Harmonic noise on the upper manual of my B3

[twin80]

I have a mid-60s Hammond B-3. On the upper manual only with the B preset pushed down, If I play a 4th octive B note, and I continue to get a harmonic tone noise after I quit playing. Could it be one of the nine wires associated with that key or springs? I also get the noise when I have the Bb preset pushed down with the 5th draw bar pulled out only. I am going to pull the top off, down to the upper keys and see if anything looks broken or out of place. I am eventually going to replace the paper caps in the tone generator when I have more time to spend on it. I have rotated the busbar several times but no fix. It seems to be louder when the percussion switch is on. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks

[skydawg]

You`re gonna pull the top off of a B3? How?

[Tim_at_Jonas]

You`re gonna pull the top off of a B3? How?

A putty knife sharpened on one side (like a chisel) and waxed, a hammer, and a pair of earplugs will get the job done. But I would never do it to a living room quality cabinet.

[snacks]

I have played organs with this problem. Taking the top off should not be necessary. I heard that you could just take the key out without even removing the manuals. It's something in the key mechanism that causes it. Sorry I don't have more details on how to fix it; it's not a repair I've done.

[enor]

I have a mid-60s Hammond B-3. On the upper manual only with the B preset pushed down, If I play a 4th octive B note, and I continue to get a harmonic tone noise after I quit playing. Could it be one of the nine wires associated with that key or springs? I also get the noise when I have the Bb preset pushed down with the 5th draw bar pulled out only. I am going to pull the top off, down to the upper keys and see if anything looks broken or out of place. I am eventually going to replace the paper caps in the tone generator when I have more time to spend on it. I have rotated the busbar several times but no fix. It seems to be louder when the percussion switch is on. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks

Are you saying you get a constant note sounding on the 5th drawbar on the Bb preset, but not on the B preset??


Side note: pulling the top off the organ will get you nowhere and tell you nothing. Removing the playing keys won't get you where you need to be either; if there's an electrical problem inside the manuals (switch contacts) you won't get to it without completely removing the manuals from the organ.

[Bobmann]

What Enor said.

Taking the top off will only result in possible cabinet damage.
Sometimes the top will break off cleanly because the hyde glue is old and brittle, sometimes the top will take splinters and parts of the side off with it.
IMO, it is not worth risking and is not necessary.

Same with removing the key. The contacts are not accessible from the top.

I just want to understand...when you pull out the DB, you get a tone even without pressing a key?
This happens only on the upper keyboard, and with both B and B# presets?

If there is any issue with a tone and key that only happens with one or the other keyboard and not both, the issue is probably in the contacts or bussbar for that particular key.
If the problem were in both keyboards, the problem is somewhere else, as the keyboards are tied together.

The first thing I would suspect is that a bussbar has a broken contact wire.


Another possibility is that the resistance wire for that particular contact has a bare spot in the insulation and is shorting out.


Bob

[twin80]

Like I said, when the b preset is pushed down on the upper manual and I hit the 4th octive B note a harmonic note continues to sound.

[twin80]

Again taking the top off was a figure of speech. I know I can access the key without taking the manuals out. Thanks for the reply

[twin80]

Real helpful

[twin80]

Again, when I play the upper manual using the B preset and hit the 4th octive B note, a harmonic noise continues to sound. It doesn't do it on the Bb preset unless I pull the 5th draw bar out. It seems to be louder when I have the percussion on.

[twin80]

I think you are probably in the right area with the wire. That was one of my suspicions as well. I will tear it down and see if there lies the problem. Thanks Bob

[Roger Memphis]

In addition to what has already been suggested, it would be a good idea the check ALL of the wires going to the preset panel.
Make sure that each one is securely attached under its screw and that all of the screws are tightened. A loose wire there can
cause some peculiar sounds.
Roger Memphis

[twin80]

Thanks Roger. I will check that out as well

[snacks]

I had ghost tones appearing two octaves apart when a drawbar had a bad connection on its contacts. Just tonight I played an organ that had a constant tone going very quietly, and the owner suspected it was from a pickup having moved too close to a tonewheel

[Tim_at_Jonas]

Just tonight I played an organ that had a constant tone going very quietly, and the owner suspected it was from a pickup having moved too close to a tonewheel

Were that the case, that tone should be overly loud when played.