Hammond Organ Center - Identify Your Hammond Organ

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How To Identify Your Hammond Organ

General Comments - PLEASE READ FIRST

General Info about Hammond - The following information is provided to help you only to identify and/or locate the model number of a Hammond Organ because of the following;
1. The original Hammond Organ Company, which started in 1936 and ceased operation in the mid 1980's, made a great many models and verity of models.
2. Two Other Owners. The Hammond name has been owned by two different companies since the mid 1980's; An Australian company and the present day owner Suzuki Musical Instruments, LTD of Japan, known here in the United States as Hammond Suzuki USA. Both have manufactured a good number of models as well.

Value - There is no way to give an exact value of a Hammond organ over the internet or phone. Why? You may ask. Well there are several reasons.
1. Condition of the organ. This has to do with the cabinet, the electronics, and the mechanical condition of the organ.
2. Geographic Location. Believe it or not, depending upon where you are located, this can be a factor due to demand.
3. Demand for a particular model of Hammond. Just because the name Hammond is on an organ doesn't mean that it is worth a great deal. Only a select group of Hammond organs fall into this category. In general, and the word "general" must be stressed, the only models that have held their value are the tone-wheel models. An that is limited to a select group as well.

Four Basic Cabinet Designs / Styles

There are only four basic cabinet designs that Hammond Organ and its predecessor companies have used, and they are:

	Concert Models Two 61 note keyboards and 32 long concaved pedals. Three 61 note keyboards and 32 long concaved pedals.
	Console Model Two 61 note keyboards and 25 long flat radiating pedals.
	Spinet Models Two 44 note keyboards and 12 short pedals (found on very early models) Two 44 note keyboards and 13 short pedals Two 37 note keyboards and 13 short pedals Two 49 note keyboards and 13 short pedals Two 61 note keyboards and 13 short pedals
	Single or one keyboard organs One 37 Note keyboard One 44 Note keyboard There were several that had a variety of configurations depending on what the function of the bottom octave did.

Where is the Model Number Located?

This is something that you should be able to locate with some ease depending on the age and the model. Here are the basic locations.

Inside the back of the organ. This will require you to pull the organ away from the wall, assuming it's against the wall, and in some cases removing the back of the organ on some of the Console organs.
On the back of the organ. Some of the organs have the model and serial number plate located on the lower left or right hand corners of the organ.
Under the Keyboard(s). On the newer organs, starting in the 70's Hammond got smart and made it easer than pulling the organ away from the wall. If you look under the left or right side of the keyboard you will find the model and serial number information.

Do you need service?

For clarification the Hammond Organ Center is not the Hammond Organ Company nor is it any part of the Hammond Suzuki company. We are a store in the Philadelphia area that does service, restoration, and overhauling of vintage tonewheel Hammond Organs. We sell New Used Leslie Speakers, the New Diversi Drawbar Organ, and TrekII Products.

If you are more then 2 or 3 hour drive from the Philadelphia, PA area you probably don't want us to service your instrument because of the mileage charges.

If you are outside of that 2 or 3 hour drive of Philadelphia the first place to look for an organ service technician is in your local Yellow Pages. If you have no luck there then we suggest you go to the MITA Tech. web site at www.MITATECHS.com. There you may find a Musical Instrument service technician. Also, you should know that there is no such thing as a "factory authorized or factory service center" for Hammond.