Please help ID Hammond

[Matthew1028]

Hello All

Admittedly, I know nothing about organs, I took over a church and this Hammond was sitting in the main sanctuary. Would you please help me ID it and provide any info you can so I can decide if I want to keep it? Or if I sell it, I don’t get taken advantage of?

Thank you!!!
Matt

[NICK RENICH]

Help ID Hammond

Hello All

Admittedly, I know nothing about organs, I took over a church and this Hammond was sitting in the main sanctuary. Would you please help me ID it and provide any info you can so I can decide if I want to keep it? Or if I sell it, I don’t get taken advantage of?

Thank you!!!
Matt

This is an RT3. I'm guessing approx 1958-1959. Nice instrument, but not very popular.

[Polkahero]

RT2, no percussion present.

[Papus]

This is an RT3. I'm guessing approx 1958-1959. Nice instrument, but not very popular.

^This is misleading.

Yes, it's an RT3....... BUT it is functionally identical to the over-rated B3!
I'm sick to death of the purists - to Hell with them.
Think of it as a B3 in a different case.
It also appears to be in VERY good condition.
That is an organ well worth maintaining and KEEPING in your church.
The tone cabinet is good, too - but it's NOT rotary. With your existing combination you're about 75% of the way to achieving Hammond nirvana. A rotary cabinet will fill in the remaining 25% of the equation.
If you're seeking the "Holy Grail" Hammond tone, you need a decent Leslie rotary speaker or a modern simulation such as a Neo Instruments Mini Ventilator II.
There are plenty of experts on this forum who can guide you through the process of restoring and maintaining that beautiful organ and mating it with a proper Leslie or Mini Vent II.

DO NOT SELL THAT ORGAN!!!!!!

- - - Updated - - -

RT2, no percussion present.

Are you sure - looks like the correct number and location of rocker switches to me

[Polkahero]

^This is misleading.

Yes, it's an RT3....... BUT it is functionally identical to the over-rated B3!
I'm sick to death of the purists - to Hell with them.
Think of it as a B3 in a different case.
It also appears to be in VERY good condition.
That is an organ well worth maintaining and KEEPING in your church.
The tone cabinet is good, too - but it's NOT rotary. With your existing combination you're about 75% of the way to achieving Hammond nirvana. A rotary cabinet will fill in the remaining 25% of the equation.
If you're seeking the "Holy Grail" Hammond tone, you need a decent Leslie rotary speaker or a modern simulation such as a Neo Instruments Mini Ventilator II.
There are plenty of experts on this forum who can guide you through the process of restoring and maintaining that beautiful organ and mating it with a proper Leslie or Mini Vent II.

DO NOT SELL THAT ORGAN!!!!!!

- - - Updated - - -



Are you sure - looks like the correct number and location of rocker switches to me

Where? Percussion rocker switches are on the right side above the upper manual. There's nothing there except the start/run switches. The switches that are present on the lower manual are the solo pedal unit controls.

[skydawg]

The four white rocker switches in the upper right hand corner are the percussion switches...not an RT2.

[enor]

Where? Percussion rocker switches are on the right side above the upper manual. There's nothing there except the start/run switches. The switches that are present on the lower manual are the solo pedal unit controls.

There.

[andyg]

I think Polkahero was expecting to see them at the extreme top right, like a C-3.

So, RT-3 it most certainly is.

[Organfella]

Matt, whichever model it is, try to keep it and use it. The instrument has certainly been well cared for and with a good organist (or even with an average one), can be a real asset to the church's musical worship.
Nico

[skydawg]

On the other hand,if your church doesn`t want the organ,it can be sold to someone who does.Where are you located?

[Matthew1028]

Thank you all so much for your replies! We just got a new young piano player, so I'm going to see what she thinks of it before I consider selling it. I would hate to part ways with it if it could be a blessing to our people. We are located in Denver.

Thank you again!

[AllenAnalog]

I'm not a Hammond guy these days but I grew up playing an M3 spinet and follow some Hammond threads on this forum because they still fascinate me. I find it disappointing that a new member of the forum asks for help and gets a lot of very biased or mis-information about this instrument. The -3 model Hammonds had percussion. That means a bank of four tilting tablets SOMEWHERE on the organ in addition to the three tilting tablets for volume and vibrato control. The initial photos were quite clear that it had both sets of tablets.

As far as desirability, it depends on where you are located in the world and your mindset about the Holy Grail in the Hammond world being a B-3 model and that nothing else will do. Lots of folks are starting to realize that Hammond built other models with very similar or identical tone generation guts that can cost a lot less than a B-3 in today's market. So yes, an RT-3 will probably sell for a lower price than a B-3 unless you have someone who wants it for it's unique features and is willing to pay more.

What hasn't been pointed out yet is the fact that the RT-3 has two features other -3 model Hammonds do not have. The 32-note pedalboard is the standard for the American Guild of Organists and is also used widely around the world. Classically trained organists who are not used to the 25-note pedalboard found on other Hammond models will be right a home with this one since it is familiar to them.

The pedal solo unit is a separate, additional tone generation system that is controlled by the black tilting tablets to the right of the lower manual. It provides additional bass sound and is unique to the RT series organs.

The console looks nice but the big question is - does it work? These instruments are getting along in years and if it has not been played or serviced in a long time it will most probably need some work. A little or a lot? It depends. No one here can determine that. You should get a qualified technician to check it out, not some hobbyist. As pointed out by member Papus, this model instrument does not have a rotary speaker cabinet but whether that is important depends on what kind of music you play in the church. One can always be added if that is important.

[geoelectro]

In my world working mostly on Hammonds in the African American gospel church, the 32 pedals don’t hold up as well. I have many players that wish they had the 25 pedal model because they have trouble adjusting to the more rare 32 pedal model and for me, trying to keep the 32 pedals working with the more aggressive playing style. In a traditional setting it’s fine and the extra features are a welcome change.

I wish the dealer here would stop trying to convince churches the 32 pedal model is better than “fill in the blank”. He gets them cheap and is motivated by profit to the exclusion of common sense and customer service.

Geo