Nord C2 vs Hammond XK3C

[robnuckels]

Pianomanoo18 !
Both the xk3c & the C2 have their own camps. A sizeable core of old Hammond players prefer the xk3c because of the UI, & the 'raw' sound, But there are also a great amount of Hammond veterans who prefer the Nord sound. The xk3c users seem to not mind hours, days & weeks of tweaking the editing features of the Hammond clone to get their own 'special' sound.; nor do they mind hassling with a leslie on gigs which requires a lot of experience in getting it properly miked (otherwise, you're better off just using a leslie sim , like a Ventilator or a Dynachord for instance. Both accurately reproduce a properly miked leslie.) Many of the Hammond users run the thing thru a leslie, which DOES sound better than the native xk3c sim.
The Nord sound, on the other hand, already sounds good out of the box to a lot of us. for me, it sounds actually better than many of the different Hammonds i played back in the 60's,70's & 80's. Other clones, like the Mojo, Diversi, & Key B have at least caught up with it, at least to some ears, but none of these represent the total Organ package as well(b3,Pipe,farsfisa & vox) with the possible exception of the SK2 > I much prefer the Nord sound. The drawbuttons are quite easy to adapt to, & the programing is EASY. It does equally well in a Jazz setting, as it does in Rock, Funk, Pop, etc. The Pipe organ is TERRIFYING !
The hammond clone was designed with innumerable options for the die-hard Hammond fanatic,while the Nord was designed for convenience, portability, & ease of use. to MY ears, it's leslie simulation, overdrive, chourus/vibrato MORE than fit the bill. Try both of them.

[robnuckels]

Well said Rob.

[robnuckels]

DazzJazz !
That video that you posted on one of the other forums where you played a C1 thru a leslie in a Jazz Organ Trio setting was what finally swayed me to get the C2. Up to that point I only had the memory of playing a Nord a couple of years earlier, & had bought several cheaper clones in the hope of finding something ALMOST as good. Cool video, Darren.

[JoeCool]

Hi, could you give the link for that video?

[JoeCool]

Hi,
Not sure which video Rob's referring to but my Youtube is http://www.youtube.com/user/dazzjazz/videos
The Oleo video has my prized 1961 Leslie 45.

Darren

[JoeCool]

Hi Darren, thank you for the link, I very much enjoyed your playing, especially your fluent bass lines in oleo.

gerd

[havlicek]

If I may jump in here...there is a pretty wide variation in the basic sound of the Hammonds I've played, and that's not including the amp or leslie which adds a whole other layer of sonics to consider. At this point, I think all the "clones" sound pretty great and have for a while (including my BX3). It's down to (for me anyway) features, weight and a "particular sound" you find fits your style. This is very much like the electric guitar market and some guys prefer Gibsons and some prefer Fenders, while some like them all. The C2D represents one heck of an attractive package for all kinds of reasons no matter how you slice it. This is a great time to be shopping for an organ!

-john

[Mooser]

"This is a great time to be shopping for an organ!"

Yes, it is. The rotary-horn market is restricted, with the loss of Motion Sound and Speakeasy. Of course, you could try this approach:

http://davismullerinstruments.com/vortexM.htm

Seems to me that if you want some kind of a fundamental difference (from the generally available models) in the way an clonewheel organ plays, you really won't get it until you move up to one of the Hammond Suzuki 9-contact models. And these are very expensive and heavy, and in many places, hard to even get or try out.

[getintune]

Oldtimecrank: Just how many times can you say the same thing in only slightly different ways. Your disingenousness is paper thin. Trying to put down without being nasty. Trying to defend a modern Hammond is seriously misplaced. Hammond is a badge. They haven't made a real one since 1974 and the XK are just as digitally synthesised as anyone elses. Cut the dewy eyed nostalgia: Even if nostalgia isn't what it used to be. The most important thing is how you play and much fun you have playing. You sound too bitter to enjoy yourself much?

[analogika]

It's also a little outdated, seeing as he posted it in 2011, and this is 2014.

FWIW, the nords are the closest in vibe I've got to my 1968 B3 (which is perfectly paired with a 760; it doesn't sound "right" with the 145, which I use with my 1960 A100).

They capture the spirit and the power of the instrument best.

I always hated the digital Hammonds, though my experience was soured by testing the truly terrible XB-2, which left a permanent prejudice. The XKs impressed me as an XB with better EQ and shitty distortion. They sound less awful once you give them a hard cut at 6k. And I haven't tried a new B3, which I understand is a different animal.

I'd prefer a vintage (analog) CX3 over any of those "official" clones. It sounds even less like a real Hammond, but it fulfills the same function, and at least it has character and feels like a real instrument.