Repair a Hammond Organ?

I could not resist buying this. A heavy Hammond Organ. It appears to be from the early 70's. A local second hand store had it for $5 marked (AS-IS). The wooden cabinet is near perfect. But there is no plug on the cord, so they could not test it (and they dont do any repairs).

I was hoping it had tube electronics, but it appears to be solid state, meaning that if there are circuit problems, I probably wont be able to fix it, since I only work with tubes. But I already know the speakers in these organs are worth a lot more than $5, and I can see making something from the wooden cabinet.

This is likely one of the most complex pieces of electronics I ever will attempt to fix. Then again, for all I know, it may work once I put a plug on the cord.... (It looks like the plug was torn off when they moved it).

Either way, I know I got my $5 worth of parts at the least...

This thing is heavy, heavy, heavy.... The workers at the store were all women and did not want to help load it. And I have physical problems which limit me. So I still need to get some guys to help me with it next week. I just paid for it and they have my name on it, marked SOLD.

Before I left, I wrote down the model #.

I am NOT finding any schematic online. If any of you know where to find one, it's a model # 227214. Appears to be called a "Aurora Custom 1 (AV28)" (from what I could find online).

I am no organist, but if I can get this thing working, I know I'll have fun with it....

photos of the innards of a similar model:

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Reply to
oldschool
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Wow, looks like the sort of thing that should rise into view in a cinema on a lift being played very ostentatiously (Carlo Curley or Liberace?)...

Mike.

Reply to
MJC

I could not resist buying this. A heavy Hammond Organ. It appears to be from the early 70's. A local second hand store had it for $5 marked (AS-IS). The wooden cabinet is near perfect. But there is no plug on the cord, so they could not test it (and they dont do any repairs).

I was hoping it had tube electronics, but it appears to be solid state, meaning that if there are circuit problems, I probably wont be able to fix it, since I only work with tubes. But I already know the speakers in these organs are worth a lot more than $5, and I can see making something from the wooden cabinet.

This is likely one of the most complex pieces of electronics I ever will attempt to fix. Then again, for all I know, it may work once I put a plug on the cord.... (It looks like the plug was torn off when they moved it).

Either way, I know I got my $5 worth of parts at the least...

This thing is heavy, heavy, heavy.... The workers at the store were all women and did not want to help load it. And I have physical problems which limit me. So I still need to get some guys to help me with it next week. I just paid for it and they have my name on it, marked SOLD.

Before I left, I wrote down the model #.

I am NOT finding any schematic online. If any of you know where to find one, it's a model # 227214. Appears to be called a "Aurora Custom 1 (AV28)" (from what I could find online).

I am no organist, but if I can get this thing working, I know I'll have fun with it....

photos of the innards of a similar model:

formatting link

top view

formatting link

This any help?

formatting link
Maybe try this forum:
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Kenny

Reply to
Kenny

I could not resist buying this. A heavy Hammond Organ. It appears to be from the early 70's. A local second hand store had it for $5 marked (AS-IS). The wooden cabinet is near perfect. But there is no plug on the cord, so they could not test it (and they dont do any repairs).

I was hoping it had tube electronics, but it appears to be solid state, meaning that if there are circuit problems, I probably wont be able to fix it, since I only work with tubes. But I already know the speakers in these organs are worth a lot more than $5, and I can see making something from the wooden cabinet.

This is likely one of the most complex pieces of electronics I ever will attempt to fix. Then again, for all I know, it may work once I put a plug on the cord.... (It looks like the plug was torn off when they moved it).

Either way, I know I got my $5 worth of parts at the least...

This thing is heavy, heavy, heavy.... The workers at the store were all women and did not want to help load it. And I have physical problems which limit me. So I still need to get some guys to help me with it next week. I just paid for it and they have my name on it, marked SOLD.

Before I left, I wrote down the model #.

I am NOT finding any schematic online. If any of you know where to find one, it's a model # 227214. Appears to be called a "Aurora Custom 1 (AV28)" (from what I could find online).

I am no organist, but if I can get this thing working, I know I'll have fun with it....

photos of the innards of a similar model:

formatting link

top view

formatting link

This any help?

formatting link
Maybe try this forum:
formatting link

Kenny

formatting link

Reply to
Kenny

Thanks, but neigther of these links seem to have any schematic for my model (Hammond model # 227214. Called an "Aurora Custom 1 (AV28)".

Reply to
oldschool

I was already to cough up the $10 for this paper manual, when I clicked on "BUY", it took me to an Ebay page that "does not exist". Probably another useless ancient link to something that google dont seem to ever remove. From what I've been seeing lately, google never removes outdated links. I've been seeing around 35% of the links on google are obsolete lately.

Reply to
oldschool

Have you tried to contact Hammond for service information? If not, send them an email with all of the nameplate information and see if they can help.

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Many manufacturers will provide service info free on models that have been out of production for many years.

Cheers, Dave M

snipped-for-privacy@tubes.com wrote:

Reply to
Dave M

This is a good suggestion. I'll give it a try!

Thanks

----

Reply to
oldschool

Actually I can understand why when you search for tube stuff you'll get mor e broken links. The extinct bound are probably going to get more of that in the future. Hell, I can't even find good food anymore.

Dude, I had to make the transition from tubes to transistors and so can you . On tube TVs I had a superfast method which involved shorting things out. I took a grounded screwdriver to the plate cap ot the horizontal output tub e which showed me immediately if there was B+ and if the damper tube was co nducting. That ain't the half of it, I cured the Zenith ringing in the vide o problem.

You can do it too. I just had to learn just how fast transistors can be des troyed. With tubes I oculod short things out and see how long it takes for one of them to redplate and thus eliminate the need for a tube tester. That was radical, but it got results which paid the bills.

Solid state is a bit more tricky.

One of the first things is to figure out which section is faulty. Is it the amp ? If so that might be easy. The tone generators are a different story. In an older organ there will be 12 of them. Find an amp and connect SOMEHO W so you can determine all 12 of those generators work. If not, burn it.

I shit you not. It is too damn hard to find parts foro those things. Even i f you do then they run out of tune whenb they heat up n shit. One thing you need for an organ or an older electric piano or anything like that is to h ave the tone generators working properly. If youu don't have that ytou will l be looking for germanium transistors, some of which have not been made in all my born days. Coils and capacitors it will take you three days to find on Digikey, if you can at all. And of course that depends on you getting t he inforation on these parts, Digikey doesn't know, how could they ?

Another bottom line, power circuits blow first. It is entirely possible tha t your tone generators are fine. You have to test it with another amp. some where in there is the output going to the amp, if the thing powers up that is where you start. Connect it to anything. Even an elcheapo pair of PC spe akers should do it. Test every key. If they all work we move on to the next step. You be lucky if all them tone gennies work and you just have to fix the amp.

Reply to
jurb6006

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