2009

A Brief Hammond History
Three inventions inspired Laurens Hammond (1895–1973), a manufacturer of electric
clocks, to construct and market a compact electromechanical organ with tonewheel
sound generation. The Telharmonium by Thaddeus Cahill was the musical inspiration;
Henry Ford’s mass production methods and the domestic synchron clock motor were
the other factors.
The Telharmonium (built around 1900) was the first musical instrument that made use
of electromechanical sound generation techniques. Its immense tonewheel generators
filled a two-story building in New York. For a short period around this time, subscribers
could order Telharmonium music over the New York telephone network (the streaming
audio system of the time). The only amplification tool was the telephone’s mechanical
diaphragm, as a proper tube amplifier and acceptable speakers had not yet been invented.
The Telharmonium was a commercial flop, but its historical status as the predecessor of
modern electronic musical instruments is undeniable. The Telharmonium also introduced
the principles of electronic additive synthesis (see Additive Synthesis with Drawbars).
Laurens Hammond began producing organs in 1935 in Chicago, Illinois, making use of
the same sound generation method. However, he used much smaller tone generators
and fewer registers. The patent for his model A organ dates from 1934.
Hammond also holds the patent for the electromechanical spring reverb, still found in
countless guitar amplifiers today.
The Hammond B3 was manufactured between 1955 and 1974. It is the Hammond model
preferred by jazz and rock organ players, such as Fats Waller, Wild Bill Davis, Brother Jack
McDuff, Jimmy Smith, Keith Emerson, Jon Lord, Brian Auger, Steve Winwood, Joey
DeFrancesco, and Barbara Dennerlein.
In addition to the B3, there are a number of smaller Hammond instruments, known as
the spinet series (M3, M100, L100, T100). Bigger console models, many of which were
designed to suit the needs of American churches or theatres (H100, X66, X77, E100, R100,
G-100), were also manufactured.
The production of electromechanical organs ceased in 1974. Thereafter, Hammond built
fully electronic organs.
The Hammond name lives on in the Hammond-Suzuki range of electronic drawbar organs,
starting with the 2002 release of a digital B3 model that mimics the design and functions
of the classic B3 (without the weight). This model, as well as newer units, can be partnered
with real, mechanical, rotor speaker cabinets, also from the company.
181Chapter 7 EVB3