So you wanna gig with it !?!

Remember that a C3 wasnt designed for moving & gigging with and even though they can be chopped they are still a bugger to carry.

Luckily the C3 I have was already chopped, but if it wasn't I would have definitely got my jigsaw out and made it 'a bit more' portable

If it wasnt already chopped, I'd definitely save the legs and make a stand with them.

Apparently on Bob Schleicher's website - http://www.tonewheel.com/links.htm

he states - quote -

"A wealth of information can be found in the Hammond and Leslie FAQ" (http://theatreorgans.com/hammond/faq/)

 - except the most frequently asked questions for the most common mods - like chopping a C3 !

Anyway - hope I can help.

I've never seen a C3 on anything else, it would probably collapse on anything else !

Although I remember once using it on an 'X' shape keyboard stand (ironing board) and that was OK but I remember it swaying all over the place - the swaying looked impressive but on the stand it looked naff !

Looking at my C3, the cuts across the legs/stand are made just below the level of the bottom of the organ.

When I first acquired the C3, there was a chopped organ with the bottom stand but the bottom stand was in two pieces, the whole bottom stand had had it's back panel removed, except for what looked like a skirting board at the bottom, and cut in two at the middle of the skirting board bit.

So, I had 250lbs of organ resting precariously on two, 1" wide flat sides of a bottom stand -  luckily it never fell over - even on a slope with big slabs of stone under one side !

Best thing is to keep the 'C' shape bottom stand but put two big hinges on the inside of each of the corners to fold down the sides into the back panel - sorted - one flat piece of wood you just pick up and load up on top of the C3 (with an old sponge single mattress in-between).

I have fitted a veneered wood back panel (discount from B&Q for a fiver) to the bottom stand so it's loads more stable.

I chose a colour as close as I could to the rest of the wood on the organ and just rubbed a load of antique wood oil into it every day for a week.

Chop

If I were doing it, I'd start by taking off all the pedals and wiring to them and lay the whole organ down on it's front with the manuals facing down nearest the floor onto something protective like my girlfriend's favourite duvet (don't forget to screw the generator down if you can).

Then saw as straight as I could maybe with a proper old-fashioned big wood saw for straightness along a scored line across the back and sides made just below the level of the bottom of the organ.

Finish off with sander.

Screw in some 3" swivel 'rock-hard' plastic castors at each corner (I tried braked swivel types, I tried braked swivel rubber types - all rubbish - they don't take the hammer).- make sure they don't foul the tops of the bottom stand and make sure you've made it as easy as possible to lift it onto the stand and that the castors don't swivel and prevent you from positioning the organ in the correct place on the stand.

That's the easy bit !

Handles

Then there's the handles - if you're fitting some.

- don't be shy chiselling, hammering and drilling

& think 'big screws'.

With the organ upright as normal on the stand -

Place the handles roughly where you want them to go - if you stand up as normal and imagine you're going to lift 250 lbs worth of heavy wood & metal up from the floor onto it's stand and down again you'll know where the handles need to go.

The height of the handles is important if you're going to have castors fitted - sometimes that's 3 or 4 inches on top to lift over the stand.

I fitted those recessed spring-return types with rubbery tubes on the hand grips - not bad - they've done really well up to now - (as he touches organ lid)

They don't get in the way when loading unlike the static 'C' shape bar-type.

The lateral position of the handles nearest the manuals is very important.

Make sure the handles nearest the manuals are as near as possible to the manuals - because that's where all the weight is - it is not balanced down the centre of the organ.

The centre of balance on my C3 is where the handles nearest the manuals are.

Score the area of the handles and, if you're fitting recessed types, hack away with a hammer & chisel - first the outline then towards the centre.

I just used what I could find - oh look a hammer; oh look - a chisel - that'll do !

It seems like you're hacking away forever but sure enough it makes a load of difference.

Give yourself a few days to do this - it takes a while.

