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Keyboards Hammond organ tuning?

Araceli

Senior Member
Messages
44
Locality
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Hi again... I want to know if a Hammond B-3 becomes out of tune, and why? Thanks!
 
Hi Araceli,
I've played Hammonds years ago and never had one go out of tune. I might have been lucky, i always made sure i oiled them and had them serviced. Somebody else on the site might know more about tuning them. The early B3 & C3s, A100s in fact all the early models used Tone Wheel Generators which might have something to do with it. Best of luck in your search.
Regards Rob.
 
Hammond B3 and a selmer MkV1 now we need to hear some clips please!
 
Hammond B3 and a selmer MkV1 now we need to hear some clips please!

I used to play a Hammond B-3 in 1990, but it wasn't mine, it's from a friend. And my dad, the owner of that Selmer Mark VI, doesn't live with me anymore.
 
I used to play a Hammond B-3 in 1990, but it wasn't mine, it's from a friend. And my dad, the owner of that Selmer Mark VI, doesn't live with me anymore.

Why are you worried about them going out of tune if you dont have one?
 
Why are you worried about them going out of tune if you dont have one?

Because I was told at elementary school that all musical instruments become out of tune (my teacher told me about stringed, wind and percussion instruments, but she didn't tell anything about electronic instruments). And as an electronic instrument, I always doubted if the Hammond B-3 got out of tune someday....
 
Because I was told at elementary school that all musical instruments become out of tune (my teacher told me about stringed, wind and percussion instruments, but she didn't tell anything about electronic instruments). And as an electronic instrument, I always doubted if the Hammond B-3 got out of tune someday....

Well i've played Hammonds, Lowries, Solinas, Farfisas, Roland, Yamaha, Elka, even Casio's and none of them have ever gone out of tune. But saying that, a lot of the more modern organs and keyboards can be altered regarding tuning. So don't lose any sleep over it. Like i said in the other post the original Hammonds used Tone wheel generators and were Electro Mechanical, not electronic. So unless you actually get one and you will need to have a great amount of money believe me, i wouldn't worry about it.
 
I had some tuning problems playing saxophone with a B3, but only when the organ player used some combinations. I think it has to do with some harmonics around. The fundamental was in tune, but I was struggling to adjust myself. Sorted changing the organ's timbre.
 
And school teachers sometimes make 'sweeping statements' like that .... I come from a family of many teachers ;}
 
Hammonds are susceptible to voltage changes- I remember playing a festivla many years ago with a hammond player who was being powered by a slightly ropey generator- that certainly seemed to do some odd things to his tuning....
 

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