DISCLAIMER: B3 Organs and Leslies should only be repaired or modified by a qualified professional.
There is nothing out there in the world of music like the classic Hammond B3 organ. Since 1935 when American engineer and inventor Laurens Hammond unveiled the Model A, the organ has found its way into almost every genre of music from classic live radio drama, to gospel, jazz & rock. There is just nothing quite like it.
A big part of that classic sound is the signature Leslie cabinet, named after its inventor, Donald J. Leslie. The Leslie system is an integrated speaker/amplifier combination in which sound is emitted by a rotating horn over a stationary treble driver and a rotating baffle beneath a stationary bass woofer . This creates a characteristic sound because of the constantly changing pitch shifts that result from the Doppler effect created by the moving sound sources. It was originally designed to mimic the complex tones and constantly shifting sources of sound emanating from a large group of ranks in a pipe organ. The effect varies depending on the speed of the rotors, which can be toggled between fast (tremolo) and slow (chorale) using a console or pedal switch, with the most distinctive effect occurring as the speaker rotation speed changes.
Because of the complexity of the Leslie cabinet, synthesizer keyboard manufacturers have been unsuccessful in recreating the B3 sound artificially. This has resulted in a huge market for used B3 organs and Leslies as well as companies that do nothing but buy, sell and repair these instruments.
In 2003 our church purchased a used B3 and Leslie in great condition and have been using it every week ever since. The one downside is that the unit is approaching 50 years of life and frequently requires repair to keep it in prime condition. Over the past 5-6 years we have spent thousands of dollars in repair costs to continue the resuscitation process. Today we found the solution to our problem.
The Ventilator by Neo Instruments is the very first piece of gear that actually emulates a Leslie 122 rotary cabinet, right down to the independent treble and bass rotor speeds, the crossover (800Hz), and even that rich tube drive that the classic cab adds to your sound. This amazing 2-footswitch pedal even includes microphone placement emulation, so you can choose the perfect setup and sound for your rig. The best news is that it costs less than what we normally pay for one repair.
Our MD showed up today, just after the installation of the unit by our trusted repairman, to test it out. The best way I can describe his reaction would be ‘giddy.’ Every time his fingers touched the keys he would smile. Needless to say, this Dove Award winning, Grammy nominated musician walked out with one of these units under his arm for his personal B3 at home.
So basically, our poor 50 year-old Leslie has now actually been taken off life support and has been replaced with a Ventilator. And it sounds AMAZING!!
that church production guy 