Got a C3 ! :). Need Help. :(

[C3Jersey]

Hi everyone ! I got my first C3 recently ! :) yeah !

The organ has a couple of issues that I'm not being able to solve and before calling a tech I was wondering if this beautiful online family could give me some directions...

• 1) There's one tone that doesn't sound in any manual : Tone 59 (i.e. First A# on Drawbar 9).
  
  If I use a jumper wire from a drawbar to the corresponding tone wheel generator connector, the tone sounds. (With some hum or some kind of leakage from the next lower tone, but it sounds !). Connection on generator looks solid.

• 2) There's a tone that doesn't sound on the lower manual : Tone 37. (i.e. First C on Drawbar 6). It works properly on upper manual. Connection on generator looks solid

• 3) The Pedal manual has one note (Using drawbar 2) that sounds much weaker than the rest. It sounds softer and somewhat less fuller, less bottom end.
  
  
  Any help would be much appreciated ! Thanks !!!!

[enor]

1. If this is an older C-3, old enough to have cloth insulated wire - you'll find that the wires often break off invisibly about a 1/4" into the insulation. The solder always appears intact, but the break is lurking just above.

2. Probably a similar break as above, but in the section of the harness that interconnects the two manuals.

3. See #1.

[C3Jersey]

Thanks Enor !!

I was able to raise the manuals and there's definitely an issue there. I assume this strip is the one for the lower manual.

I have a couple further questions :

1) Is there a better way to get good access to the connector strip of the upper manual ? (Like turning the manual at 90 degrees or so? At the moment I have it raised as shown in picture 2)

2) Regarding the pictured broken cable, do i need to replace it or I can just add a small jumper cable between these two loose ends ? (I plan to link them, put some solder and use heat shrink isolator.)

3) Is there a specific kind of wire I should use ?

Thanks !

[enor]

Just splice the ends and insulate with heat shrink, there should be no need to add in more wire.

[C3Jersey]

I found the instructions to raise the manuals from Hammond Wiki.

Upper Manual

1. Remove the (wooden) music desk base. Generally there are four screws holding this on. (On an A-100, the whole top of the case comes off --- there are two additional screws under the back edge which need to be removed.)
2. From the top, remove two big bolts (slotted, oval head). These bolts hold the drawbar base to the upper and lower manuals.
3. There are four big hex-head bolts (entering from the bottom) which hold the manuals down into the case. To lift the upper manual you need to remove the back two. (In some A-100's you may have to remove the reverb springs to be able to get at and remove the right, rear bolt.)
4. Pull the drawbars out (to 8).
5. Make sure you've got something between the manuals and the case to protect the case from scratches (see above warning).
6. Now, from the front you should be able to lift front side of the upper manual. Have some small wood blocks handy to prop the manual up with.

Lower Manual

1. Remove music desk base (4 screws and washers.)
2. Remove all four of the big hex-head bolts.
3. Remove two screws which connect the front of the lower manual to the middle of the front rail of the case. (Some A-1xx's (A-102's ?) have additional little clippys which secure the lower manual to the front rail --- for these just loosen the screws enough so that you can swivel the clips out of the way.)
4. Pull the drawbars out (to 8).
5. Make sure you've got something between the manuals and the case to protect the case from scratches (see above warning).
6. Now you should be able to lift the manuals from the front.

[C3Jersey]

After soldering some loose cables everything work as it should in the manuals. :) :) :) :) :)

Now, I have a missing frequency on my pedals to solve :( :( :(

[C3Jersey]

Thank you Enor, that's exactly what I did !

[tpappano]

Excellent! One thing to check on the pedals- if the spring tab on the front of the pedal is wonky, it may not be pushing the switch plunger all the way down. I have one on the BC that is doing this but I'm waiting until I bring it home before adjusting it.

[C3Jersey]

Thanks tpappano !

I didn't find anything un-soldered on the tonewheel side, so I opened the pedal assembly. (What a mess doing that. There's certainly an easiest way for doing this, but since I didn't find proper instructions, I just started unscrewing stuff. ).

I opened the thing and everything looked good down there. And here's the crazy part : I double checked on the tonewheel side and now I find a loose cable ! Probably it was loose and when I moved the cables while taking apart the pedals it went off. Once soldered, the missing tone was back ! BUT... another went off :( Found the tone and it was properly soldered on both ends... nothing would bring that guy back until... I put back the pedal assembly ! Now everything is working as it should !






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