I recently read an article about Hammond re-releasing the B3.
It's actually digital, but they claim it is completely authentic to the original.
Strap on a Leslie or two...

Anyone played the new B3 yet?
What do you think?

I'd give my left arm to own a B3 again.

Hmmmnn, if my loyal Piano World forum members are looking to get me something for my birthday (Nov.) ...

- Frank B.

Well gee, Frank ... looks like a huge hint to me ...



Lyn F.

Frank,
I thought about you today when I was playing a Hammond C-2 ( from the '30s) at an quaint funeral home chapel. It had the drawbar for the vibrato chorus. You got to give Hammond credit. "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking"!! The best thing about the organ is the separate Deagan chimes connected to it (with the little keyboard connected to the righthand side of the console). Believe it or not, they were the most musical thing about the organ. Ah, I guess I am spoiled by a pipe organ!

Hi Rick G,

I agree there's no comparison between a Hammond and a pipe organ.
But then, if you're playing good old Rock N' Roll or Jazz, there's nothing like a Hammond and a couple of Leslie's:-)

- Frank B.
Piano World

Frank,
Yes, you are right. There is a pecussiveness about the Hammond that is like no other, even a mighty Wurlitzer! My first organ lessons were on a M3 spinet. In college, I would practice on an RT3. When I married, I inherited a Hammond A-100. I sold it (not my wife, but the organ), and bought my Mason-Hamlin. Once you learn how to use the drawbars, it can be very versatile. It is an excellent lesson in harmonics! I still like playing Ethel Smith's version of "Tico Tico" on a Hammond. It will get you movin'!!

RickG

RickG,
That's funny, I remember playing Tico Tico, haven't played it in years.

I lean more toward Jimmy Smith, or Keith Emerson (not that I can actully play like either of them).

- Frank B.
Piano World

In my old R+R days I lifted more B3's onto loading docks and stages than any person alive.

On the other hand--the best R+R organ ever made was a Leslie hooked up to a Strat.

I just bought a B-3 from a friend in No. Cal.
Looks like I'm going to take a couple of days off to go get it.

I'm totally thrilled about it. I can't wait to play some old Smith and McGriff tunes on it.

Wow, that's great!
Congratulations.

(I'm jealous:-)

- Frank B.
Piano World

Alex,
Did you get a Leslie speaker with that B-3?

Wanna buy a Leslie?

I've got a 760 series, rather the worse for wear but still works. I almost never get to use it and it needs a good home.

Hello Frank,

I have a new B3 in the Elizabeth location.

Everybody who played it said it was great and that Hammond finally came back to the origional. (unless they where all being polite in front of me )

Come visit next time you are in the area.

Hi Fred,

Thanks for the invite, I'd love to play the new toy. I'm geographically challenged, how far is Elizabeth from Heightstown?

We have an office in Heightstown (my day job, not Piano World), I could come up with a reason to visit them:-)

Heightstown is 45 min. south on I95 from Elizabeth

I played the new Hammond and it rocks!

Now if I could only play that thing like Joey DeFrancesco.....

norbert

Still cheaper and better to find an A100 and 147. That plays *exactly* like a true organic B3 and costs less than either an original or a new digital version..... Plus you get a built-in reverb and if you really want them, static Jensens with a nice valve amp.

No contest.

Colin,

Thats true. The only problem is that it is getting harder and harder to find the "analog" B3, C3, OR A100 in performance (or reconditionable) condition.

We carry the new B3 (and recondition older models) here in Philadelphia. It is simply getting harder to find the reconditionable units.

good video Here Its 1 hour long and the b3 cuts in about 25 mins. Worth a watch as the Leon Kuyper is one great player and he really works the hammond.

I did well to find an A in mint condition for £100 then!.... Trouble is it's an A102, the one that sings like Aretha Franklin but looks like Celine Dion.....

Has anyone heard the recording "Paisannos(sp) on the new B-3"? It's a promo released by Hammond Suzuki featuring a double trio (2 drummers,2 guitarists, and Tony Monaco and Joey D) tearing it up. Very hot. I found it on Tony Monaco's website. www.b3monaco.com enjoy!

I've been in a 30 year love affair with Hammond Organs. I've owned the following organs. C3,M3,BV,RT-2,A102,A100 Suzuki XB-2,XB-5, I currently use a Roland VK-7 for my portable rig. No, it's not the same, but it fits in my car and I can carry it by myself. BTW Colin, I agree,"Celene Dion" Ha Ha.

I spent about 3 decades servicing organs, including the Hammond A, B, C, etc instruments. Since the original Hammond company went out of business and Hammond Suzuki took over the designs, they have had several generation of all electronic organs that tried to duplicate the B3 sound. The last one I played (about 1997) was a VERY good simulation. It even had a single tube in it that could be varied in its distortion to simulate the sound of the tube preamp. Leslies are still being made, they still use the same basic principle of operation, and a couple of the models are still very similar to the original.

The XB3 sold retail (if I remember correctly) for about 17,000 - tricked out with a single Leslie cabinet. A reconditioned REAL B3 at that point in time was typically selling in southeast Virginia for $25,000. They were in considerable demand by the larger black churches. I installed one of these in a large church in NewpoRt News, VA - they kept the old B3 as well - had them side by side. After a couple of months, I talked with the organist, and he was playing the new one mostly.

Although the fellow who bought all the parts when Hammond closed tried to have various items custom manufactured (such as power transformers for the B3 preamp), a lot of the parts needed for a recondition are no longer available, unless one sets up their own machine shop to make them.

I personally enjoy both the sound of a pipe organ, a Rodgers combination pipe/electronic organ, and the Hammond sound. I play in our church praise band, and currently use a Kurzweil K2661 synthesizer that does a pretty good job of emulating one manual of the Hammond. My best emulation is running a MIDI controller keyboard into a computer running a program called B4 by a German company named Native Instruments. The latest version the "B4-II" will really make you believe you are hearing a Hammond B3.

Jim

They get harder to find every year. I was fortunate to find a C3 about twenty years ago that came out of a church, a couple of years ago I came across a C2 to keep for parts (it would play with minor repairs), and just this week I came across another one that I'm trying to get, I may end up with that one as my one to use. I've been extremely lucky, but you don't see near as many as you used to.
Clyde

I'm using B4 II with the doepfer D3 system and it works really well. Live control over the drawbars and switches, plus I've got pedals which control swell and leslie start / stop and speed. It's a modular system, but I bought mine second hand with a wooden stand and carry case for under £500. It's fun to play with as an alternative to the piano.