From robert@cs.stanford.edu Thu Apr 12 14:40:19 2007
Subject:Re: Clone not?

> The AO29 preamp is the same one in the A-100 IIRC.

I don't think that's true. I could be mistaken but I do own both
organs. Here's what I think I remember: The AO29 in the M-3 is an
integrated preamp and power amp unit. The two functions are not easily
separated in the AO29. The A-100, on the other hand, has an AO28
preamp and a separate power amp that can be disabled or removed to
turn an A-100 into a B-3 or C-3.

> The foldback modification to a spinet is NOT for the faint of
> heart.

True enough. I think it took me about 8 hours to do mine, and I had
never done anything on a Hammond organ before that. I was a complete
novice (not to electronics and not to mechanical things, but to
Hammonds).

> It requires near-full disassembly of the organ, and some extra parts
> for the switch contacts. Here is a good start, for anyone so
> inclined, courtesy of Patrick Bianchi:
> http://tinyurl.com/3yuxuk

Those are the instructions I used, and the process went great. Anyone
(in the San Francisco bay area) who wants an M-3 with foldback should
buy mine, though, rather than go through that. :-)

-- Robert