Hammond Novachord Restoration - early synth

[diamondsouled]

Check this rebuild project and the synth sound bites out:

http://www.discretesynthesizers.com/nova/intro.htm

[Donald]

My Dad used to work for Hammond in Chicago. He also owned a Hammond C2 with a Leslie. It tore me up when he gave it to his deceased 2nd wife's children only because he was moving and had no time or way to sell it. I am sure some rock bands would have loved to get it.

I am ordering this guys CD and printing the whole web site as a 84th birthday present for my Dad.

[John]

Wow, Very intresting.

I thought my 1959 Hammond M3 was a nightmare under the hood but this makes it look simple

[diamondsouled]

Wow, Very intresting.

I thought my 1959 Hammond M3 was a nightmare under the hood but this makes it look simple

Yup. Kinda makes any recapping, rebuilding project I might ever take on look simple in comparison.

Lar

[Audiobeer]

Excellent read and fantastic sounding for that era or even today. What a fantastic restoration achievment!

[toddalin]

Actually, every drawbar Hammond is a "synthesizer." The Hammond concept is to use sine waves at various frequencies/overtones relative to each other mixed in various proportions to construct more complex wave-forms. The user sets the relative frequencies and proportions to create the desired sound so essentually synthesizes the final product.

[RKLee]

Truly a labor of love. This man must've spent hundreds of hours of labor and thousands of dollars assembling the component. This project is not for those "faint of heart."

[Bob Womack]

Thanks for the link. I studied electronic music in college back in the day and this synth came up but I'd never gotten a chance to get a peek under the hood.

Bob

[Tim Rinkerman]

Laurens Hammond was a true innovative genius in his day. Being a Hammond organ owner/collector I was truly amazed to learn about some of the things he invented. The synchronous 60hz. motor..(the key to the Hammond organ's tuning stability..)automatic automotive transmissions, and 3-D glasses ,to name a few...

[diamondsouled]

Thanks for the link. I studied electronic music in college back in the day and this synth came up but I'd never gotten a chance to get a peek under the hood.

Bob

I've some books on early synths but had never heard about the Novachord before; after the Theremin but way before Buchla's and Moog's first keyboard synths.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Buchla

Lar