How to Troubleshoot a Hammond Organ

Purchased in 1991 by Japan's Suzuki Corporation, Hammond Suzuki USA continues to produce Leslie speakers and a wide range of Hammond organs, including portable organs. All Hammond organs have factory presets that sound like the mellow, vintage Hammond B-3 organs produced during the 1950s and 1960s. Troubleshooting your Hammond organ helps keep your organ operating efficiently, producing the sounds you desire.

Turn the "Power" switch off -- and then turn it on again -- if the keys or buttons on your Hammond organ don't operate. Locate the switch on the back of your organ, next to the AC power cord inlet. Turn the "Power" switch off again if the procedure does not work, but this time press the "Rec/Jump" button (which records presets), hold it in, and then turn on the "Power" switch. The "Rec/Jump" button is located on the control panel, under the "Bank" button. In the process of checking this button, all of the settings on your organ return to their factory preset settings.

Set the Local Control to the "On" position -- if no sound comes from your Hammond organ when you press the keys. When turned on, the Local Control connects the sound engine to the keyboard. Search for the Local Control by touching the "Menu" button, selecting the "Page" button until you reach Page D, and then touch the "Midi" button. "Local" is located in the middle of the Midi display -- touch "Local" to toggle it on or off.

Locate the "Overdrive" knob on the front panel of your organ, which has a setting range of 0 to 63. The higher the setting value, the more distortion of sound you hear. Turn the "Overdrive" knob to the left until you do not hear a distortion if your Hammond organ has a distorted sound.