units in the lower cab. One, I know, is the power amp. Another is the reverb. What do you call the other 2 units? The other things that have tubes. I can't even find a manual! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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