H-182 fired up and working!

[Guest]

Hello All.<div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><div>I just have to brag here a second and share with you my excitement.  I recently acquired an H182 which was not working due to sitting for 5 years in a storage closet.  The tone generator was stuck/gummed up, but I managed to get it working again.  Understand that I am not the mechanical type, so for me this was a small but exciting victory.  I saved myself the charges of calling a tech. and also learned how to carefully pull up a tone generator to work on the underside, something I would have hesitated to do years back.  I know this organ has a reputation of being quirky, but I have to say that so far mine is working pretty sweet.  Now if I can just get a Leslie to go with it........</div><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><div>Happy weekend to everyone.  </div>

[bluetantra]

Re: H-182 fired up and working!



Congratulations, Craig! You're really going to enjoy this organ, I'd imagine. What year is it? I've got a 1969 H-182 that's almost finished and a 1971 H-382 that's been my daily driver for about two years now. 1969 through 1971 seem to have been the best years for these organs. Prior to 1969, there were a number of small improvements in design (it's a beeotch to getthe upper manual separated from the loweron earlier versions) as well as electronics. The earlier organs used tube-based pedal and percussion pre-amps but were changed to solid-state versions I think around 1967. All year models use eight separate solid-state pre-amps for vibrato and non-vibrato signals. Also, the design of the vibrato and celeste scanners was changed to the drum type by '71. My '69 model has the square-shaped scanners at opposite ends of the generator where my '71 has drum scanners adjacent to each other at the motor end of the generator. At one time I had another H, a 1972 H-395 (Contemporary cabinet style in Castillian Oak), but it was parted out due to a plethora of issues.</P>


Many of the problems I've encountered with these organs were traced back to the pre-amps and to the electrolytic capacitors in the pre-amps in particular. Tubes are another issue with these organs. The 7199 tubes are no longer manufactured anywhere and sell for premium prices when you can find them. Although I haven't tried one, I've read that a 6GW8 with an appropriate socket adapter will work fine as a replacement.</P>


You'll need a #8216 console connector kit to hang a Leslie on an H. This will allow you to hook up a 122 type of Leslie. The external tone cabinet connector was intended for use with a Hammond Series 10 or 12 Tone Cabinet. A multi-channel Leslie such as the 251 or 222RV would actually better utilize the three channel output from the organ, but they seem to be harder to find. I've got a 222 connected and the sound is incredible in conjuction with the organ's internal amp and speakers.</P>


A word of advice, though.... get a service manual. You <U>are</U> going to need it if you keep this organ.</P>