From classicjake@yahoo.com Sun Nov 18 11:11:51 2012
Subject:Re: My Bad!

KBR3D users, please don't hate me for this, but it's been so long since I've even considered the KBR3D a viable option, I had to Google "KBR3D" to remember what it is. Still, when first introduced I was very excited and wanted one badly. I never did get one. Instead, I stayed with the leslie sim onboard my then new E2.

I finally had the chance to try the Vent when we opened for the Tommy Castro Band. The keyboard player was kind enough to allow me to use his rig: an XK3 with Vent, a 61 key E2 on top, and a Kurz SP76 off to the side. He only used the E2 for e-piano, XK3/Vent for organ, and SP76 for acoustic piano only. Seemed an odd rig to me, but hey, whatever works for ya, right? I was grateful to use his rig.

What I learned, though, is that the strength of the Vent is its tweakability. And perhaps that's the reason for the varied reactions to the Vent. If set correctly it can sound incredibly realistic. But you can twist those knobs around and get some really weird sounds.

Sadly, Tommy Castro's keyboard guy (I didn't get to meet him) had either drastically changed the settings on his Vent to protect his "secret settings" (the way Gregg was famous for always pushing in all the drawbars on his B after every performance), or he just didn't know how to use it. Maybe he'd just acquired it. It did look brand new. Anyway, it sounded terrible. There was no time to tweak it, the show was starting. Besides, I'd never change settings on someone else's gear anyway.

I bypassed it and tried the onboard sim of the XK3. It was messed up too. Thankfully the E2 was there. I made a mental note of the Wurli patch he had called up, (easy enough - he had it saved to A1) and used the E2 with its onboard sim for the rest of our set.

I have since heard the Vent many times, and in the right hands it's an amazing piece of gear!

Happy Sunday!
Jake

--- In CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com, zakemo@... wrote:
>
> That would be DAN, not Dave. Sorry Dan. ORF Bob in Lemon Grove