What's your favorite keyboard ever?

Some very nice pictures there Dave - I like the way you've done the auxilliary controls on the front panel of the B3

Don't fancy attacking a 1971 L122 do you?

Thanks Jim.

In the 60's and 70's a guy called Bill Beer had a company called Keyboard Products in the States and he built a series of these portablised B3's. His client list was a who's who of rock - the Doors, Dick Sims, Pink Floyd (on which mine is modelled), Kansas, Santana, Fleetwood Mac. They sounded a lot brighter and punchier too. Some of his clients had aux controls right the way across the front.

I came across a guy on a forum who owns the one that used to belong to the Doors and he gave me the measurements of the cabinet so that I could, ahem, rip off the design when I portablised mine.

I used to own a Hammond L100, nice organ. I sold it to the guy who plays keys for Chris Rea about three years ago. I wish I had kept it though as I have more space now.

The reason I've done so much to the B3 is that you soon realise that a stock one does not sound like the one on the record! Back in the good old days there weren't many synths about these guys really customised their organs to get "their sound".

Just seen you are also in South of England. What do you want to do to your L100?

Dave


Edited by tonewheel1966 - August 18 2012 at 07:51

So many great ones come to mind... Minimoog, ARP Solina, Mellotron, Fender Rhodes, Hohner Clavinet, Hammond B3... As a keyboardist one simply cannot choose. 

Favourite keyboard.......... a MELLOTRON.  But then there's the classic Minimoog Model D, a Farfisa Professional Duo, and a Hammond C3.  A Wurlitzer E-Piano is also very nice, but I play the bass, so what would I know..........

Acoustic grand piano (not one that is good for honky-tonk). However, if the keyboard has to be electric, ... then it has to be a keyboard that simulates the sound of an acoustic grand piano. Great for performing written music, improvisation, and WRITING music.

wilmon91 wrote: I have limitied knowledge..but maybe Prophet 5! Clannad - Legend is one of my favourite albums and as I've understood, the Prophet 5 is the main synth used on that album.

hey man. This was a really cool demonstration and thank you so much. Really dig 'Alien.' Love that soundtrack hardcore. Anyway, very cool man and I think I've got more respect now for the versitillity of the Prophet 5 now. :)

I play bass, but I have a soft spot in my ears for a nicely distorted Lowrey organ. 

I am starting to really did the Kurtzweil 4000. Martin Orford used it in the album DARK MATTER.

I have to say, I just bought a Korg Kronos 88 weighted. I am absolutely in love with it. (even though it is in the shop right now for a bad PC board). I have used many different keyboards over the years, this is just one impressive instrument. 

yeah Hammond for organs and Moog for synths, I also really love the sound of a harpsichord, mainly because it sounded really magical in this song to me growing up