Plenty of big screws (very hard to screw in as well) and done.

Practicality

I dont use the bass pedals or original swell pedal for the swell I have a volume pedal on the output of the organ pre-amp just before the Leslie connection.

With it chopped there are very few places it doesn't 'get in'

I'm lucky that three guys from my band are strong & willing blokes (singer /sax player keeps complaining of bad back) and they don't seem to mind helping.

They definitely seem to like the sound better than a Voce Micro BII thru a combo !

All gigging Hammond players should be entitled to help as a human right.

They are contributing to music what no other musician does i.e;

'they use ancient gear that looks like some old furniture or a coffin and weighs a ton and could render them in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives for the sake of preserving the superb sound of the Hammond that has been listened to everyones ears since the 1950s ! - Vive le Hammonde !'

People should come rushing to our aid when that first bead of sweat drips from our forehead onto the organs outer shell with their behind in the air, teeth clenched screaming to the guy at the other end where ya going with it !

For the past four years the C3 & Leslie 147RV have lived in a Citroen C15 van so it only needs half the moving.

I bought the van specifically for the C3 & Leslie and all the other gear as it all fits / squeezes in nicely although I think the suspension could do with a rest after four years !

Incidently if you're unsure if a C3 will fit in your motor  - don't worry it will.  Before the C15 van the C3 was shoved into the back of a Nissan Micra ! with a small custom-made Leslie in the passenger seat !

If I've got a gig I just get in the van and go!

Get to the venue & unload.

Because the organ's chopped and has big 3" rock-hard plastic castors it can be wheeled out of the van, lifted up onto it's end (carefully coz of the generator) and if needed - twisted round with a bit of a circus balancing act to gently drop down onto it's castors and wheeled into the venue.

For loading back into the van - wheel it back to the van, lift it up onto one end, swivel / twist round if necessary using the weight of the organ for balance. Then drop the upper end into the back of your waiting van, lift up the other end and push it in, drive home, dump van somewhere and leave it - done.

Obviously the end of the organ is going to get damaged but if youre careful you only damage the edges & corners a small price to pay for gigging with a C3

Outdoor Steps

If there are a lot of wide outdoor steps no problem but you will need at least three men to lift it.

One on each end & one on the keys side to take the weight of the keys as it is heavier on the keys side.

Dont accept help from a punter or doorman or guest as they might not know what they are doing and drop your precious C3. Many a time Ive had people asking if they can help !

I just laugh and roll over a couple of times.

My first initial thought is you dont know do you ? you dont really know how heavy this  flip**** thing is do you ?  If they insist I do show them the handles and tell them it could change their life medically !

Unfortunately I wasnt there to witness my precious dropping from a couple of feet onto tarmac - I still remember the person responsible (he later left my previous band) and even though it was an accident, any time I think of him theres only one thought in my head you broke my Leslie switch.

Inexperience in carrying & lifting a chopped C3 weighing over 250 pounds can cost you dearly.

Sometimes the rest of your band can get carried away and before you know it theyve taken it away and dropped it down some stone steps nice !

Use the force - only you really know how heavy that thing is - so make sure youre in charge.

Indoor Stairs

Stairs and no lift - forget it. the C3 stays in the van & the substitute set up goes in - a hammond XK1 thru a Motion Sound Pro3-Tm Rotary Amp/speaker & Motion Sound KP-200S. Theres nothing more embarrassing than four sweating blokes struggling up a tight stairwell and the organ or a body gets stuck also its not worth it !

Bad Back ?

I'm 40 years old now but only 12 stone and been properly gigging with the C3 since 1997 I think !

Im 6ft 7ins & finally because of moving a Hammond I have now got a serious back problem

Before it was just a little twinge in the lumbar region and right knee a couple of times from overdoing it up & down steps coz its a lot of strain on those areas.

