Dear Hammond organ fans,
Old Hammond and Leslie Facts...
As you might know the Hammond B-3 and similar organs have a great reputation and have made their mark in music history. Back in the 70's every bands had to have one, to be considered a serious band ! Today, this distinctive signature and classic organ and Leslie sound can still be heard on contemporary country, rock, pop, jazz and soul records.
Forty years ago nobody was concerned about the Hammond and Leslie restoration, it was normal back then, these instrument were pretty young. After all it would had been a waste of time and money to try and improve something that was almost new!
Aging Creates Performance & Sound Degradation
However today in 2008 things have changed for these vintage instruments and most of these Hammond's and Leslie's are not as quite in shape as they used to be in their younger days. Of course due to components of aging, deterioration and degradation of the sound and performance has become the normal vintage Hammond and Leslie reality.
Despite the fact that they were built with extreme high quality standards many components had a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years, so even the last Hammond B3 from 1975 now need maintenance and restoration to get back in shape.
In fact some Hammonds and Leslie's just don't scream at all and are so dull and dark sounding that in most cases, it feels like you wrapped a carpet around the Leslie! Many of them lack punch and brilliance and are muffled sounding. Some others lack a lot of bass too, not to mention all the audible "HUM" "BUZZ" and "POPS" which should be out of the picture but they are now associated with these antique instruments.
So what's left to enjoy? In many occasions a B-3 could be compared to an old '55 Cadillac! Both of them are classics but to keep them alive they require some love and tuning from their owners...
"My B3 Doesn't Scream As Much As It Used To..."
By talking with long time Hammond and Leslie owners I have discovered that I was not the only one who was deceived by the sound of these instruments. I was shocked by the comments from veteran owners I mean the people who had acquired their Hammonds back in the early 70's who were now complaining about the same tone degradation and overall performance of their instruments throughout the years. They were all saying things like: "I don't know what happened to my B3 but now it doesn't scream as much as it used to 20 years ago."
I had to find what were the critical audio components to make sure to replace them. When I consider the energy that I have committed to discover what I know today I realize that it is not only valuable but almost priceless. The time and money I have invested will certainly benefit you by skipping the learning curve to make sure that you don't make the same mistakes that I did and to make sure that you succeed the first time!
As you already know we play music to express our emotions and feelings and we use the organ as a tool to communicate those emotions. When the organ doesn't sing or scream or doesn't have the punch you need, how can you express yourself? If you want to convince yourself just listen to the organ solo in the song "Evil Ways" from Santana and you will know what I refer to.
As an example, I played on many B3's that just didn't deliver because of many technical problems. Not only is it boring to play on those instruments but it can be very frustrating too, especially when you know what you are missing.
In my opinion, the Hammond B-3 and similar organs are probably one of the top keyboard in the world that has that range and potential to express various human emotion intensities. But sadly, when they sound bad the message won't go thru and they are not much better than any clones out there.
My 14 Years Of Experience Rebuilding Hammonds and Leslies is Yours Risk Free
If you own an original vintage Hammond and Leslie I am sure that you can relate to what I have said previously. You hear them on the radio, live on stage or on Late Night television programs and the same instrument seems to sound and perform so much better than your equipment. Don't worry I have been in that position before and I was wondering why my organ didn't sounded as good as the one on records until I discovered this.
My expertise in Hammond and Leslie restoration began in 1994 and the reason was frustration with the difference in tone from an original 1958 B-3 in comparison with the organs I could hear in concerts and on records. I started an intensive research to find out why that organ would not perform and sound as good and how I could bring it back to life. I have discovered that all of these touring Hammond organs and leslies were restored to factory specifications.
That's why the sound was so good because these guys were rebuilding the electronics in the organ and in the Leslies.
Today there are shops who specialize in restoration of these vintage instruments mostly for professional touring organists. After talking with a great number of Hammond specialists I have accumulated enough knowledge and tips to restore these vintage Hammonds and Leslies. After rebuilding that '58 B3 and that Leslie 122 RV with amazing results I knew for sure that these "beasts" needed some maintenance because the proof was finally there, the sound was as good if not better than when new.
