Hammond-Suzuki XK-3c

This is the new version of the xk-3, which was designed to improve that model. Among the changes are: 1) a new tube distortion module; 2) improved chorus/vibrato; 3) improved digital Leslie; 4) improved midi implementation. This is NOT a synthesizer in the true sense of the term: it's an organ. Unlike its little brother, the xk-1, it has no other voices except for a sort of moog like bass and access to some waveforms that permit basic combo organs (vox, farfisa, etc.). The editing architecture is a bit arcane and rather deeper than one would expect for an organ. Not only can you drill down to basic features (leslie ramp up/ramp down, mic placement and so on), but actually right down to the characteristics of the individual digital tonewheels. Just to make it clear, this is not a "modeling" unit; it's a sample playback machine, so the sound you get is the digital sampling of a REAL B-3 (or actually B-3's... there are a few of them). I think it's academic whether modeling is better or worse, but what matters is DOES THIS SOUND like a B-3? (it does, in spades). This unity is complex enough programmatically, so that a patch editor would be nice, but there is no USB port, so if one ever came about, it would be have to be done in a computer and transmitted via card slot (load card memory) of by MIDI. The manual is a typical Japanese manual, with all the normal odd translations. It's OK, once you get past the weirdness and figure out what they actually MEAN by what they say, but it takes a bit of reading and fooling around with it to figure it out. NOTE: the editing is entirely done using a 2 line small screen. That sounds bad, but it's not as bad as that. Elements are reasonably straightforward and it's not too hard to figure out what they mean. A slick thing is that if you hold down on ANY button for a couple of seconds, it calls up whatever area in editing you are dealing with, for example: if you want to change the distortion, hold the distortion button down. When the screen goes to edit mode, you are IN that area of the pages. very cool.

This is a fully polyphonic keyboard. You can hold them ALL down with ALL drawbars out and every note plays. no strange note reassignments to deal with. The keyboard action is just great. it feels almost exactly like the New B-3 (except for the feel brought about by the New B-3's bussbars). To me, this thing feels like a B-3. the keys are tight within their boundaries (no slop... wobbling side to side). There's a nice 'deadness' to the keydrop and the keys snap back very quickly with no chatter afterward. The unit uses "waterfall keys"; no synth keys; no piano lip. If you are used to a B-3, this is the guy for you. If you are used to an L-100 with the more 'synth-like' keys, the keyboard that most closely matches that is the Roland Vk-7, but good as it is, it just doesn't sound like this). Built in effects are what you expect from a B-3... Chorus, vibrato (3 types), percussion (2 types with soft and fast decay/slow decay), distortion (tube type, with 2 (!!) tubes), reverbs (POST leslie and PRE-leslie) and Leslie fast/slow/stop. There is a capability for decay on the pedals, too, but i don't use that. it has input for 2 kinds of pedals: Hammons own, which is designed around the original hammond pedal and a normal volume pedal. either work well. There is also a footswitch in. There are NO expansion capabilities. this is an organ. that's that. It can accept a memory card for storing all the presets, which come in banks, but that is all the card slot is good for. MIDI capabilities are vastly improved over the xk-3. there are 6 knobs and buttons, all of which can be assigned (although it takes some messing with it and ruminating over the manual to figure it out exactly). The unit comes with assignments already made. it's fairly easy to assign the knobs/switches to external devices, too. the keyboard is touch sensitive but does not respond to pressure sensitivity. Not needed in an organ, but nice for a synth. This would NOT be your very finest master countroller, but for your regular organ player, who will likely be using it mostly for a piano or similar patch in an external module, that isn't much of a problem. I don't miss it, but i also have a poly synth (Korg Triton Studio) that i use. There is NO sequencer.

