NOD!

[Leevibe]

First of all, this is all Timbo's fault! He posted a while back about his Hammond M100 and that piqued my interest. I started doing some research online and decided that an M3 would be the perfect organ for me. I've been watching CL, waiting ever since.

Found a guy on CL selling one for $200 in perfect working order. Contacted him and ended up working a trade: my Fender Pro Jr for his 1956 M3. We both got a great deal!

The organ functions perfectly and sounds amazing! Now I just need to learn to play 

The M3 is commonly called the "Baby B3." Not only does it look like a mini B3, but it has the vibrato scanner and percussion. I plan to do the "foldback" mod to it so it has the upper harmonics all the way up the keyboard, just like a B3.

Now the hard (read expensive) part: getting a Leslie.

[culturejam]

Nice!

My dad used to gig a B3 and Leslie back in the day. I'm sure he'd get a kick out of this deal you worked up. Well done!

[bcalla]

Good deal!  Nothing beats the sound of a Hammond.  My friend owns an M 100 series, it's been in storage since the 70s.  He also has a Hammond SK1, which is a great keyboard.  Does a great job capturing the sound, and only weighs 17 pounds.

For the Leslie, you might want to try this: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LesliePed.  The demos sound fantastic.

[Leevibe]

I forgot to mention that the amp I traded for this was one I took in trade for a pedal I did for a friend. So, the notion that these pedals are currency seems to hold true!

[sonarchotic]

That's awesome! Now I have one more thing to have an eye out for Too bad anything with a tube in it around here has an asking price of about three times what it's worth. Nice score!

[pickdropper]

I forgot to mention that the amp I traded for this was one I took in trade for a pedal I did for a friend. So, the notion that these pedals are currency seems to hold true!

Like cigarettes in prison....

Congrats on the new organ. 

[timbo_93631]

First of all, this is all Timbo's fault!

I am an organ enabler.  That just sounds wrong!  First of all, nice M3, glad to see you get a score and I hope your back isn't hurt too bad moving it.  Secondly, yes a Leslie is necessary.  With the amount of free space in a M3, you could probably fit a single channel in the back, but they aren't as nice as having the spinning horn too...  Anyhow, great score!

[atreidesheir]

straight in to the deep end.  screw m-audio!
rock that stone age synth.

[Leevibe]

Mods to follow:

- poor man's foldback
- tapering the upper manual
- I may drop the lower manual one octave
- obviously mod for leslie hookup.

anything else I should consider?

I forgot to mention that there is an RCA jack which is an input to the amp. The guy who sold it to me says it's good for low level signals and would probably be good with guitar. I'll build a cable and find out.

This thing has a field coil speaker. Scary! Full B+ voltage to the speaker's electromagnet. Sounds killer though.

First of all, this is all Timbo's fault!

I am an organ enabler.  That just sounds wrong!  First of all, nice M3, glad to see you get a score and I hope your back isn't hurt too bad moving it.  Secondly, yes a Leslie is necessary.  With the amount of free space in a M3, you could probably fit a single channel in the back, but they aren't as nice as having the spinning horn too...  Anyhow, great score!

No sore back. The seller had a sweet dolly that made moving it super easy. I think I want to hold out for a proper leslie with horn. Seller told me that the amp in this is very similar to the preamp in a B3 in terms of output and character. Holy smokes, a 12w preamp? 2 x 6V6 power tubes. No wonder B3/Leslie gets such smoky sounding overdrive.

[kothoma]

Nice (fat) little baby!

[lincolnic]

Nice! We have one of these guys at one of the studios where I work. I can confirm that it'll sound great with a Leslie, but I'm sure it already sounds great on its own.

The bass pedals on the M3 are pretty fun, too.

[alanp]

Wowee! The M3 is a real tonewheel model, right?

The only way you're getting a tonewheel organ in NZ is either for ludicrous money, or with digital sample sets. The idea of $200USD for one is going to get you hysterical laughter.

[Leevibe]

Wowee! The M3 is a real tonewheel model, right?

The only way you're getting a tonewheel organ in NZ is either for ludicrous money, or with digital sample sets. The idea of $200USD for one is going to get you hysterical laughter.

Yeah, it's the real deal. All tonewheel, all tube. Out here they're still pretty ubiquitous. I've read forum posts where people say don't pay more than $150 or hold out for a freebie.

The B3/C3/A-100 models (same guts, different cabinet) have all become pretty expensive, especially the B3. Even the B2/C2 are expensive. So a lot of people are getting into the spinets. My thinking is that now is the time to get one because they have to eventually dry up. Some day we'll be sitting around saying "remember when a guy could get an M3 for $150?"

The real trick will be to get a good leslie for it. Probably the only way I'll afford a good 2 speed one is to find a broken one or piece a few different cabinets together. We shall see.

[timbo_93631]

Wowee! The M3 is a real tonewheel model, right?

The only way you're getting a tonewheel organ in NZ is either for ludicrous money, or with digital sample sets. The idea of $200USD for one is going to get you hysterical laughter.

Yeah, it's the real deal. All tonewheel, all tube. Out here they're still pretty ubiquitous. I've read forum posts where people say don't pay more than $150 or hold out for a freebie.

The B3/C3/A-100 models (same guts, different cabinet) have all become pretty expensive, especially the B3. Even the B2/C2 are expensive. So a lot of people are getting into the spinets. My thinking is that now is the time to get one because they have to eventually dry up. Some day we'll be sitting around saying "remember when a guy could get an M3 for $150?"

The real trick will be to get a good leslie for it. Probably the only way I'll afford a good 2 speed one is to find a broken one or piece a few different cabinets together. We shall see.

Yep, I think I gave $25 for my M102 that is here in the music room with me, and the M103 out in the shop was $80, but has troubles a plenty.  A cheap Leslie is not an easy thing to find.   They do come up on the local Craigslist from time to time, but I've been watching for about 2 years and I still haven't found one that looks well cared for and is also the right price at the right time.  Usually they are a combination of a big price tag and hasn't-been-oiled-in-ages.

[sonarchotic]

Wowee! The M3 is a real tonewheel model, right?

The only way you're getting a tonewheel organ in NZ is either for ludicrous money, or with digital sample sets. The idea of $200USD for one is going to get you hysterical laughter.

Yeah, it's the real deal. All tonewheel, all tube. Out here they're still pretty ubiquitous. I've read forum posts where people say don't pay more than $150 or hold out for a freebie.

The B3/C3/A-100 models (same guts, different cabinet) have all become pretty expensive, especially the B3. Even the B2/C2 are expensive. So a lot of people are getting into the spinets. My thinking is that now is the time to get one because they have to eventually dry up. Some day we'll be sitting around saying "remember when a guy could get an M3 for $150?"

The real trick will be to get a good leslie for it. Probably the only way I'll afford a good 2 speed one is to find a broken one or piece a few different cabinets together. We shall see.

I have a trade offer out on a 64' m101. The guys wants a synth and I have one getting no use, sooo...    I have a 'motors and controls' class coming up before too long and a leslie may make a great project for it. I'll make a thread of it if I do. I have a Rhodes lined up too so I may have the bones of my dream, or nightmare depending on the amount of work they both need, home studio. If you don't mind, keep your mods updated on here. I'd be interested to see your progress. The whole tone wheel mechanism is just fascinating. Clock work, inductance and sound all working together.  Combine all that with tubes and the Doppler effect and how can you lose?