The Beginning of a new Hammond,...

Ok guys, over the summer I was extremely disappointed in the L143 that I bought. It turned out to be a dud. Just look at my blog on it, and see for yourself.

BUT today is a brand new day! I just got back from mid-town Tulsa off of Peoria and I44 with my new M3, AKA,....the "Baby B3". I already know that future expectations are to find a Leslie cab and connection kit. After that, I will be FULLY satisfied with my organ buying. Of course, I would love to have a Fender Rhodes, or Wurly to accompany it. But I'm just peachy right now.

Pics will be posted soon!!!

-Eric

Here you go Rogier,...

Maybe it's not the end...

Well, thanks to Rogier I have decided that I might just keep this L143 around in case I DO come across a TWG by happenstance.  (Of course I need to talk to my wife).

We just found out this past week that we are going to have twins!  So, now I really need to sell my CV, and S6.  

Here is a video of the journey of the L143 to this point.  Hope you enjoy.

This is the end of the road...

Well, it was a good run.

Unfortunately, this is the end of the road for the L143. I ended the restoration process last night around 3am. I put all the pieces back together again, only to come to the conclusion that this organ is dead. I believe the tone generator is bad, and it will not ever produce the right sound.

I will post a video of the progress as soon as I can. Perhaps tonight or tomorrow evening. We'll see how much time I have.

The sad thing is, I bought this organ it wasn't just given to me. But I had to find out the hard way that this was a dead organ. I spent roughly one week doing at least something everyday in order to restore this organ. I feel as though I'm a child who bought a toy at some amusment park out of state, got home to play with it, and it's broken,......and I can't just go back to the out of state amusement park and return it for another one. I'm stuck with it.

The good news to all of this, is that through my phone calls, and making contacts,...I've come across an M3 that is in almost pristine condition (so the tech says), with one original owner, for FREE. Supposedly the only thing that is needed is a start/run switch. I'll pick this one up in about three weeks or so, and start a new blog on it. I believe that God restores what was stolen from His people, and I believe that to be the case here.

Thanks to all who read,......it was definately a learning experience, but a disapointing one to say the least.


-E

Alrighty people.

I went and spoke to an incredible man who has been servicing Hammond's for years.  We talked at his home (in which he has 5 organs) about techniques, and such.  He purely services them, and does not play.  His wife does all the playing.  She played at their church for around 50 years.  I think that's just great.  

He told me of a story of a man who just wants to give away a M3.  I was stoked hearing the news, but I HAVE NO ROOM!!!!! So reply to the blog if you are in the Tulsa area and would like information,.....AWESOME opportunity for someone.  

Ok guys, I will see if these drawbar "triangles" I got today are going to work!  Peace out,

-E 

I found some drwbars.  I will call the guy today and make sure that he has enough, and pick them up tomorrow!

-E

I may have some drawbars,..... We'll see!  Another man here locally tore down a L100 series for parts (ouch).  So I hope he still has the drawbars.

My local Hammond expert, said to take some "3 in 1", or "3:1", or "3 and 1" oil (yeah, this is my first time with that,....the oil is probably known to many, but hey, gimme a break) and some sand paper, to the housings in my organ.  I will try this later on, but he did say that mice urine eats right through the housings and drawbars.  That's pretty much a given anyway, but this man is awesome, and it's a joy whenever I get to talk to him.  He serviced the B3 that I play at church.  Ah, the organ I jam on at church is this awesome (technically B2, with the percussion element added to make it a B3), and a 122A Leslie.  MAN DOES SHE SCREAM.  I'll grab a pic of her at practice Wed. night and show you guys.  

Peace out,

-Eric

This is where I was trying to get into to clean the contacts.  Rogier, have you gotten down in here yet?

This is where the keys depress to make a contact to produce sound, here on these off-white protrusions.  I will clean this metal later on.

I have no soldering equipment, so I haven't detached the drawbar connections.  I have been EXTREMELY careful not to stretch, and ruin this for sure.

I'm pretty sure that I can't go any further until I detach the drawbar electrics.

-Eric

Youtube has the first Video Journal, check it out.

Here's that video I promised.  This is of earlier today before those last pictures were posted.  I took the video, and then went to town.  

www.youtube.com/nurseeroc  

I have it here because blogger was being WAY to slow.

Also, I'VE DECIDED TO STOP WHERE I AM for now before I mess this thing up further.  I hoped to get the contacts cleaned, and we'll see after I talk to the local expert here in town if I'm going to go ahead and do that.  As you can hear on the video, the sound comes in and out, and almost distorted when I play.  I don't know if that is because of the contacts, and the oxidation, or if it's because the tone generator is junk.  We'll see.  If the expert comes to the house, maybe I can tape him.   Well, that's a little creepy, but we'll see.  Enjoy the vid.

-Eric

Look at this disgusting thing. I'm about to go grab some CLR,..... any reason I shouldn't somebody?



This is a reference picture of where the wires are supposed to be hooked back up after I get down into this beast as far as I'm willing to go. Once again,.....thanks to the mice pee for oxidizing my drawbar contacts, and rusting out my housings.


Take a look at this, I believe that these are additions to make the drawbars smooth instead of the hard clicking. But, when I took apart the housing to the drawbars, a bunch of parts came flying out, and landed in various places. Anyone have any clues?


Another shot of the ruined drawbars. I have a call in to a local Hammond expert to see if he has any extra I could have or buy.


I captured some video today. When I get time, I will post. Thanks guys!

Unfortunate Leslie situation...

Upon looking and looking, and talking to my new friend in Europe, I have discovered that I do not already have what it takes to hook up to a Leslie. (tear).

So, here are some pics of the in-ards. Beware, it is very dirty.

Here's some pics. WIERD speaker hook up. I've never seen a 4 prong before.

You see these plugs below, (red, white, and gray). They seem to be the same as RCA or Patch cords, and if I'm right,.....I might just hook this bad boy up to a guitar wah wah pedal, and run it through my Peavy. Niiiiiiice huh?

Here are some of my other Ax's. Both of these, the CV, and the S6 are for sale. My wife won't let me keep all of them,.....I wonder why?!?!

(above)The Hammond S6 (1962), and the The Hammond CV (1949)

The new Arrival

Oddly enough, I was googling the internet, and found a blog on the L122 during research of a then thought, of buying this L143. I went ahead, and bought it today, and it needs restoration. I decided to do what a man is Europe is doing. I'm going to blog my events here on this site.

Today, I picked up the organ from a man in East Tulsa (more like Catoosa). He had the organ in storage for approx. 5 years. I visited him at the storage facility and took a look at this organ. He pulled a sheet from the organ, and I watched as poison pellets for mice flew away with the sheet. Right then and there, I knew that this was probably going to be a job and a half. We chatted a little, and he told me that he was the second owner, and even pulled out the original papers on it. I proceeded to tell him that this was the series (L100) that Keith Emerson used to thrash on stage.

I was able to load this organ into the back of my Honda Element. IT FIT! I backed it up to the ledge coming into the house from the garage, and unloaded it myself. My wife helped stable it on the last heave down to the ground.

The outside is almost pristine. The inside, looks like ancient ruins.

I will post pictures as I progress, but for now, there is a huge exam I have to take for the board of Oklahoma to get my nursing license, so complete attention will have to wait.

Thanks for reading, I will post more when I have it!