Absolutely, this is the best Hammond Organ I have ever heard, next to the real thing. Since it is sampled from the REAL thing, it's really just the next generation of Hammond Organ. There are arguments pro and con about 'hammond clones', but when you get down to the nitty gritty, does the thing sound like a B? if it does, then it wins. i've heard and played virtually every kind of clone out there and played the real thing for years. It's so close to what i expect to hear, that i would be astonished if someone could tell the difference between it and a B-3 in a blind test through a leslie. and that is the acid test. This is an EASY instrument to use. the Black Preset keys are there and do exactly what you expect EXCEPT (just like the xk-3) they don't latch down (which they don't need to, anyway). If you use the standard presets in the C BANK (there are different banks... hold down the 'bank' key and hit C preset and you have the C bank; hold it down and hit C# and you have the C# bank and so on), which are pretty much what you'd get in a B-3, then you are set. the chorus/vibrato uses the rotary knob we are used to; the percussion buttons (while different kinds of buttons) are where you expect them and so on. It's very easy to use IF you just turn it on and play. 2 sets of drawbars are available along with 16' and 8' pedals (which, by the way, can tie directly to the bottom octave... that, folks, is very cool, indeed). If you play "organ" music, this is NOT a pipe organ, although it would certainly do what you want just fine (it has a couple of fairly good 'pipe organ - ish' presets. this is better for jazz and rock. Effects on the xk-3c are very much state-of-the-art. chorus/vibrato is right on the money AND you can roll off the highs on the chorus (just like on a real hammond) to make it fit better what your ears expect to hear. Distortion is very good... it's a tube distortion that is vastly controllable down to each individual tube. The leslie simulator is top drawer. i had vk-7, which at the time had the best leslie simulator. it was "ok" as a leslie by itself, but i never used it without chorus on. THEN i came alive. the xk-3c can be used without chorus and it is a very good simulation of a miked leslie. Currently, i use it with a motion sound kbrm, so i don't use the simulator, but i wouldn't hesitate to do so. The machine acts exactly as i would expect it to. When i first got it (i have the xk-pro... xk-3c w/ lower manual), the folks i play with noticed that i don't play the same way with it that i did with the vk (which i ALSO had set up with a 'lower manual'). They just aren't in the same league and my playing changed when i went back to a 2 manual 'b-3'. Velocity sensing is fine and of course, no aftertouch.

The machine is nicely made, but easily marked up. get a hardshell case to protect it. I don't think the machines will take a beating so, take care not to drop them or slam them around. I use it without a backup all the time. I haven't had a difficulty that wasn't my fault.

never dealt with them. I have no idea how they will respond.

This is THE hammond organ for those of us who have played hammonds for years, and i have. i wouldn't hesitate to get another. i think the ORGAN is a little expensive, but for what it is intended, i can live with that. the lower manual is very pricy, but it works with the upper manual exactly as a B-3 would... which makes it a very slick setup. I've been playing hammonds since the very early 1970's. i've played so many different organ clones over the years that they are too numerous to list and none, until now, have said to me 'welcome back'. I chose this because i thought it was the best sounding and feeling hammond-clone. I played most and heard all of them before choosing this. I don't want a console machine anymore (too big and i'm too old), so the flexibility of being able to use ONLY the upper manual (the xk-3c) and leave the lower manual in the truck made sense to me. what i wish it had was a rhodes or 2 and a couple of decent pianos... not the 'toss them in' kind, but a couple of good samples. it doesn't need EVERYTHING, just those. I get around that shortcoming by using a Korg SG-Rack for piano, but it would have been nice to not have to ust that for a couple of decent pianos.

If you are familiar with the layout of a tonewheel organ (A100/B-3/C-3), the layout is similar. There are 61 keys, one octave of reverse color preset keys, 2 sets of drawbars, above the keys, and percussion controls and the chorus/vibrato controls (tabs and selector) are located in the same places as on a classic tonewheel organ. There are many user adjustable parameters on this organ, so to get the most of out it, you will need to read the manual which is not too badly written. The display is a bit small for all the parameters that can be adjusted, and you will have to page through several menus, but it's not overly cryptic.

As on a classic tonewheel, there is full polyphony, and the keyboard feels excellent, very close to my vintage A105. Leslie simulator, reverb, and delay effects are built in, as well as chorus/vibrato indepednently assignable to either set of drawbars (can be configured as upper and lower manuals). It accepts memory cards to store your presets. It transmits and receives MIDI, and the XK-3c incorporates an assignable controller section which was not present on the original XK-3 that can be used to control internal parameters (such as key click and percussion volume or depth of chorus) or external parameters like volume on a MIDI sound module. Keyboard transmits velocity but not aftertouch.

Currently, there is no clonewheel closer to the real thing. It's really that good. The vast array of tweakable parameters has allowed me to match my vintage A105 almost exactly. I would say that only the most critical ears might be able to hear the difference between a real tonewheel and this clonewheel, and would guess in blindfolded listening test, would guess them wrong a good percentage of the times if both were played through a real Leslie.

So far, been completely reliable. Very well built.

Haven't had to use them, but I hear they are great.

If it were lost or stolen, I would definitely buy it again and it is weel worth what I paid. I have been playing for over 30 years, and have owned multiple clonewheels (Crumar T2, original Korg BX-3, Voce V3) and the several real tonewheel organs, including my A105 which I currently still have at home. The sound is really what sets this apart from the Nords, Korgs, and Rolands, and in a side by side with the Nord C1 (at Manny's Music in NYC where they were both going through the same amp), this thing won hands down for realism, although the C1 sounded fine as well. I get nothing but compliments from everyone who hears it, and through a real tube Leslie (my 122), it is totally convincing.