Now it's pretty bad but that's probably wear & tear. Ive had similar back trouble after bending over my Ford Escort MKII under the bonnet trying to fix something in my 20s. I could hardly walk for a couple of days & the pain was real bad.

Although, now if I have to, I am very methodical about moving a C3 its more about brain over brawn i.e., making the C3 move in your favour with the minimum of effort.- sometimes you can utilise the weight when lifting out of a small van this only requires yourself but always make sure you have at least two people when lifting up & down steps and onto the base - one on each end on the handles to lift - more the better.

Exercise ? - No, not me, I dont

Rest ? - Yes, please. I do

I have always considered resting to be the best remedy for a bad back.

I dont think we have evolved far enough yet from walking on all fours to walking on two legs and relying on our lower spine to support all our upper body weight never mind also having to carry over 250 lbs between two blokes.

Luckily most of the time I sit down on a sit down day-job.- this helps coz I am resting my back.

If you've got a bad back already and you can't exercise then I strongly suggest you don't take out a Hammond for gigging unless you have a lot of help all of the time!

otherwise you will possibly have more back aches & knee injuries. - it takes quite a lot to get the chopped Hammond on to its chopped  bottom half stand.

If you've got plenty of help from the rest of the band and you dont have to ask then fine do it.

Although of course this will never happen & you will have to ask.

If you cannot gig with a Hammond then a close (but unfortunately sometimes not close enough) substitute is a Voce V5 or some other lightweight organ clone and a Leslie - as long as you use a Leslie 145, 147 or 122.

Although I've only tried the Voce Micro BII thru a 147 and it's not that bad. It's got bags of percussion using 888 & it's got loadsa guts at high volume - but the sound is poor using the fast Leslie effect - it goes all weird and phasey! and you notice a difference to a C3 thru a Leslie.

Do you ? or Don't you ?

It's amazing when I don't bring the C3 in at a pub and the regulars ask 'where's the Hammond ?' - I go on a right guilt trip - like I'm a traitor or I've 'sold out' !

but when I do take it, it really is the business - 'look out I'm coming thru - like it or not !' and some people do notice - thankfully.

We don't do many public gigz now as most are private wedding party gigz and 90% of them I take the C3 - suits me !

The question isn't - "Can I be bothered ?" but - "Can I get it in ?"

Everything's always in the van for every occasion & every surprise.

If I can get it in I use it.

It's usually quicker set up anyway coz there's less wires, wallwarts and less midi stuff & no faffing with different Leslie connections.

There has been quite a few instances where I have taken all the gear and got to a gig and thought - shall I take the C3 in or just be lazy and take the small gear in ? (but include the Leslie) & 9 out of 10 times I have taken in the C3 and not regretted it.

If ever I take the small gear in but had the chance of taking the C3 in I always regret not taking the C3 in !

If you're lucky enough to have a hammond and a leslie - please don't stop playing - we must keep our beloved Hammonds running - forever ! - if you can't, then let someone else play it and look after it.

Don't forget we've all been thru what you are about to.

Just get stuck in and make a mess !

It'll be worth it in the end - I can guarantee you - 'there's a little Hammond fan club hiding in every little gig'.

Don't forget to mike your leslie up - I use the Sennheiser E604s drum mikes and clip them on the side of the leslie facing into the openings where the horn and bass rotor are with the leslie's back facing the front. Connect them up to a combo amp or thru the PA and you're away.

My next project is to replace the Leslie 147 240V switching coil relay with a double pole solid state relay or two single pole relays for silent switching - it clicks too loudly for studio recording.

I hope I have helped & am glad to help but if you need more info/tips let me know.

I got all my info from searching internet and experience playing live.

There seems to be a lot of knowledge out there its just a matter of finding it.

After all that finishing & moving - dont forget to enjoy playing a Hammond on stage - its excellent.

PS I went thru 2 vans but now I throw everything in my box trailer or if I'm feeling lazy just throw the small XK1 & Motion Sound gear into the car.