Hammond XK 3 c

Hammond XK3c electronic organ

The HAMMOND Xk-3c is recognized throughout the world for its sound, style and unmistakable dedication to the traditions created and maintained by HAMMOND for over 75 years. When a Hammond B-3 is not available, for whatever reason; serious musicians everywhere know only the Hammond Xk-3c can fit the bill. Many imitators have been brought forth, but one touch of their keys demonstrates you can’t clone soul, and you can’t clone feel. You don’t have to “break in” an Xk-3c, and you don’t have to “get used to it”. It feels right and sounds right, because it is right. Only a genuine HAMMOND can deliver this promise.

The Xk-3c is, for all practical purposes, the top manual of a Hammond B- 3, with two sets of Harmonic Drawbars™, Chorus-Vibrato, and Touch-Response Percussion™. The reverse-key presets function exactly as they do on a B-3, and the traditional waterfall keyboard fits like a glove. The Digital Leslie™ spins the sound just as you remember, and the entire package weighs only 35 pounds. If you desire, you can take the Xk-3c from its box and go straight to a gig-it’s that familiar-if you’ve ever played a B-3 you know how to play the Xk- 3c. Go ahead and mash the drawbars-they look, feel and respond just the way they are supposed to. Yes, there are a few more buttons on the panel than you’d find on a B-3, and you can ignore them if you want to.

But who would want to?

Like all modern Hammonds, the Xk-3c has deep editing capabilities, allowing voicing (volume/timbre/leakage/motor noise) for each of the 96 Digital Tonewheels, faithfully delivering any Hammond Organ’s individual personality, with the ability to save these profiles for instant recall. 12 Factory Digital Tonewheel profiles ranging from “showroom clean” to “road worn” are available for instant personalization. Every Facet of the Hammond’s sound like Chorus/Vibrato, Percussion, Key Click and Overdrive are widely adjustable with all settings saved with every preset. The customization doesn’t end there.

Entire industries have sprung up offering “hot rod mods” for vintage B- 3′s. Boutique engineers that do (expensive) surgery getting the old gals to do things that Laurens Hammond never intended. All of those Mods are included in the Parameter Menus of the Xk-3c as standard equipment. You can finally design and “build” the Hammond Organ of your dreams and store your creation in memory, and not only once, but as many times as you have room on the CF Compact Flash cards that save your setups.

The Xk-3c also may be expanded. You can add a lower manual to further your B-3 experience. The double manual Hammond you’ve always wanted is now within reach, with a 5 minute build/strike time and the ability to move the rig by one person, in a wide variety of vehicles. Or you can get a console cabinet in a variety of styles and finishes that allows you to have a 4- poster, two manual and 25 note pedalboard B-3 style organ in your music room during the week, and the versatility to slide the Xk-3c out in mere minutes to go and play a club gig on the weekend.

As far back as the Xk-3c reaches to insure the Vintage feel, soul and sound of the Hammond, we have not ignored the needs and desires of the Modern Keyboard player. The Xk-3c is also a powerful MIDI controller, with the ability to address 6 External Zones on two manuals and pedals, with dedicated and assignable switches and rotaries on the front panel. These zones may be used to augment the Hammond Voices with outboard MIDI gear, play those external voices solo, or use the MIDI controls to adjust lights, recording gear or anything that may be controlled by MIDI. A PitchBend Wheel and Mod Wheel live on the far side of the presets. A complete instrument, indeed.

In many ways, the Xk-3c has surpassed the legend.