From goffmac747@aol.com Thu Feb 18 16:05:53 2010
Subject:Re: Roland VK-7 Opinions Sought - Am I Going to Like It?

That's why I mentioned "vintage 122"..Not an 1980's 122XB. The chances of
users having an XB or 11 pin are rare AFIK. Most 122's in use are 6 pin not
11 pin and all B3's with a tonewheel are 6 pin not 11 so anyone owning a B3
that grew up through the 60's carting one around is more than likely to have
a 6 pin twirl box. Now you can get a 611 adaptor that converts your vintage
B3 to an 11 pin but as I said, most who have a B3 have the right leslie for
it and its just wishful thinking on HS's part that someone with an old B3
will be needing to buy an XB. If out of ignorance Roland decided not to allow
brake facilities on their 11 pin it may be because they could or did not
predict that most leslies would be 122's left over from actual Hammond users
who have kept their 122 vintage leslies on through opting for a light weight
clone to plug into it. You are right in coming up with a work around as that
is what is needed. But as I surmised, since there is no standard connection
that is a one size fits all solution they did not complete the design
journey and left the issue hanging. You can order new leslies, 122's with 6 or 11
pin. A modern option not available before and at $2500 for a new XB and the
usual, "but does it sound vintage," will leave a potential new leslie buyer
in the realms of a church not a gigging musician who would rather buy the
1122 adaptor and save a few bucks and use his/her old leslie or get an older
one off of eBay. But Roland and or Hammond not seeing that the average
leslie user would be using an older, cheaper leslie would have made their 122XB
series an in vain production. Until such time that the XB becomes the go to
leslie, having an 11 pin clone is going to have to wait until the market is
flodded with 11 pin leslies, hence the adaptor 1122 and 1147 but with no
brake facility leaving it to guys like you that can figure out a solution. It
was an issue of timing and forethought and no general connectivity. it will be
some while if ever that the new software, generator-less B3 becomes the
standard B3 in use and as long as the real tonewheels are being maintained and
serviced, the need for an 11 pin leslie will fall squarely on a clone. Until
then it will be work arounds and adaptors. Yeah you're right, in a mad dash
to increase sales HS decided to make leslies that no one wants just yet.
Like Fender makes new guitars and amps, but the vintage stuff goes for
beaucoup bucks.

In a message dated 2/19/2010 6:28:17 AM, james_eaton@btopenworld.com writes:

<< Not sure I agree Goff747. The VK-7 was designed to work with
current/modern 11-pin Leslies, hence the picture and pin out of an 11-pin Leslie on
P116. 11-pin Leslies that implement brake through the standard cable by
turning both sets of motors off have been around since the early 1980s (eg 122XB)
>>

>>
I've built 11-6 pin interfaces for my Leslies that implement brake but as
there is no common standard for the connections and many people use SS relays
the HS adaptor would have to deal with many standards and I guess they
couldn't be bothered as they want people to buy shiny new 11-pin Leslies rather
than keep vintage ones going from which they don't make any money.
..