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Jim Garten View Drop Down
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Points: 14693 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Adapting A Leslie 145
    Posted: April 10 2005 at 12:34
I love my current Hammond/Leslie set-up, but I understand there is a way in which the main Leslie amp can be modified to accept 1/4" jack plugs for use with effects pedals (specifically, for my interest, an overdrive unit and - don't laugh - a wah-wah pedal).

Has anyone any idea of how to do this?

Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
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James Lee View Drop Down
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Points: 3525 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 12 2005 at 06:05

are you handy with a soldering iron, JG?

Since the 145 has a built-in amp, all you really need to do is connect the two input-jack wires (black and red) to the ring and tip of a 1/4" jack socket.

LESLIE CABLE COLORS/CONNECTIONS
By Harvey Olsen. ©1994-2001

 

SIX-PIN SYSTEMS - Don Leslie adopted Hammond's six-pin tone cabinet wiring in 1940 because it was easier to connect 30A Leslie Speakers to early Hammond organs.  As additional Leslie models were developed for other organs, notably Wurlitzer and Conn, six-pin plugs and sockets were retained.  Six conductor cables are interchangeable but the six-pin Leslie types are not.  Input connections and channeling differ - using an incorrect Leslie type is hazardous plus the speaker will not function properly. 
PIN COLOR HAMMOND [6H] WURLITZER/UNIVERSAL [6W] CONN/TWO-CHANNEL [6C]
1     Black INPUT [Balanced] SIGNAL GROUND SIGNAL GROUND
2 Yellow SIGNAL/DC GROUND TREMOLO RELAY COIL TREMOLO RELAY COIL
3 Gray AC POWER IN AC POWER IN AC POWER IN
4 Blue AC POWER IN  AC POWER IN AC POWER IN/
TREMOLO RELAY COIL
5  Brown B+ [Approx.300VDC] TREMOLO RELAY COIL    CHANNEL TWO INPUT [Unbalanced]
6 Red  INPUT [Balanced] SIGNAL INPUT [Unbalanced] CHANNEL ONE INPUT [Unbalanced]
HAMMOND (6H) - Includes Models: 30A, 30C, 31A, 31H, 21H, 22H, 22R, 122, 122R, 122V, 122RV, 142, 142A, 222, 222RV, 242, 122A-T and current 122A.  Early "30" series models below serial number 5200 have no provision to isolate DC control voltages and can not be used with 6H-type hookups unless their power amps are upgraded to later specs. 
WURLITZER/UNIVERSAL (6W) - Includes Models: 31W (except very early version), 44W, 46W, 25, 45, 47, 47R, 110, 112, 114, 116, 120, 120C, 125, 225, 145, 145A, 147, 147V, 147RV, 245, 247, 247RV, and current 147A.  (Spinet-type Leslies without power amps have their speaker(s) connected directly to pins 1 and 6.)
CONN/TWO-CHANNEL (6C) - Includes Models: 50C, 55C, 51C, 51, 251, and 351 (no current model).  Model 55C has no tremolo relay and pin 2 is not connected.  (Tremolo control for Model 55C is accomplished by switching audio channels at the organ.) 

The levels might not be quite right to make the most of pedal effects, though...you may still need some kind of preamp (but a good overdrive, placed before the wah, might just give the signal enough boost).

If you have the cash, it might be a better (or safer, depending on your skills) option to buy one of the dedicated "combo preamps" such as this one: http://www.btproductions.com/Gear/Preamps/Hampton/hampton%20 preamp.html
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Jim Garten View Drop Down
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Points: 14693 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 13 2005 at 03:15
Originally posted by James Lee James Lee wrote:

are you handy with a soldering iron, JG?


No, but I know a man who is

Many thanks, James - I'll get the beastie growling, if it's the last thing I do.

Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
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Vicky Garten View Drop Down
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Points: 211 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 13 2005 at 04:28
He'll have to ask my permission first - the Leslie is whose dear ?
Confusion will be my epitaph
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James Lee View Drop Down
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Points: 3525 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 13 2005 at 07:23

^ Ah, so the truth comes out! Many thanks, VG, for the first honest laugh this forum has given me recently.

If she's anything like my wife, it was the phrase "if you have the cash" from my post that really inspired her to comment.

(tell me, Jim, do you ever slip up in the heat of passion and call your wife "Leslie"?)

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James Lee View Drop Down
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Points: 3525 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 13 2005 at 07:31

I probably don't need to say this, but if you adapt the input of the Leslie you'll have to put a corresponding 1/4" jack or plug on the organ output as well (so that you can actually plug it into the effects).

...make sure the other wires still connect directly (constructing two seperate cables is probably the best way to go) because you'll still need the power supply & coil relay. And whatever you do, test the connections BEFORE you plug it in...sending electric power into the audio path would be, uh, very bad.

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Vicky Garten View Drop Down
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Points: 211 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 13 2005 at 08:18

I believe there is already a 1/4" jack output on the Hammond if I remember rightly.

It was only me convincing Jim that the dining room table would fit in the kitchen & a Hammond would be a much nicer piece of furniture in the first place that meant e-bay was "consulted" !!
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James Lee View Drop Down
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Points: 3525 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 13 2005 at 11:58

Hmm, you're absolutely right...the Hammond has a direct 1/4" output as well as a dedicated Leslie connection. If you really wanted to give yourself as much flexibility as possible, you could put a potentiometer in between the two audio lines and then have the option of mixing the straight Hammond output and the effects line (for one thing, you wouldn't have to reconnect the proper cables when you wanted to switch back and forth).

You're getting me all excited about this project. I may have to go out and find a little 'furniture' myself.

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