Your favorite Hammond B-3 organ solo?

Different settings, amounts of draw bars, tone, amount of bass pedals, keyboard length...etc.  The tone generators, vibrato, keyboard length, and amount of draw bars are the most important differences IMO.  For example a Hammond L-100 vs a Hammond B3.

The L-100 has a much more metallic sound (think Dave Stewart) whereas the B-3 has the more typical gospel like soft sound (obviously prog rock musicians overdrive and alter this at times).  Think Keith Emerson, Wakeman, or most of the big guys on that one.

The L-100 has fewer draw bars than a B-3. which in turn gives you less control over the tone.

The B-3 has much longer keyboards than the L-100.  The L-100 starts on F and has two full octaves, then goes up a fifth and ends on C.  The B-3 has a much wider range, the lower range is added on.  

The B-3 also has heavier percussion AKA key click.

B-3 has more tremolo sounding softer vibrato, whereas the L-100 has a wide fast vibrato.

The B-3 is preferred by almost all, but honestly for wild prog music I prefer the gnarly beast sound of the  L-100.  

B-3 has multiple octaves of bass pedals, the L-100 only has one.

Keith Emerson always has both on stage.  He plays both simultaneously, and the L-100 is what he rides around on on stage. 

Thats only two popular choices in comparison.  They've had every subtle difference imaginable over the years.  Some with single keyboards, different sounds, no pedals, anything.  The L-100, A-100, and C-3 are all the EXACT same organ in different casings.  The B-3  is much more stripped down and visible from all sides, the C-3 is closed in so that women could play in dresses/skirts without anyone getting a peek.  The A-100 is similar to the B-3 but with onboard speakers and spring reverb added.

My L-100 is my baby.

 

 

 

 

Some have mentioned Rod Argent.  He plays a thoroughly prog-worthy solo on Lothlorien, from Ring of Hands.  Ol' Goodge Harris has a great solo on Galactic Zoo Dossier (on Gypsy Escape).  One of my favorites.

 

 

You bet, thanks for posting that!  

Man, the sound of a Hammond B-3 through Leslie speakers.....THE classic sound of early 1970's rock!   Everybody from Deep Purple to Focus, in jazz, pop, soul, hard rock & prog....what a powerful sound!!   

Think of the organ parts on "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart, fantastic!  Ronnie Lane did damn close to a prog performance on the bass guitar on that tune! 

Jerry Corbetta was the keyboardist for Sugarloaf, he's still playing with a group called "The Classic Rock All Stars."  I'd love to see them, kinda fossils, but it dials it back to my high-school days!!   

 

Argent - Hold Your Head Up

 

saw Rod Argent do this on Sunday at High Voltage. I'm not familar with his rig either now or then though!

 

btw this is also Rick Wakemans favorite Hammond organ solo

And yeah, Wakeman on Roundabout. Never got tired of that one.