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Organ into bass amp?

Sunset Shalom

Sunset Shalom

May 9, 2016
1,702
1,150
#1
So I have an old Hammond organ, nothing fancy but I love how it sounds. Anyways recently I noticed it has an output tucked away on it, all it says is 120 volts 60 hertz 2 amps. I can't find any info on this particular organ online.

So would it be most likely a speaker out I should only use with a cab? I haven't opened it up yet but I assume it has some sort of amp built inside, maybe a tube amp as it's from the 70's.

I have mic'd it before and it sounds amazing, it needs some repairs but it sounds great. Sadly the bass floor pedals often don't work, I need to check the wiring in the back soon...

Anyways should I avoid plugging it into anything? I have a cheap old guitar amp I could test it on.
 
#2
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#7
Old Garage-Bander said:
Could be. Probably powers the motor?
Click to expand...
We had one of the 1960's Hammond B3's for many years and as I recall the Leslie (a 122 I think) and PR-40 cabs hooked up with thick multi-pin connector kind of cables. I think that's where they got their power, but it was a long time ago so I may be wrong.
 
#8
Sunset Shalom said:
So I have an old Hammond organ, nothing fancy but I love how it sounds. Anyways recently I noticed it has an output tucked away on it, all it says is 120 volts 60 hertz 2 amps. I can't find any info on this particular organ online.

So would it be most likely a speaker out I should only use with a cab? I haven't opened it up yet but I assume it has some sort of amp built inside, maybe a tube amp as it's from the 70's.

I have mic'd it before and it sounds amazing, it needs some repairs but it sounds great. Sadly the bass floor pedals often don't work, I need to check the wiring in the back soon...

Anyways should I avoid plugging it into anything? I have a cheap old guitar amp I could test it on.
Click to expand...
Post your question to organforum.com in the Hammond Organ forum. Many techs are regulars.
 
#10
The label 120 volts 60 hertz 2 amps is AC power related. I've had organs with daisy chained speaker connectors. Some organs have a preamp out, some have a preamp in that allows you to run an instrument through the organ amp and speakers. Features depend on the organ.

But sure, an organ into a bass amp works well.
 
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#11
Back in the day, A buddy of mine did the wiring on my Hammond M3 so I could run the bass output to an amp(Ampeg model? head w/2 vertically mounted JBL D130s in a cab) and the treble/power to the Leslie horns, which I had removed from a Leslie Tallboy(6 foot tall, huge bass box with a twirling cloth covered contraption with little usable output for miking) mounted into a separate DIY black painted box for easier transport.

I set the horn box on top of the speaker box and the Ampeg head on its side on the floor. The box did not have a top on it to make room The twirling horns. Possibly a little Odd looking but very effective setup.

I also used the 2nd channel of the Ampeg for a Fender Rhodes. Nice sounding rig.

+1 to checking out the organ forum to find a wiring diagram for the Hammond multipin plug.
 
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#13
my Hammonds had an output that went to the preamp pedal ... then to the Leslie ( powered spkr ) ..

not sure what outputs are on more Home models with built in amps/speakers ..??

can you find the Model # .. ?? have you Searched for that . ?
 
#16
Sunset Shalom said:
So I have an old Hammond organ, nothing fancy but I love how it sounds. Anyways recently I noticed it has an output tucked away on it, all it says is 120 volts 60 hertz 2 amps. I can't find any info on this particular organ online.

So would it be most likely a speaker out I should only use with a cab? I haven't opened it up yet but I assume it has some sort of amp built inside, maybe a tube amp as it's from the 70's.

I have mic'd it before and it sounds amazing, it needs some repairs but it sounds great. Sadly the bass floor pedals often don't work, I need to check the wiring in the back soon...

Anyways should I avoid plugging it into anything? I have a cheap old guitar amp I could test it on.
Click to expand...


Keith Emerson ran a Hammond into a marshall
 
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