Bill Riley wrote to Steve Kaplan <=-

I keep hearing people say the synths sound just like a B-3.
Bull hockey. Just went to a show where the keyboard player had
a B-3 and a big 'ol leslie. No way does any synth I've ever
heard sound like that. Oh they do a fair job and I would much
rather use one than ever lug a B-3 to a gig. But sound like
one---no freaking way.

My feelings exactly. And I'll be the first to rave about the synth
that eventually pulls it off - 'cause you they will one day. But for
now, in many cases I think it's worth hauling a B-3 just to have that
sound. When you're standing on stage playing beside it, it's magical.
There's really nothing else I've heard yet that comes close.

Martin
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Bill Riley wrote to Steve Kaplan <=-

John now has a B-3 with a Leslie and there is no way I'm
packing it around. I helped carry it in and that's enough
for me. 500lbs consoles should be handled only by
roadhogs, IMHO.

I know what you mean, Bill. Still, I've played in a number of
R&B bands over the years and a B-3, or similar model was always real
nice to have in the mix. One of the guys I worked with had an M-3
which was smaller and a lot easier to haul around.

In one of the more recent bands I played in, we had a guy who was
something of a Hammond fanatic. In the years I played with him he
never owned less than three of the things, and he currently has eight!
(Four B-3s, two C-3s, an M-100, and a 1947 BV, which I believe is an
early version of the B-3, without the percussion effect, ...and of
course, a garage full of Leslies.) He's continually buying,
refurbishing, and selling them.
Anyway, he knows how to move them. He's got two dollies which look
like they were made expressly for moving B-3s. One slides under each
side, they winch up, and then get strapped on to the organ. He's got
a ramp up into the back of his van and he can load a B-3 and get it
to the gig all on his own. He's even got ramps for rolling the thing
up onto a stage and the only time he really needs help is with a push
if the stage is more than a foot high. The only time we ever ran
into even a little bit of trouble was at a gig where the stage was
almost four feet high and his ramps didn't fit. We couldn't get the
organ through the back door to the stage, either. So, five of us
lifted the thing up onto the stage that night, but that was the only
time we had to do it.

Martin
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Steve Kaplan wrote to Bill Riley <=-

"lugging the B-3"
They're brutal, and personally I see no reason to haul a B-3.

The sound, man! The sound... ;-)

Looks cool....yes, outsdie of that it's rediculous.. Have you
heard how nice the digital Roland, Oberheim, and Korg organ
samples are?

I've heard a Korg, and Roland that each had a pretty good B-3 sound.
FWIW, Hammond themselves make a portable synth model called the X-B3.
They have one of the best of synthesized B-3 sounds I've heard. The
young keyboard whiz Joey DeFrancesco played one for some years, and
maybe still does.

Martin
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c
"think it's worth hauling a B-3 for that B-3 sound" If you have the money and/or means (roadies) it "might" be. Otherwise hauling a B-3 is seldom feasible.... Can do much damage.....(to the hauler..and the organ) additionally, try finding a tech who'll work on your B-3 when it reaches your desination....with a "small" problem :L

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400 lbs _give-or-take
The Leslie 770 I have weighs only about 90 lbs...The prob is with these B-3 setups is the awkward cumbersome geometry..not only the weight. If you have the luxury (means) of transporting a B-3, then you have MUCH more then most

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Steve Kaplan wrote to Martin Ridgley <=-

"think it's worth hauling a B-3 for that B-3 sound"
If you have the money and/or means (roadies) it "might" be.

I lived just round the corner from this keyboard player for most of
the five years we played together and always offered to help him load
up his B-3 for a gig. Often he would tell me that it was unnecessary.
He had a special rolling rack, with locking wheels, and a ramp up into
the back of his van. He would usually load the beast himself, and
then we would help him get it on and off the stage at the other end.

Otherwise hauling a B-3 is seldom feasible.... Can do much
damage.....(to the hauler..and the organ) additionally, try
finding a tech who'll work on your B-3 when it reaches your desination....with a "small" problem :L

You're absolutely right. Fortunately though, this guy has been
collecting, repairing, and re-selling Hammond organs for years. He's
probably not a true expert, but he certainly seems to know quite a bit
about them. He carries a manual, tools, and spare parts to gigs and
can fix most minor problems on site if necessary.

So, all in all, I guess he made it very easy for the rest of us to
really appreciate the thrill of having a B-3 in the mix every night,
without having to endure the headaches (or back-aches) that many
musicians and roadies often associate with the instrument. ;-)

Martin
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Martin,
Interesting about the B-3/Dolly situation you mention. Unfortuneatly tho....My dolly did little for most of the narrow stairwell/landing/ narrow doorways I encountered. Additionally, something about a two door Toyota didn't help matters either :) I suppose the adage "Where there's A will;there's a way" often applies to most scenerio's. JUst not in my circle of musician/friend regarding a B console

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Steve Kaplan wrote to Martin Ridgley <=-

Interesting about the B-3/Dolly situation you mention.
Unfortuneatly tho....My dolly did little for most of the
narrow stairwell/landing/ narrow doorways I encountered.

Yeah, that's always a problem.

Additionally, something about a two door Toyota didn't help
matters either :)

Heh. I guess not! What did you do? Strap the thing down on a
roof-rack? ;-)

Martin
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