The birth of the "New B-3"

 

PURE Hammond
Since its introduction in 1955, the Hammond B-3 has become the essential performance tool for the worlds great keyboard players. The instantly recognisable B-3 sound is synonymous with the world of popular music, while no concert stage would seem complete without a B-3´s imposing wooden cabinet.

B-3 design specifications
Now, for the first time Hammond have exactly replicated the original B-3 design specifications with the introduction of the New B-3.

Sound generator system
The unique B-3 sound is reproduced by a revolutionary newly designed sound generator system (96DigitalToneWheels
), which recreates all of those wonderful idiosyncrasies of the Tone wheel generator which have eluded all previous digital systems.

Waterfall keys & harmonic drawbars
Two, 61 note, B-3 style, waterfall key, keyboards allow for the essential performance characteristics of the Hammond masters, especially effortless palm glissandos. While four  complete sets of nine traditional harmonic drawbars and twenty four reverse colour key presets achieve total ease of set up.

Mechanical multi-contact system
It is by utilising several tone varying features that the B-3 performs so uniquely. Upper and lower pitch foldback subtly effects the overall sound, while, probably, the most important and interesting feature is the nine key contact system operating on each key. These contacts connect from each of the nine drawbar pitches and by pressing a key slowly each pitch level can be determined, high to low. This system created the earliest form of touch response for tone variance as well as expression.  This mechanical contact system is also responsible for Hammond´s famous key click noise, an unintended feature that became an essential component of  the B-3 character. The new B-3 incorporates a complete mechanical contact system, totally unique in a modern instrument.

B-3 expression curve
Sound dynamics are controlled by an exact copy of the original B-3 expression curve  incorporated in the new instruments foot volume controller.

Knowledge
The challenge for many years has been to recreate the look, sound and feel of this legendary keyboard instrument. Only Hammond has the qualifications  and knowledge to accurately achieve this

Now the B-3 is re- born...

 

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