Hi, John,

I, too, own a Hammond player. I am writing to you to request a list of
the rolls which you may own. I have a reason for asking. As you
probably know, I am installing a 3/30 Kimball residence organ in my
house and I am attaching a Skinner player to it. I've been trying for
years to complete the Skinner library of organ rolls. I have found that
many of the pipe organ titles were also issued for the Hammond, except
that the rolls have the Hammond registration printed on them instead of
the usual pipe organ stop names. Nevertheless, the Hammond organ rolls
will play in the Skinner semi-automatic spoolbox if you re-wind them on
the pin-type spool. I have lots of Hammond duplicates, as I have been
buying Hammond rolls for quite some time specifically to use for
trading material. So I would like a list of your rolls for two
purposes: to compile a master list so that if and when there is a
possibility of having any rolls recut, I can find the Hammond
production roll; to possibly swap titles so that I can have an original
roll for recording purposes. Lord knows, the paper in these rolls is
getting worse and worse with each passing year. I have added a solid
state relay, combination action and recording system to my Kimball so
that I can record all of my rolls before they become unplayable.

The amazing thing to me is why Hammond (Aeolian) even bothered to
release some of the Skinner titles on the Hammond. They sound
positively dreadful, dreary, funereal, solemn -- call them what you
will, but they work with the pipe organ, but NOT with the electronic,
in my opinion. My only guess is that Aeolian/Skinner already had a
ready library of organ rolls in the Skinner semi-automatic format and
that saved them the cost of creating new masters.

And, yes, I would certainly like to know the value of the Hammond
player these days. I spent a good deal of money adding a Leslie speaker
and a solid state amplifier. No matter what I've done, it STILL sounds
like a Hammond.

The organ technician in Detroit who serviced my organ, believe it or
not, was actually servicing organs in 1938-39 when the 3 Hammond
players were sold in Detroit. He said that he even had the original
service manual. And he kept telling me that when he was finished, the
organ would sound terrific. Try as I might, it still sounds like a
Hammond. As you've gathered by now, I am a pipe organ snob. Although, I
do get a kick out of playing pop music on the Hammond from time to
time. But I am seriously considering donating mine to the Music House
in Traverse City.  I rarely play it and it does take up space. It is
truly a curiosity piece and with the Hammond sounds now available
through the MIDI and Rogers organs, (to say nothing of they're being
really heavy!) who'd want one other than a collector?

Incidentally, if you send me your list of Hammond rolls, you need only
give me the numbers.  I have been compiling a master list of rolls.
Should you have a number which I don't have, then I could contact you
for the title, composer, ar ranger, etc.

Thanks, John.

Jim Weisenborne