Gear Thread - Pics
- Thread starter Angel
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Mmm, been wanting to look at these for a while. What's it like? I do quite a bit of organ and have considered getting a dedicated instrument for it to sit next to my stage piano. Currently I use a lightweight controller keyboard with a laptop to do my Hammond simulation, but it's not waterfall and doesn't have proper drawbars.
You guys do any gigs over Cambridge way? I might have seen you
arty
Mmm, been wanting to look at these for a while. What's it like? I do quite a bit of organ and have considered getting a dedicated instrument for it to sit next to my stage piano. Currently I use a lightweight controller keyboard with a laptop to do my Hammond simulation, but it's not waterfall and doesn't have proper drawbars.
You guys do any gigs over Cambridge way? I might have seen you
arty
It's awesome, quite frankly.
Unfortunately/fortunately, the band's Hammond player is no longer leaving, so I've been able to chill out on the practice, and get stuck into working on my jazz voicings and walking bassline. Slow work, as I'm a sax player by trade!
The XK3c is the dogs dangly bits. The sound is top notch, and the valves lend a really authentic crunch to the sound. The Leslie sim is pretty decent - put through a front of house PA, and in a band mix, I doubt any general punters (and probably even a lot of enthusiasts) would be able to tell the difference between this and a real B or C3.
The menus are extensive - everything is tweakable from adjusting a number of settings for the virtual pickups on the virtual tonewheels to the LPF and resonance values of the key click. With some setting up time, it really can sound like any Hammond you want - from factory fresh, to an unserviced beast with the tonewheel generator hum coming through even with no keys pressed.
The 3c is really designed to be used with a lower manual however (I use the split point to make use of RH/LH), and is very expensive - I got a good deal at a little over £2000 for an ex-demo model.
If you're looking for a second board to run as a dedicated Hammond, but don't need the whole expandability to two manuals to do the jazz thing, I'd look at an XK1 - it has the same newest virtual tonewheel generator as the 3c, but is half the cost.
It doesn't have the valves though, and the digital distortion isn't too authentic by all accounts, so the newest best thing since sliced bread is the Neo Instruments Ventilator (look at thomann.de) for proper Leslie 122 emulation and dirty distortion.
Edit: Oh, and as for gigs... We did one in Cambridge last summer. At the Haymakers I believe - a pretty small venue near a one-way system by the river. Nice little place. We're called DC Fontana, and have an album out if you like Hammond!
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Cool, thanks very much for the info - that's genuinely useful stuff. I'd probably be looking just at single-manual but the sound would need to be really excellent to improve over what I use at the moment. £2k+ is too much for me to justify for a second instrument - I'm too much of a pianist to ever be a great organist! - but the XK1 might be more my bag, so I'll investigate that option for sure. Cheers
Edit: Oh, and as for gigs... We did one in Cambridge last summer. At the Haymakers I believe - a pretty small venue near a one-way system by the river. Nice little place. We're called DC Fontana, and have an album out if you like Hammond!
Yeah, I think I might have seen you - it wasn't the Boat Race was it? The Haymakers I'm thinking of closed a couple of years back, wasn't near the river or a one-way system and couldn't really be described as a 'nice little place', heh
If you mainly gig in Bedford I'll have to try to get over to see you guys again. Trouble is, I'm probably gigging myself most nights when you are
arty
Cool, thanks very much for the info - that's genuinely useful stuff. I'd probably be looking just at single-manual but the sound would need to be really excellent to improve over what I use at the moment. £2k+ is too much for me to justify for a second instrument - I'm too much of a pianist to ever be a great organist! - but the XK1 might be more my bag, so I'll investigate that option for sure. Cheers
Yeah, I think I might have seen you - it wasn't the Boat Race was it? The Haymakers I'm thinking of closed a couple of years back, wasn't near the river or a one-way system and couldn't really be described as a 'nice little place', heh
If you mainly gig in Bedford I'll have to try to get over to see you guys again. Trouble is, I'm probably gigging myself most nights when you are
arty
T'was definitely the Haymakers. Looking back at my diary, it was on Sunday 11th April last year.
No gigs in Bedford for us! The band is Midlands based - lots around the Birmingham area, occasionally venturing out to Leamington Spa, or Brighton, Cornwall or Glasgow as the mood takes us!
Full gig list on the Facebook page I think if you fancy seeing us
Madness! Either it's reopened under new management or I'm very confused. I've played there ooh, 40-50 times over the last 7-8 years or so and clearly haven't seen you guys after all - sorry
No gigs in Bedford for us! The band is Midlands based - lots around the Birmingham area, occasionally venturing out to Leamington Spa, or Brighton, Cornwall or Glasgow as the mood takes us!
Full gig list on the Facebook page I think if you fancy seeing us
Cool, cheers man. Will have a look for sure
arty
My Tokai Thunderbird:
It's a really lovely bass, well made, they're a lot cheaper now than when I got this though. Only gripe is it's very neck-heavy. Need the strap button relocating really. I've had it probably 4 years now, since new. Also have an Epiphone Les Paul Custom but I don't like it all that much as I think the neck is slightly warped. I can't get an even action across the frets (main problem at the very bottom). Probably needs fixing but may be more than it's worth.
Currently on the lookout for a decent bass practice/small gig amp up to about £150. Any recommendations welcome!
It's a really lovely bass, well made, they're a lot cheaper now than when I got this though. Only gripe is it's very neck-heavy. Need the strap button relocating really. I've had it probably 4 years now, since new. Also have an Epiphone Les Paul Custom but I don't like it all that much as I think the neck is slightly warped. I can't get an even action across the frets (main problem at the very bottom). Probably needs fixing but may be more than it's worth.
Currently on the lookout for a decent bass practice/small gig amp up to about £150. Any recommendations welcome!
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Permabanned
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I thought I would be the only person that has owned a Tokai...
Japanese made. =)
I sold it just a couple of days ago, praying it arrives safely as couriers give bugger all compensation.
Japanese made. =)
I sold it just a couple of days ago, praying it arrives safely as couriers give bugger all compensation.
Are you kidding?Bought it second-hand for £100. It's in amazing condition!
Man of Honour
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Bought it second-hand for £100. It's in amazing condition!
Absolute mega bargain