Jackrabbit buys M3

[Guest]

This one is mine. I have to clear out some space at my shop/studio, find some dollies and some dummies [:D] and go get it one evening this week. Hot dog. Now I'm one of us. </P>


http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/msg/1009313834.html</P>

[TheAdmiral]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3



Way to go. Congrats on becoming part of "we".
</p>

I see that one's got a field coil speaker which I'm partial to for sound quality.</p>

You find the nicest ones! </p>

And you've already got an output to your upcoming Leslie.
</p>

[Guest]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3

[quote user="TheAdmiral"]


Way to go. Congrats on becoming part of "we".
</P>


I see that one's got a field coil speaker which I'm partial to for sound quality.</P>


You find the nicest ones! </P>


And you've already got an output to your upcoming Leslie.
</P>[/quote] Say there Mr. Admiral; what are the dimensions of my organ? I cleared out a spot at my shop/studio and I have 54" wide and at least 24" deep excluding the bench. Is this OK? The bench will be in the way for most non practice days but I have room for it elseware.

[redoctoberff]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3



Interesting...according to the Tonewheel General Hospital list, that M3 is a '55 or '56, and has the same bass pedalproblem as my '55 did. Check out this thread...</P>


http://organforum.com/forums/thread/56677.aspx</P>


It's a pretty easy fix, I just checked the connections in the generator and resoldered, and they were back to normal.</P>


Congrats on the M3!</P>

[TheAdmiral]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3

45-5/8" See my post on your newer query.

[Guest]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3

[quote user="redoctoberff"]


Interesting...according to the Tonewheel General Hospital list, that M3 is a '55 or '56, and has the same bass pedalproblem as my '55 did. Check out this thread...</P>


http://organforum.com/forums/thread/56677.aspx</P>


It's a pretty easy fix, I just checked the connections in the generator and resoldered, and they were back to normal.</P>


Congrats on the M3!</P>[/quote]Hey thanks for that redoctoberff. What a head start that is. I read an e-article on moving Hammonds already so know about locking down the generator. I wonder though, if you tilt it does the oil pour out of the cups???

[Guest]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3

[quote user="TheAdmiral"]45-5/8" See my post on your newer query.
[/quote]Thanks a ton mister. I love this place. Uhohh, though, I just read an E-article on adding foldback to the M3.

[TheAdmiral]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3

Probably no worry on the oil unless the cups are full which I doubt. The oil is absorbed in the wick usually and if it does run out still no problem. I sometimes haul them on the backs (actually easier). When you get home then is good time to oil. Remember, only Hammond oil. I'm getting ready to add full foldback to one of mine (eventually all of them). Just been putting it off since it's a big job.

[Guest]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3



See here how NYCFarmboy's M3 (PM speaker) has an AO-35 reverb amp in there. Mine doesn't [:(]</P>


http://www.nycfarmboy.com/m3/m3.html</P>

[johnny b3]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3



Congrats, that looks mint! I bet you're dancing the monkey right now.
</p>

Where is the vibrato control on the M3 in that picture?</p>

I've done a few foldback jobs, I can lend some tips if you're interested. Its fun stuff - probably the most thrilling open-hammond surgery ever!
</p>

[TheAdmiral]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3



Johnny b Adam: </p>

I'll take you up on the foldback job advice. I'm trying to work up the patience.
</p>

[Guest]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3

<P mce_keep="true"></P>


[img] http://www.soundofmusic.se/pictures/m3-2.jpg[/img]</P>

[Guest]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3

[quote user="johnny b3"]Where is the vibrato control on the M3 in that picture?[/quote]I know nothing, nothing! (doing remarkable Shultz imitation)

[johnny b3]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3



Once you get your foldback kit (3 full length bus bars and ~40 contacts with resistance wire) you read that M3 foldback website again again. Download the text instruction sheet - read that again and again. Goodluck!</p>

</p>

No, but seriously...</p>

tools: utility knife, needle noes pliers, solder, soldering gun, 3rd hand, frequency chart, patience.
</p>

- I was comfortable working on the contact bin assembly in the horizontal position. It is good to roll the bin one 1/4 turn forwards, toward the front of the organ. </p>

- become familiar with the color coding of the wires that lead to the bus bars. They are not in the same order as the drawbars. Remove the 3 (or is it 4?) short busbars and replace with full length.
</p>

- cut the resistance wires to length if need be (use a multimeter to ensure there is a ~16ohm resistance from tip to tip)</p>

- cut all the existing resistance wires which are soldered to the ground lug (this will be a few lugs away from the 91st frequency lug) and depending on which busbar is connected to the percussion drawbar, follow it down to the end, and from the contact end of the wire, pull the wire so that it comes out of the loom and simply hang it out of the way over the rear side of the contact bin. I believe there will be 13 of them, starting at the high C. I'm not certain, but there may be one blank contact (with no wire) somewhere on the last or second last note. Sometimes a wire falls off the contact so extra contacts are good to have on hand. I've never tried re-attaching them.
</p>

- to remove contacts (if you insert them incorrectly) use the needle noes pliers to grab the locking side of the contact. Bend it laterally and remove. When you insert the contacts, use a flashlight to make sure they go into the correct slots. When you reach the busbar, you may have to press the key trigger down a tiny bit so that the contact clears the bar above its proper place. Just remember to go slow and not force anything.</p>

- do all the contacts for one frequency together. (For most of the job you'll have 5 contacts per frequency). I believe you start at #80.
</p>

- scrape off the last 0.5 cm of the wire's plastic coating with a utility knife. insert the 5 contacts in their appropriate locations.
</p>

- gather the wire ends in your hand, bundling them together at the exact same hight (as best as you can) and tin the wires together.
</p>

- find the lug for the corresponding frequency (you wrote down the freq number next to the top 11 lugs, right? ;) and tin it on the portion where the generator wire is located, NOT the side with the existing resistance wires. If the solder melts on this side, the generator wire won't slip off because its looped. Even if it does fall off its not hard to re-attach it. If the solder melts on the resistance wire side -- well...thats never happened to me, but I can imagine its a pain in the butt to re-attach them all properly. Its OK for the plastic which holds the lug to start melting, allowing the lug to move a tiny bit. Just let it cool and start again.
</p>

- solder the tinned wires to the tinned lug, keeping the resistance wire's tippy tips inside the glob of solder, not poking out if you can get away with it. Hold it carefully and blow the solder cool. Then, as neatly as you can manage (without stressing either side of the wire) weave the slack into the loom. It won't be pretty but just so long as it's secure.
</p>

Rock and Roll.</p>

I think thats it. </p>


</p>

[TheAdmiral]

Re: Jackrabbit buys M3



OK, you succeeded in talking me out of it!</p>

Got some instructions off the internet a couple of years ago. Got the extra busbars. No patience left. Maybe after Mardi Gras. </p>

Thanks.
</p>