After my restoration I had finally the exact same sound as I could hear on records. No "HUM" or funny noises, static "BUZZ" or "POPS" but just the clean classic fresh drawbar definition and Leslie tone that we all love! After that I've started to restore organs for others with the same success.
I don't want you to spend time and money on components that don't need to be replaced like I did! And that's why I have decided to compile an e-book on how to restore the performance and sound of Hammonds and Leslies because otherwise that kind of information is so hard to collect and hard on the wallet. It took me years to discover and to compile that information altogether.
The long distance calls that I made to talk to some other Hammond technicians across the country or the travels back and forth at the electronic shop to purchase components will benefit you.
Sure bringing your organ and Leslie to a technician will probably solve your problems but again it is NOT a guarantee because I found many technicians in my venture who just ignored how to restore these instruments and never did restore any Hammonds or Leslie before! Yes trust me there are many technicians who will work on these equipment ONLY if they are dead or broken...
So choosing your Hammond technician specialist is a challenge by itself and moving your equipment to a different states or province is another painful thing to consider and I am not taking into account the hourly fee that will be charged for the labor!
Why You Can Be Better Than a Technician...
In my 14 years of experience I've talked to many Hammond technicians. Some of them were senior technicians with a background of 40 years of experience!
They were all excellent and highly qualified people but despite all these facts, I have always been shocked to realize that after talking with some of them, they were on a totally opposite spectrum than me! Why?
That�’s because in most case they are technicians NOT musicians! Let me explain, most of them will have the following mindset and they will say things like: "it plays well, it's in mint condition, it makes a sound and it works why bother?"
My favorite answer to them is always the same one; �“I have had an excellent cosmetic looking and working 1980 Pontiac Trans-Am with a very aggressive looking red eagle on a glossy white paint job! BUT, the car had also rusted floors, transmissions seal leaks not to mention that I was also buying the Prestone wholesale!�” Pretty on the outside, falling apart mechanically inside. That's right!
Of course the average vintage Hammond B3 organs for sale are no longer truly stock because the aged components are no longer working at their proper specs so therefore the factory stock sound and electrical operation has long gone! In most case the technicians won't even realize that these organs are now a pale imitation of what they used to be!
For most of them, as long as the organ works it�’s ok and they don't bother too much with the sound quality. For a musician, the sound is everything and for a technician well... Not always! Now before I make myself enemies in the technician community I will specify that there ARE a few technicians who cares about the sound quality of these instruments. You know why? That's because in most cases they are also musicians!
Stop Wasting Your Time & Money With Poor Technicians �– And Save Thousands On Hammond and Leslie Restoration & Upgrades
No need to rent a trailer or rent a van and brake your back to move your 400 pounds organ and it's 150 pounds companion Leslie speaker to bring it to a technician
Learn where exactly you have to spend time in order to restore your instruments;
Don't spend money for nothing by replacing components that doesn't need to be replaced;
Depending on your organ model and year of production I will tell you exactly where you should focus your efforts on:
Learn how to fix that dull and dark sounding organ to that original expressive pure screaming factory fresh drawbar definition:
Learn how to fix that Hammond and Leslie "Hum" "Buzz" funny noise and static:
Easily upgrade your Hammond percussion to avoid the organ volume drop when the percussion switch "NORMAL" is "ON":
Adjust the volume of the percussion "ping" in 5 minutes or less:
Know how to repair your Hammond organ keycombs to avoid those loose keys and "plastic" noise as they slam to each other while playing:
Learn how to balance the vibrato and non-vibrato channel on your organ so that both channels sounds very similar:
Learn to easily repair the non working drawbars on your organ
Learn which critical components you need to pay attention in order to successfully restore and upgrade your AO-28 organ preamplifier to later Hammond specs;
Learn how you can potentially BOOST your bass response using 4 different techniques:
Learn how you can restore a Leslie 122 amplifier easily and make it sound better than new:
Learn the HUGE effect the plastic treble horn has in your Leslie sound and how you can improve or customize your sound:
Learn which treble drivers can be installed in a Leslie PLUS some amazing tips on how to adjust their frequency response:
Learn which treble driver will give you a much more FAT organ sound with much more power handling capabilities:
Learn how to restore your Leslie dividing network for that original factory Leslie sound definition:
Learn which tube substitution will give you more "Hammond growl" faster and which other will make your organ sound fatter or brighter.
