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Some of the stock Hammond
features are normally inaccessible to the player. ProKeys
can modify most Hammonds to allow:
 Continuously
variable CHORUS control - this is a simple potentiometer, mounted near
the player, which allows control over the amount or depth of the chorus.
TONE
control - we re-mount the Hammond tone control in a location which the
player can use, rather than hidden inside the organ on the AO28 preamp
chassis. To retain the classic Hammond sound, nothing is changed in the
stock Hammond tone circuitry.
PERCUSSION
control - we re-mount the percussion control in an area that is
accessible to the player, instead of the stock location on the AO28 preamp. No
circuit changes are made, so the classic Hammond percussion sound is not altered
in any way.
REVERB
can be installed in most Hammonds.
Generator
shock mounts are highly recommended for any Hammond which is used
professionally. We install only the best - GOFF
Professional shock mount kits. These kits install once, and will
protect your generator properly, without the need to lock and release it at
every gig.
PREVENTATIVE
modifications - certain areas of Hammonds and Leslies seem to wear out
or fail at exactly the wrong time. We try to anticipate some of these
possibilities, and suggest replacements or repair beforehand. A few
examples:
- Replace the stock Hammond start and run switches with a much heavier duty
grade.
- Install a solid
state power relay . Read about it here.
- Install 110v line fuse in the AO28
preamp.
Hammond
Power Supply - Outdoor gigs often use power generators. These
can cause pitch problems. Read about it here.
Hammond
and Leslie Tubes - We keep a fairly good supply of tubes on hand for
AO28s and Leslie amps. Each tube is thoroughly tested on a calibrated,
commercial Hickok
539C tester and a Fluke 87 Series III digital meter. We
test and grade for shorts, heater-cathode leakage, transconductance, plate
current, and several forms of gas leakage. This superb tester allows us to
select the best tubes for a matched set. Critical test result values are
marked on each tube.
Tube
suggestion: Test and select your
tubes carefully. Balanced tubes really help the overall sound. Many
tubes (12AU7 preamp tubes for example) actually contain two separate
sections. If the sections are out of balance, it can show up in the
amplification stage. In some cases, (Leslie switching 12AU7, for example),
only one half of the tube is used. After awhile, these tubes are no longer
balanced for correct preamplifier use.
TRANSPORTATION
DETAILS - Often overlooked are the tools needed to transport
Hammonds and Leslies safely . ProKeys
is very concerned with your equipment being roadworthy, and
surviving a life of constant use and moving. Some areas to consider are:
Roll-Or-Kari
(ROK) moving dollies - Specifically set up for B3 width, with all swivel
casters. These ROKs are brand new, and built to last forever. We
devised a unique belt modification, featuring instant snap on/snap off closures,
requiring no belt threading. This modification simplifies the strapping
process, and reduces strapping time by about 90% or more. Once you've
tried it, you'll never want to use the old belt threading style again.
Blue polyurethane tread casters are available, rated for 125 lbs. each, as
direct replacements for the hard casters supplied with ROKs.
Leslie
caster kits - Casters are mandatory for working musicians.
Our caster installations use the best quality 1" wide, 3" grey
thermoplastic rubber treads on grey polypropylene wheel cores, rated at 100 lbs.
per caster. Blue polyurethane treads are also available, rated for
125 lbs. each. Two swivel, two are rigid. Brakes are also available
for the swivel casters. Mounting is via threaded steel inserts, sealed and
locked to prevent vibrating loose. These are true professional casters,
not like the ones you find in a hardware store.
Hammond
and Leslie padded moving covers will protect your investment, and
are highly recommended. We offer several different grades, weights, and
styles. Custom covers in many different configurations are available.
Appearance
- We've set up some Hammonds and Leslies to look really beautiful, even
though they're road or gig organs. Rather than refinishing in a mirror
finish, the organ is stripped, sandblasted, and sanded lightly. Many, many
coats of Tung oil are applied over the open, natural wood, without any filler or
stain. Tung oil dries to a very hard finish, and looks excellent.
It's available in a high gloss or semi gloss finish, but will not have the
mirror look of hand rubbed lacquer when complete. However, the true
benefit of this type of finish is, the inevitable scratches and nicks can be
touched up just by wiping some Tung oil on them. Filling, staining,
sanding, and final coating are not necessary with this type finish. We
highly recommend this treatment for road Hammonds and Leslies, to keep them
looking truly beautiful for many years.
click picture for
fullsize view
In July, 2000, we tried another
option for refinishing. As above, we stripped and sandblasted three ProKeys
Leslie cabinets, very lightly sanded them, and applied 9 coats of PPG
Omni AU, a two part, very hard automotive clear finish, using a commercial type
DeVilbiss spray gun. No filler, putty, or stain were used, the clear coat
was applied right over the natural wood. Click
here and here
to take a look at them, after final coat, but before we buffed out the
finish. Some people will like the contrasting wood colors, others
won't. We think it's beautiful. One interesting aspect of this clear
coat - no wax or polish is ever needed. Wiping off the cabinets with a
damp rag is about all the polishing or cleaning it requires. And, like the
tung oil finish, touching up nicks is a breeze. Unlike tung oil, this
stuff is expensive ! And once you mix the parts, you either
spray it or throw it away.
Being an automotive finish, it
is also water repellent. Should the Leslies get caught in a rainstorm, we'd
likely have a few minutes to get them under safe cover.
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