Hello MMD'ers.  Today I was called to take a look at (supposedly)
a pipe organ in a very old church building.  It turned out to be what
appears to me to be a 1940's Hammond organ with a pipe organ facade
built around it.  The pipes are real, about 25 to 30 metal pipes
sitting on a butchered valve chests.

We were, of course, very disappointed to not find a pipe organ.
I would like to advise this church about the organ that they do have.
I was hoping that some MMD'ers might give advice on this organ or
perhaps point me in the right direction to get it.

The console is a Hammond model BC, serial number 10406.  It has two
full keyboards and a full pedal board.   There are four sets of
drawbars and it has the black key 'stops' at the bass end of the
keyboard.  The general configuration is similar to Hammond B3s I have
seen.  The keys and workings are in a nice mahogany cabinet on four
legs; the underside is 'open'; there is no cabinetry to the below the
keyboard area.  The console is in excellent, original condition, inside
and out.

The separate Hammond speaker cabinet has two amplifiers in it, each
driving two speakers.  The cabinet is a bit smaller than Leslie
cabinets I have seen.  There is no rotating horn Leslie mechanism.
Some of the tubes were missing on one of the amplifiers.

We tried to 'fire it up', but couldn't get anything out of it.
The tone generator starter operates, but when the starter switch was
stopped the tone generators stopped.  The tubes in the console did
light up.  We couldn't get the tubes in the power amplifier to light at
all, even when disconnecting the amp with tubes missing, and connecting
the organ only to the amp that appeared to be all there.

Can anyone give me any idea as to if there is any value in this to
anyone?  Would you have any idea as to what it might take to get it
operating condition?  Must this organ console be connected to a Hammond
amplifier and speaker?  Could it be connected to a modern amplifier and
speaker system?

Is there any value in the old pipe organ pipes to anyone?  I understand
that old Hammond B3s, typically with a Leslie speaker, are still in
demand for some music groups.

If there is a chance that if we get the organ working, without spending
too much money on it, that the church might want to use it.  I'm
afraid, however, that this church may just want to get rid it.

Your comments would be appreciated.

Gary Rasmussen
Mason, Ohio  (Cincinnati Area)
513-336-6209  GRasmus140@aol.com or Gary@Rasmussen.org

 [ Not many churches appreciate old electronic organs; the organ
 [ salesmen have up-to-date solid-state instruments to sell.
 [ The last time I priced a beat-up but working Hammond B3 with
 [ Leslie cabinets, in Los Angeles area, it was over $2000!  That
 [ classic organ is still very popular with lounge performers.
 [ -- Robbie