The Hammond Organ - Beauty in the B: Second Edition (Keyboard Musician's Library) [Paperback]

Mark Vail (Author)

Book Description

Series: Keyboard Musician's Library | Publication Date: April 1, 2002

Now fully updated, The Hammond Organ: Beauty in the B traces the technological and artistic evolution of the B-3 and other tonewheel organs, as well as the whirling Leslie speakers that catapulted the Hammond sound into history. You'll discover the genius that went into the development of Hammond's tonewheel generator, drawbar harmonics, percussion, scanner vibrato and other innovations, as well as the incredible assistance Don Leslie provided for Hammond by creating his famous rotating speaker system. Plus - B-3 legends including soul-jazzman Jimmy McGriff and progressive rocker Keith Emerson share their playing techniques; technical experts offer tips on buying, restoring, and maintaining Hammonds and Leslies; and over 200 photos illustrate historic Hammond organs, Leslie cabinets, and B-3 masters at work.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mark Vail was a member of the editorial staff at Keyboard for 13 years, and continues to write the magazines Vintage Gear column. He is an author and consultant in the music industry

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Backbeat Books; 2 edition (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879307056
• ISBN-13: 978-0879307059
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #775,859 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive Hammond and Leslie Info Under One Roof, October 26, 2003

By 

Stephen Fortner (Santa Barbara, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hammond Organ - Beauty in the B: Second Edition (Keyboard Musician's Library) (Paperback)

Previous to the publcation of Vail's book, newcomers seeking to penetrate the mystique surrounding the Hammond organ had to rely on a diffuse smattering of sources for information. Most such sources are commercial: technicians, restorers, shops dealing in vintage musical gear, etc. Though many of these specialists are deeply knoweldgable and provide great products and services, it's a small and competitive community, which can make it difficult for the curious novice to get objective information. As a younger keyboard nut, I personally bugged enough of those people to learn that most do not have the time or energy to play the role of educator, especially if a sale is not imminent.

Playing this role is exactly the point, though, when you have a book to sell, and Vail approaches this task with a thoroughness, integrity, and love of the subject that make this one of the best books of its kind. No. it's not an exhaustive technical reference, nor the end-all of any debate about the Hammond. It's not meant as such, any more than a docent-guided tour of a famous museum is meant to replace a PhD in art history. Rather, it's the beginning of a journey, and for this subject, a better beginning than we've ever had.

Among Vail's many sources are longtime Hammond exec Alan Young, who also shed light on the legacy of John Hanert, the engineer who made many of Laurens Hammond's ideas work, rotary speaker inventor Don Leslie, and a who's who of the jazz, rock, and gospel players that imprinted the Hammond-Leslie sound on our consciousness to the degree that even people who've never heard the name of the instrument recognize "that sound." While I haven't fact-checked every page, it is simply absurd to suggest any generalization that the sources are suspect or the information inaccurate.

Overall, this is an enjoyable and informative read that can save you a ton of legwork in approaching the realm of the mighty Hammond. The better part of a century lies between us and its conception, and some current repairers and restorers scrape part numbers off components so their work can't be duplicated. In such a world, Vail's book is as objective as it gets.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough and real, Vail's book is a good read, March 2, 2004

By 

Moe Denham (Burns, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hammond Organ - Beauty in the B: Second Edition (Keyboard Musician's Library) (Paperback)

As a Hammond B3 player for more years than I'd like to admit, I WILL admit I enjoyed this book tremendously. Now, it's not a tech manual, but I thought the book was laid out very well. It gave a good description of who Laurens Hammond was, such as being inventor of the electric clock. When doing research there's always gonna be some folks out there who may disagree with some statement, but that's just natural. I think that Mark Vail did an incredibly thorough job of researching this instrument and its history. He showed that he has a personal interest in it as well. A lot of people can just write a book 'cause they're paid to, but Mark has passion for the B. He showed it all the way through. I liked the reproductions of some of the original brochures, with the pictures of the different models. I remember those from when I was a kid -- my mother went to buy a Hammond and brought those brochures home. Quite often when I'm talking with someone about a particular model, I'll take out Mark's book and show them the photos and descriptions. He gives the year the models were built, what their price was -- that sort of stuff is very helpful and just plain fun to know.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very Disappointed in the Second Edition, May 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Hammond Organ - Beauty in the B: Second Edition (Keyboard Musician's Library) (Paperback)

The first edition of this book had many inaccuracies which are too numerous to mention here. I was greatly looking forward to the second edition, and the correction of the many discrepancies that were written in the first edition of Beauty in the B. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The book continues to be innacurate in many ways. For example, there is a picture of Rhoda Scott playing a Hammond B-3000, with a caption saying that it was manufactured by Hammond Suzuki. This organ was never manufactured by Hammond Suzuki. It was made by the old Hammond Organ Company. This inaccurate information was also in the first edition of the book. This is but one of the examples. Mr.Vail would have been well-served to have Alan Young review the entire book before publishing it. The effort of compiling the information for the book is to be commended, but the inaccuracies are too many to overlook.