Leslie 145 rotor speed questions

[Juan]

On my 145, the upper horn and lower drum either spin fast together or slow together(no off option). I read somewhere that some Leslies only have a one speed lower drum but a two speed horn. Or perhaps it was a switching option for the lower drum that was independent of the horn speed. Meaning the drum speed could be off/slow /fast while the horn was on fast. Sorry! My memory is vague on this. I'm sure the forum group will enlighten me. I think it would be nice to be able to keep the drum speed slow but have the horn speed on high. Any info is great

[tobeycat2007]

The leslie models 900/910 and possibly 925 had one speed lower rotor, this was either fast/stopped, whilst the horn had normal speeds, so when horn was slow, bass rotor stopped, why, I dont know, may be reason these cabs not popular.

[Juan]

B. Wright commented on another thread about a "brake" switch. Is this what I am after?

[jdoc]

get an extension cord, plug it into the slow motor and unplug the fast, see if you like it. If you do your finished.
If you want stop build a box to cut power to either your fast or slow motors with a separate switch. Use 120v rated components or a relay. Stop is just like main organ to me, I have it on my 130 and never use it. I have 2 m/e/e switches and a 3rd. speaker, but that's another story.

[andyg]

The brake switch stops both rotors after a few seconds on slow.

This is a personal taste thing. I've tried slow horn and stopped bass rotor in the 9xx series, and even just unplugged the lower slow motor on a 145, but much prefer the animation of both rotors on slow.

[tonewheel1966]

The brake switch stops both rotors after a few seconds on slow.

This is a personal taste thing. I've tried slow horn and stopped bass rotor in the 9xx series, and even just unplugged the lower slow motor on a 145, but much prefer the animation of both rotors on slow.

Are you thinking of the solid state Leslies with the brake circuit such as the 760,770 or 825 Andy?

Maybe that is what he has heard Brendon talking about.

Cheers

Dave

[toasterDude]

I think it would be nice to be able to keep the drum speed slow but have the horn speed on high.

You could do this on the cheap just by unplugging the lower fast motors, then plugging the lower slow motors into the lower fast motor socket. This would yield:

switch position a) Bass rotor = stopped, Treble horns = slow

--and--

switch position b) Bass rotor = slow, Treble horns = fast

...I suppose it would also be possible with a little creativity to have the bass rotor on slow the whole time, but still switch between slow and fast on the treble horns. But I think you'd need to do some rewiring to achieve that.

td

[walpurgis]

The reverb amp outlet (provided there is one) could be used for the lower slow motor in that case. That's an unswitched source.

[andyg]

No, there was a brake kit to add stop to the valve leslies, Dave. On the 145/147 you could also just replace the jumper plug on the top of the amp chassis with a switch (I used a 1/2 moon) and that would kill the power to the slow motors, so you'd have fast or stop. Going from fast to stop was great, as the horns would stop almost instantly and the rotor would gradually coast to a stop. I liked that better than the chorale, then slow effect from the brake kit. Much cheaper, too.

[jdoc]

the newer Leslies have a brake circuit fast to slow

[Juan]

I like the "kill the slow motors" idea. I have an M/E/E switch but when I go to main it cuts all the sound from the Leslie. I rarely use this. I mostly use the ensemble setting. This gives me a bit of monitor use from the organ speaker along with the Leslie.