Learn how to read and measure your tone generator calibration curve;<wbr>
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Learn how to easily create a graph and visualize what is happening in the "heart" of your Hammond!
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Learn how to easily modify and fine tune your generator using our final "Blue Print" secret that is proven to give you a superior sounding Hammond and Leslie;
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Learn why Paul Shaffer's B3 doesn't sound that good and how you could make yours sound better!;
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But Most Importantly...
Save time, effort and money by skipping the learning curve with a proven Hammond and Leslie restoration method designed for non technicians which will give you all the information you need to achieve a superior sounding Hammond and Leslie on your own !
A Few Words About My Clientele:
I still receive letters from my satisfied customers around the world weekly. As an example, I also met many Hammond lovers around the world and I am also very proud to serve many prestigious clients working in many fields of expertise including;
* Hammond organ rental/repair shops,
* Professional touring organists,
* Recording studio technicians.
Here is Some Recent Testimonial Letters From My Customers Who Bought That e-Book;
"There's a lot of great information in this HAMMOND B-3/LESLIE 122 IMPROVEMENT & RESTORATION E-BOOK. Definitely, a great resource! Pat has obviously, spent many hours researching the subject. I'm sure that this will be an ongoing endeavor."

- Bill Brown Fridley, MN
BBOrgan.com
(Hammond organ and Leslie speaker rental/repair shop)
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"Hi Pat,
I just purchased your e-book last night and I am eagerly buzzing around through all your great info. I was wondering if you could tell me more of your background. You seem to know a great deal.
I am a professional bassist (upright and elec.) and have been most of my life. I grew up playing in bands with B3 players from my early days in rock and blues bands to later days in Jazz."
Thanks Pat

- Don Miller, NY
(Professional bassist for Britney Spears, Enrique Iglesias, Georges Benson, Dr. Lonnie Smith and many other artists.)
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"Hi Pat! Man that�’s a great guide! This is an extremely
valuable and well-done Ebook that should be considered
mandatory reading for anyone even considering ' gettin' under the hood' on a console <st1:CITY><st1:PLACE>Hammond</ST1:PLACE></ST1:CITY>, especially the B-3.
The detailed, step-by-step instructions and the clear, illustrative photos offer even a regular guy like me, a player but certainly not a technician, a comprehensive roadmap to many of the most common and beneficial restoration tasks, as well as some great ideas for ' tweaking ' the sound of your Hammond.
I sure could have used this guide for the full-restore I did on a beat-up ol' 1954 Hammond B-2 over the summer....it would have made life a lot easier. Honestly, I think anyone will be glad to have this Ebook in hand !"<o:P></O:P>
Thanks Pat!<o:P>"</O:P>

- Jimmy Lange, Colorado Springs, CO
(Professional organist for The Ambient Jazz Ensemble)
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"Since I need to maintain four organs and six Leslies in my rental fleet, this book has come in handy in order to save trips to the Hammond tech. I move organs 6 or 8 times a month, and play in 2 blues bands and am always having to tune up something at the gig.
I've provided organs to Monterey Jazz Fest and Monterey Blues Fest as well as many others in Central California for 15 years. This book is a lifesaver for me. Thanks again,"

- Allan "B3blues" Carroll, CA <wbr><wbr>
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"I've been both a fan of the Hammond tonewheel sound and a performer on the B3 since 1967. And through the years I've gained quite a bit of knowledge on how the systems work and ways to enhance the sound.
Currently, I'm an authorized full line dealer for the Hammond Suzuki Organs, Keyboards, and Leslies in Nebraska, Northern Kansas and Colorado here in the United States. I am simply amazed at how the new organs sound and perform.
First though, my allegiance is with the vintage Hammonds and Leslies that started it all. But, as we all know, those systems are aging and keeping them up to spec is the trick.
