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  • Organ Pedal Question



    Hi all,




    I posted this in the Hammond forum but didn't get any response so here goes:




    On my Hammond A-100, I find that I can't slide my feet easilyfrom toe to heel and vice-versawearing my OrganMaster shoes that have leather bottoms. I don't have this problem on my organ at church. Is there a wax/polish I can apply to the pedals to make this easier? How about using light-grade steel wool to smooth the finish?




    Thanks!

    Home: '57 Hammond B3; '60 Hammond A-100; '64 Leslie 251; '77 Leslie 330; '80 Leslie 770; '64 Hammond PR-40
    Church: '81 Zimmer 26-rank mechanical pipe organ

  • #2
    Re: Organ Pedal Question



    I don't have a Hammond but I am assuming that pedalboards are pedalboards...




    For the wooden "white key" long pedals - If the pedals have a lot of scuffs/dirt try some orange glo wood cleaner, and maybe some lemon oil to polish them up. Not sure what the smaller "black keys" are made of on your pedalboard but cleaning/polishing the "white keys" should do the trick. Just a little bit, and buff/dry them off well with a clean towel so you don't get any residue on your shoes. TO avoid messing up the finish, I wouldn't use steel wool - but that's just me. Find out what your church uses if you are happy with the heel-toe action on that pedalboard.




    Or you can just play with your socks instead [:D].




    -jim

    Jimmy Williams
    Hobbyist (organist/technician)
    Gulbransen Model D with Leslie 204

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Organ Pedal Question



      [quote user="jimmywilliams"] I don't have a Hammond but I am assuming that pedalboards are pedalboards...[/quote]




      As I'm sure you already know, Jim,Hammond pedalboards are often not the same as AGO specs.




      Pedalboards can come in various combinations of Concave vs. Flat, or Straight vs. Radiating. I've found that Hammonds tend not to have as nice a finish as, say, Rodgers or Allen. Of course, it's a different instrument altogether. Older pipe organs will have more in common with Hammond pedal boards than newer digital instruments.




      The pedalboard could have become scuffed because many non-professional players who play Hammonds would tend to use street shoes, complete with dirt, grit, and grime on them. I seem to remember that the Hammonds I've played were well-worn, and often down to the bare wood. In fact, some pedal boards were so worn, the springs gave little or no resistance. So much so, that if you created the slightest wind[st] above the pedals, they would play on their own. One could just sit there, fanning the pedals![;)]




      Seriously, depending on the age and vintage of the instrument, it could be down to bare wood. In any event, I don't know the answer to the question, but am curious to hear.




      Michael

      Way too many organs to list, but I do have 5 Allens:
      • MOS-2 Model 505-B / ADC-4300-DK / ADC-5400 / ADC-6000 (Symphony) / ADC-8000DKC
      • Lowrey Heritage (DSO-1)
      • 11 Pump Organs, 1 Pipe Organ & 7 Pianos

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Organ Pedal Question



        Hi Michael!




        Yes the Hammond A100 console hada flat 25-note pedalboard - I figured the pedal wood, etc. would be the same as my Gulbransen D AGO pedalboard though. I usually clean/polish mine as described and it works pretty well. My black key pedals themselves seem to be made of plastic (with the "long part" made of wood) and I cleanthe plastic partwith "glass cleaner" type of spray if necessary; usually dusting/vacuuming is sufficient. My pedalboard as designed had a pretty poor spring action - only a straight metal tension "spring" on the lower end. Some were well-worn and "flopping around" just like you said. So I got some conical springs and cobbled themunder the front ends of the pedals - worked very nicely and tightened things up a lot.




        -jim

        Jimmy Williams
        Hobbyist (organist/technician)
        Gulbransen Model D with Leslie 204

        Comment

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