Yamaha B-35N ca. 1980: possible project...

[Michael J]

OK, 13-note pedals aren't enough. I knew that anyway, it'll "do" at a pinch, but it really is not enough. 44-note manuals aren't really enough either. Again, at a pinch, they'll "do" but five octaves would be so much better. And the tones available... well they are decent but it would be nice to have more - particularly on the lower manual.

This is my first organ and, whilst it wasn't free, it was so cheap that I can't say I have much invested in it other than quite a few hours over the last couple of months. It's working though (I've already fixed it once, almost total loss of output, traced to the expression pedal, took the back off and fiddled about, now OK again), and I'm learning with it, so I don't want to break it... but...

I'm quite sure that it must be possible to do some worthwhile hackery on such a beast. I'm thinking of a second octave of pedals somehow, 25-note footy would be good, my right foot is feeling a tad neglected. I'm also thinking of making the upper manual tones become available on the lower manual, possibly just splicing an extra volume/blend control into the appropriate wiring/circuit somewhere might achieve that.

Do we have an old Yammie expert here, or anyone that could help me to plot out a plan to butcher this hunk of cheapness and retain, yea hopefully enhance, its functionality?

[SBurton]

It is what it is...

You could possibly hack it up and enhance what you have now, but I suspect there would be little left of the original organ by the time you finished.

And in the process you will likely spend more than you would have spent if you just went out and found/purchased an organ with the capabilities you desire.

The question is: Do you want an electronics project, or do you want an organ to play and enjoy?

[tucsondave]

There's not much you can do with an LSI multiplexed organ.

A second octave of pedals isn't going to happen since the key assigner LSI scans only one octave. The data output of that then goes to the digital tone generator. The entire bass would have to be replaced with a totally independent system.

You might be able to take the lower keyboard audio through the upper keyboard filters but then you'd have the same voices at the same levels on both keyboards unless you put in balance pots for each voice.

Then there's the chance of damaging a custom LSI chip that can't be replaced.

Steve pretty much summed it up.

td

[andyg]

It would be a waste of time. Sorry to be blunt but it's the truth.

If you want a console organ, they're out there here in the UK, and they're often not much more than the pennies that old spinets are selling for. Certainly less than the cost of doing what you have in mind.

[tobeycat2007]

Console organs often cheaper than spinets as fewer people want them due to the space they take, if you find one you like make an offer worst that can happen is they refuse it.

[Guest]

Hi, my maother owwns a Yamaha Electone B35. The issue is very low volume in both keyboards (upper and Lower). Bass pedal working fine, Rythm ok, but chords in low keyboard has low volume as well.
Any idea in hoe to repair?

[Organfella]

Hi, my maother owwns a Yamaha Electone B35. The issue is very low volume in both keyboards (upper and Lower). Bass pedal working fine, Rythm ok, but chords in low keyboard has low volume as well.
Any idea in hoe to repair?

In my humble experience (I have four Yamaha's) the most common cause is the expression pedal. I have had to fiddle with two of them to get it back to volume again. Start there and if it does not get better, ask the gurus on this forum...
Nico