As I was browsing online recently I happen to come across your website and the e-book offer. It's cost and the content that was included sounded very appealing to me. So, I figured that was definitely worth the investment and ordered the Hammond B3 and Leslie 122 Tips Restoration e-book.
Much of it I was aware of and what I didn't know I found very informative! In fact, a person kind of wonders if he would have ever found some of this info.
I really appreciate your research! It definitely will be helpful. Whenever I can sit down and read information on the Hammond Organ and how to maintain and tweak the sound, it is always a treat!!!.
Many Thanks,
Steve"

- Steve Jacobi, NE
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More About This Fully Printable 18 Chapters e-Book...
The main goal of this ebook is to provide you with easy, applicable and useful information in order to restore, upgrade and improve the performance and sound of your Hammond organ & Leslie. This ebook has been written in a non 'technical' manner with the novice in mind in order to make everyone feel comfortable with the content of this manual.
This 165+ pages printable ebook has been structured in 18 chapters. Reinforced with the help of many pictures and graphics for a visual and easy understanding. It will point out the key components that you might want to restore, upgrade, improve and fine-tune your Hammond B3 C3 A100 RT3 D100 D150 and D152 organs and Leslies 122/122A and 142. <wbr><wbr>This eBook will give you access to a private customer only "Download Center" for even more FREE Resources!
You will also be able to navigate easily into the ebook because each chapters are divided in the table of contents page. It will give you the benefit of being able to skip some information and read the chapter you prefer first by clicking on your favorite section or by using the back or next buttons located in each chapters of this manual.
This eBook contains a great deal of gems about your Hammond and Leslie to give you a lot more ability and knowledge to fine tune or customize your instrument the way you like it to sound in minutes ! These secrets took me years of frustration trial and error experimentations to get the sound that I wanted!
Hammond AO-28 Preamplifier Restoration.
In this section you will learn with the help of many pictures what are the critical component to replace in this unit in order to restore the performance and sound of your AO-28 preamplifier. You will also learn which components are most likely to fail under normal operation.
You will also learn that with the use of new higher quality electronic components you will get a lot more warmth out of your organ believe me! That's because manufacturers had time to improve their product lines since the last Hammond B3 quitted the production chain back in 1975!
If you have that Hammond "Hum" Funny Noise" "Pops" and all these annoying noise you will learn how to get rid of these unwanted noise and filter these out for a quiet and pure organ sound.
Leslie 122 Amplifier Restoration. That Smoking HOT Leslie Sound Is Back!
You will learn step by step with pictures how to restore your Leslie sound to make it scream again. The Leslie speaker is the long time companion of the Hammond organ. The Leslie is a VERY important component in the whole classic B3/122 sound.
Even if your organ is in top shape and you play it through an original vintage Leslie chances are that the sound and performance will be limited. The classic B3 sound is a combination of both the organ and the Leslie in top condition. You will learn how to rebuild your amp and make it sound better than new!
More warmth, more volume and more quiet without all the "hum" that are associated with these vintage amplifiers.
Leslie Dividing Network Restoration.
A Leslie speaker restoration without the maintenance of this this unit wouldn't be complete. The Leslie dividing network was designed to split the treble and the bass channels separately. Again due to aging the original components drifted from their original value masking the true Leslie sound.
It is critical to check and replace the faulty components otherwise your organ sound might be boomy or muddy without the definition your Leslie had when new.
Leslie Treble Horn & Types
You will learn about different type of treble plastic horns, their difference, and their contribution to the sound of your organ. What kind of plastic horn do you use for your Leslie? If you don�’t know the answer you should find out, because this component makes a HUGE difference in the tonal quality of your Leslie sound.
You will also learn some simple tricks on how to adjust the frequency response of your top Leslie driver and how you could mellow your sound down for more warmth, for Country or Blues or make it sound brighter for Rock and Pop music.
What? A 31 Pounds Leslie Treble Driver?
You will learn that you can install some treble driver that are a lot less fragile than the original V21 in your Leslie that weight 31 pounds but are very sweet sounding for a Leslie speaker. If you have to compete with a guitarist with Marshall stack and need more power handling this is it.
This little known driver al (description exceeds maximum possible length)