http://messe.harmony-central.com/Musikme...2009-Musikmesse

Don't know about the pipe organs, wasn't blown away by the demos, but some nifty improvements to the Hammond an Vox/Farfisa end of things too.

Check out the website... they have pictures of a new 24 note pedalboard and volume pedal combo, and a neat stand for it all...

Yeah, I saw this as well...seems to be "improved" in some ways as well as having the added pipe organ samples.

I'm wondering if the MIDI specs have been made better...I remember Chas saying they were less than stellar.

By the way...where is Chas...he hasn't been on here in a while?

I hope he's okay and just busy gigging and having fun.

Ian

Am I the only one who thinks they might sell a few more if they weren't so, er, red?

Yeah, the red kinda puts me off too...a nice wood grain or even a polished ebony finish would look more elegant and attract the more traditional players.

I think the Hammond XK series looks much nicer.

Thankfully it's not blue...a la Korg.

Still, the Nord sounds pretty darn good...I played a C1 and was very impressed, especially with the rotary sim.

I was similarly impressed by the C1 for the money. Couldn't live with one though. I'd rather pay a little more for physical drawbars. But that's carping. At the price, they're unbeatable sonically.

I'm sure that some will say it doesn't matter what color it is as long as it sounds great, and I could live with the color if need be, but I think not having physical drawbars would eventually bother me...a big part of my style and sound when playing B3 was manipulation of the 'bars whilst playing...almost like sculpting the sound in real time...the Nord's buttons just would be too restricting for that, and it essentially would be more of a preset instrument with limited tweaking ability.

The rotary simulation was very good all the same...the equal of Hammond's XK-1, and through a set of stereo monitors spaced about 3 to 6 feet apart, you really got the impression it was "moving air".

The Nord and the XK1 were the first B3 clones that I felt did not need an actual Leslie or other type rotating speaker...they really have it nailed.

Take a look at any show where they don't have a REAL B3. Almost everybody is using Nord's. I guess the red doesn't worry players who care more about sound than cabinetry...

BTW, Ian... That button system is exactly the same as you have been content with on your PSR and earlier Tyros's (and I'm not really a fan of those short throw sliders that don't even cover all the footages on a T3 - I mean, c'mon! They couldn't put ONE more fader in there? ). If it's good enough for Almighty Yamaha, how come it's not good enough for Nord?

I've used a Nord Electro quite a bit (heavily considering getting an Electro3) and I found that, with practice, I could do everything I used to on the Hammond with the buttons. They can at least all be operated at the same time... They respond very quickly and predictably. Outright wanging a bunch of them totally in and out (for the 'wah' effect) is a bit harder, but for shading phrases, they work just fine.

I simply think that, if you had grown up on a Hammond with the button system, you would be complaining just as hard about the drawbars... It's what you have gotten used to, but the same effects can be gotten, just with some adjustments. You know, like learning to play on a non-weighted keyboard!

What's a used MIDI drawbar unit cost, these days, anyway? One of those and a C1 is still thousands cheaper than the XK3c and second manual kit. Many thousands..!

After playing the Hammond XK3c...several times..I am convinced it is the best dedicated organ available...better than the Roland VK8 and all the other compact organ keyboards...

The Nord C1 isn't bad , but is missing the mark..apparently Nord agreed, stated several improvements...Seems like once Nord mentioned the C1 short comings compared with the C2...everyone is now agreeing... The lesser model Hammond's are no better than the rest of the flock....

Myself , I am content with the G70 organ offering...and I don't have to carry another organ keyboard....same with the Piano offering.....46 pounds looks more and more like a bargain...

The button system is fine on an arranger where organ is only one of the many sounds being used...the same goes for sliders...the latter` are better, but both are still compromises.

On an instrument that is attempting to pass itself off solely as an organ, and more specifically, as a Hammond replica, leaving off real drawbars is unforgivable.

I think think the Hammond XK3c system is the better way to go if one can afford it...otherwise, the Nord is a reasonable compromise and is a far better sounding unit than Roland's VK or Korg's CX clonewheels in my opinion, especially if you want to use the on board rotary sim...the Nord's is by far the most realistic and only the Hammond is it's equal.

Using a MIDI drawbar unit might help, but only if it is of a type that can be conveniently placed and operate on both upper and lower manuals simultaneously.

Ian

Actually, the only thing that Nord changed about the Hammond sim on the C2 seems to be the placement of the Vib/Cho and percussion controls (to their traditional positions), and a little more adjustment to the key click parameter. Other than that, nothing.

Personally, from listening to the demos, I don't hear much between the two (XK-3c and C2), but putting a two manual system together using the Hammond system makes me feel like I've been raped. You get the full two manual experience from Nord for little more than just the ONE from Hammond... and over $5k for the two manual system (over $2.5k for a dumb second manual? Jeez!).

At least with a REAL Hammond B3 organ, you got that tube of oil to use as rectal lubricant...