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**OrgansR4Me** · 07-30-2008, 06:48 AM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

If you can afford (and can find) a professional repair it is always the first choice. If you have the time andinclination to work with the instrument yourself you can save a good bit, but will have to do it with caution if you haven't worked in electronics before.

Cleaning will do alot with intermittent problems. But my experience with the Hammond LSI generator organs is that they can be very challenging to dismantle. You'll need a service manual - most are available from organ supply houses or Ebay. Google a search and you'll find them.

The piston problem can have two sources one at the piston and two at the chip and that is very hard to determine except by trial and error. (You don't want too many errors with the chip however since the tiny contact feet are very fragile. It is all too easy to destroy a chip trying to get at it.)

There are alot of Hammond experts here. I'm sure they will have some valuable advice!

**andyg** · 07-30-2008, 10:59 AM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

Hi Joey

Make that nearly 30 years old. Elegantes are 1980/81 vintage.

Do a Forum search for things like:

LSI disease, Concorde problems, edge connectors.

You'll find lots of handy hints and even some disassembly instructions. The thing you'll find over and over is the advice to clean all the interboard connectors, and connectors to things like drawbars and pistons etc. These are the Achilles heel of the LSI Hammonds and it can be kept at bay if not completely cured!

Professional help may cost more than the organ is worth in monetary terms, but the organ may have much more personal or sentimental value!

Andy

**Guest** · 07-30-2008, 11:22 AM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

Thanks for your help.I will be looking for the Hammond experts.

**kkeys** · 07-30-2008, 11:54 AM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

Yes I also wanted to suggest checking and cleaning of connectors for the difficulties you describe.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
A defective transistor can cause a dead key, however since the key is intermittent a connector or contact problem is suspect.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Here’s a thought I had - does the #7 preset illuminate when depressed? <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Sadly there is a very and I think narrowlyrestricted availability of chips for these organs.<o:p></o:p>

**Guest** · 07-30-2008, 01:00 PM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

Keith Thanks for the info. The number 7 piston does light up.What does that mean?????? Thanks Joey

**kkeys** · 07-30-2008, 07:11 PM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

Hi Joey,<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Offers a possible suggestion that the pushbutton contacts are okay. I don’t do service on mine nor have a service manual.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Here’s one thought.. there is a preset board as I recall...check/clean the connectors on that. There would be a trouble shooting process by following the circuit diagram to trace the source of the problem if the connectors are okay.<o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Now that circuit board is located on the drop-down long wooden board I think. There are two screws to remove to lower the board. The preset board is marked as such on mine. 
<o:p></o:p>
I’ve spent more money on mine than the present day value. It’s difficult to get the expansive multichannel sound accompanied the throb of the Rotosonic Leslie that this organ offers from a modern keyboard.

Good wishes on your Organ!

**skippy** · 07-31-2008, 03:54 AM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

Hi Joey,<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

I own an Elegante. My No7 piston does not light up but works fine. I guess it is just a blown bulb. Kkeys conclusions are logical. The Hammond LSI disease has been covered extensively on this forum. A search will enlighten you. Oxidized wiring harness and board connectors are often the culprits. There is a lot of hype about a contact cleaner called De-Oxid. I have used it to no avail in an attempt to remedy some minor problems.<o:p></o:p>

Recently I transferred my Elegante from my home to a weekender. This involved a 1 hour journey via trailer over some average roads. This was enough to upset the old girl sufficiently to emit terrible noises at power up at its new destination. I think I pulled the power plug in about 2 milliseconds flat. And I am 63 years old. Bohemian Rhapsody - Thunder and lightning, very, very frightening [li]. I then spend the next few hours partiallydisconnecting and reconnecting all wiring harness and board connectors I could get access to.I did this about 3-4 times on each connection. Not an easy task. Luckily the Elegante is designed with the service technician in mind. Board assemblies fold out for easy access. This work did fix whatever had gone wrong with the old girl. A couple of minor issues remain, such us missing sustain on some pedals and a non functioning lower to pedal switch. But they were present when I purchased the organ earlier this year in almost pristine condition for a staggering amount of AU$100.<o:p></o:p>

I have since acquired an original service manual in perfect condition for US$20 plus postage. I can email you some excerpts if you wish. But obviously not the full volume. Just send me a private message. Perhaps the disassembly instructions and the block diagram may help.<o:p></o:p>

Have a musical day,<o:p></o:p>

Skippy <o:p></o:p>

**andyg** · 07-31-2008, 04:30 AM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

$100 for an Elegante was indeed a bargain, Skippy. Just got my copy of Keyboard Player this morning and checking through to make sure that all my articles had been printed properly, I noticed an ad for a major UK dealer. He's one of the few that still sell organs. He has an Elegante plus a single channel leslie 760. His price - £4,495!! Strewth, I thought it was only some of your aussie dealers that put in prices like that. Maybe the decimal point had shifted. [6]

Andy

**skippy** · 07-31-2008, 05:31 AM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

Hi Andy,

Mama Mia, that is over AU$9,000. This surely is a misprint or somebody has got his/her head in the muck. Lets face it - the Elegante has some excellent means of sound dispersion but by today’s standards some very average sound generation.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

How are you progressing with your virtual analog organs? To accommodate all functions and variations of let's say a Lowrey H25R would entail an immense amount of sampling. I sat down one night and tried to work out the total number of allpossible tab combinations effecting sound. I gave up. It is just easier to keep the real thing - if you have the space and tenacity to keep them alive.

Cheers,

Skippy<o:p></o:p>

**Guest** · 07-31-2008, 06:32 AM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

A big thanks for your help but i have a service manual on order. Joey

**crossyinoz** · 07-31-2008, 06:35 AM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

[quote user="andyg"]

His price - £4,495!! Strewth, I thought it was only some of your aussie dealers that put in prices like that. [6]

[/quote]

G'day guys,

Sorry can't help with a $9K Elegante, will a $5K Colonnade do?[:P]

Kam-pai,

Ian

**Guest** · 07-31-2008, 06:35 AM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

Skippy A big thanks for your help. I have a service manual on order. Joey

**W4KSR** · 07-31-2008, 04:47 PM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

[quote user="andyg"]

I noticed an ad for a major UK dealer. He's one of the few that still sell organs. He has an Elegante plus a single channel leslie 760. His price - £4,495!! Strewth, I thought it was only some of your aussie dealers that put in prices like that. Maybe the decimal point had shifted. [6]

Andy

[/quote]

Holy Crap! That's $8,900 US Dollars. I swear this is true: I saw on e-Bay a few months ago, someone selling an Elegante for $16,000. He refused to drop the price, since his insurance guy told him that was the value. New 1980, was $16,000. I don't know what this insurance guy was smoking [:P]

Mark

**OrgansR4Me** · 08-01-2008, 03:01 AM

Re: Hammond Elegante Organ

I can guarantee the Insurance Man's company would never pay off a claim for $16,000!

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