This is a guide to purchasing Hammond Organs on eBay.  Normally, I would not recommend buying an organ without playing it and testing it, but such is life in the electronic age. 

The Various Hammond Organs

Most Coveted Models

We all know about the storied Hammond B3 organ - but do you have to spend $4,000+ for that sound?  No, you don't.  One bit of information that many people don't know is that the Hammond B3, C3, and A-100 series are all EXACTLY the same internally.  The only difference with a C3 was the "church" style cabinet; the only difference with the A-100 was the "home" style cabinet with some built-in speakers.  If you plugged a good A-100 or C3 into a Leslie, you could not tell the difference with a B3.  If it's looks you're into, the B3 may be your only option, but if it's the sound you want, feel confident purchasing a C3 or A-100, you will not be disappointed. 

Other Models

Organs not listed above fall into a different category.  The B2, C2, CV, BC, BV, and M3 are all Hammond tonewheel organs that produce similar but different sounds than the ones above.  For example, the B2 and C2 look exactly the same as a B3 or C3, but lack the Percussion options that give that classic sound.  Sometimes, these organs will include an add-on, such as the Trek II Percussion unit, which will make it sound very similar to a B3, and is a good option for those starting out who can't afford a B3.  The same goes for the CV, BC, and BV, which were all made prior to the 2 series, and are generally much harder to upkeep due to their age.  Some people, however, like to purchase the B series models for the cases, since spare B cases are not in large supply.  The M3 is the same as the B3 in sound, but there is a reason they call it the "Baby B".  The upper and lower manuals contain only 44 keys each, as opposed to 61.  There are no preset keys, and the case is a home style "spinet" cabinet.  It also lacks what is known as "foldback" on the upper octaves - this is the repeating of higher frequencies throughout those keys. Again, this is a good starter organ, and in fact many notable recordings were made with the M3, including Boston's Smokin' and Booker T's Green Onions.

Another important note is that all of the models above, excluding the M3, will not have smooth drawbars.  They will have the less desirable ratcheted drawbars that are not quite as easy to manipulate.  Of course, as with the Trek II unit, some folks will complete after-market modifications to their organs that remedy this situation, and this upgrade generally increases the value of an older organ.

What questions should you be asking when purchasing a Hammond organ? 

Again, this is a situation where playing the organ and viewing it in person is the most optimal situation.  If you do enter that scenario, I would recommend the following:

a)  Check every note with every drawbar tone.  You want to make sure no wires have been misplaced from tonebars - not a difficult fix, but important.  If you do find a separated wire, this is corrected by saudering the wire back to the tonebar.  Exception:  Any non B3/C3/A100 that lacks foldback will not sound when the highest drawbars only are pulled on the upper octaves.

b)  If applicable, check the percussion - does it work on 3rd and 2nd?  Does it work on Soft/Normal?

c)  How does the organ sound when you start it?  Is it a hum, or a grinding noise?

d)  Check for any signs of water damage.

e)  Ask to see inside the back of the organ - is it mostly clean?  Remember, it will be dusty, but is there corrosion or rust?

f)  Check the vibrato/chorus.  A good check is the is to move the vibrato knob to C3.  Hold down a note on the upper (swell) manual and toggle the switch on the left indicating Vibrato Swell (on/off).  You should hear a definitive change in sound and volume when the vibrato is switched on.  Do the same for the lower (great) manual.

g)  What year is the organ?  Be advised that starting around the mid '60s, through the end of the production run in 1975, Hammond started used foam in place of felt on the inside back of the manuals.  This foam will eventually break down and eat through the 549 wires that are connected to your keys.  This can be fixed if caught early enough, but you have to be on the lookout for the later models.  This WILL happen to your organ if it has foam instead of felt, it is just a matter of time.

If viewing or playing an organ is not possible, you'll have to do your best studying pictures and asking questions.  Sadly, sometimes people are not knowledgeable enough to answers vital Hammond questions, so please be wary when purchasing your organ.  Also ensure that the Tonewheel Generator has been secured before attempting to move any of the models above, or remind the seller to do so if it is a shipping situation. 

Happy Hammond hunting!