HAMMOND XK 3c review
by Tim Neal
The folks at Hammond have sure been busy lately with some great new products hitting the market. One of them that has tongues wagging internationally is the new single manual XK3c. The first thing to impress me is the design. It looks like a B3 with that classic look and feel. Whats more is the fact that it does everything that you need for achieving the classic Hammond sound.
I remember reading how when the first Hammond rolled off the assembly line in the 1930’s it cost as much as the latest model T Ford! But its success over the last 80 years has seen a plethora of models come and go to suit the varieties of markets. These days almost the whole world knows about Hammond….
Sitting behind it is a pleasure, the wood finish combined with the retro feel and ease of function ability, the big waterfall keys and easy to read display all contribute to its superiority over the hybrids available. Unlimited polyphony means you will never anything drop out, even when you’ve got all the drawbars out and all your fingers and toes on the keyboard! Saving your favourite presets is a simple two step process, which I find really handy for those on the fly setups you really want to keep.
The XK3c is the perfect tool for the professional, student or home hobbyist use. Weighing in at just under 20 Kgs its easily transportable, can be used in conjunction with a Leslie or played through a P.A. or amplifier using the inbuilt Leslie simulator, which again I found is a pretty honest representation of the real thing. Other features include a realistic vibrato/chorus knob and controllable overdrive via the twin tube pre-amp setup. It also has heaps of added parameter controls such as organ type, key click, frequency adjust, motor noise adjust, pitch bend etc… But wait there’s more! So much more that I recommend you take one for a test drive.
Overall I think the XK3c is the perfect entry level Hammond, it has all the sound quality of its big brother the new B3, won’t break your budget or your back and you can add to it a variety of other gear such as another manual or bass pedals and you have a B3!
Go down and see the good folk at Bernie’s Music Land, or your nearest Hammond dealer. They will happy to show you around and give you a great deal.
Cheers Tim Neal