FS/FT: Hammond D20 Tone Cabinet

[wez]

This is one of those things that could be worth lots or nothing, depending on the day, and the presence of a serious Hammond collector...

I've been harbouring plans to restore this guy for some time, but it's not going to happen and I need the shed space back. I need to get it out and take some pics of the actual unit, but until then these generic photos will show you what you're looking at.

The lowdown... the original valve amp is long gone. It has speakers but I have no idea of the condition or origin. It is in reasonable condition (I think, it's been a while since I had a close look). It's old as dirt (1930's I believe). I've never fired it up.

I actually had very serious plans of turning it into a drinks cabinet. It's pretty big, better part of 5' tall, about 70 kgs... an easy two-man lift, but you'll need a station wagon/trailer/van etc. You'd need to come and pick it up from the NE burbs (Melbourne), and sooner the better.

The price... I'm thinking belgian beer or a nice sangiovese.

[headman]

Hey Wez,
I'm thinking this used to be mine.
Did it come with a Hammond BC?.

[wez]

Hey Wez,
I'm thinking this used to be mine.
Did it come with a Hammond BC?.

Hey... I got it from a local (Melbourne) Hammond player of some note a few years back. Not sure of the history before that. Did yours end up down here?

[headman]

yep, I had a BC and that weird cabinet, some guy from Melbourne bought them about 10 or 12 years ago. The Hammond was rescued from a landfill in Western NSW and sold to me. The BC was in great condition for something that was going to be used to fill in a creek. I recognised the cabinet from the transistor amp description. I'd take it from you for old times sake except that Maitland is a long way from Melbourne.

strange how things turn up!

[wez]

Hey, PM'd you with the details of the guy I got it from.

It's all yours if you want it ;-)

[Alistair]

Funnily enough I sent thus through to a mate of mine that knows a lot about Hammonds in case he was keen- turns out he is the missing link in this story! Small world.

[wez]

HA...is that Robert? Say hi from me. Shame neither of us ever got around to doing anything with it - I'm serious about it making a great drinks cabinet!

Perhaps not such a small world when you consider how rare these must be - I've never seen another one, and there's not much info online.

[Alistair]

Yep, Rob D. It would make a great drinks cabinet- build a TRS jack in somewhere and you could have drinks and music all in one.

Worth checking out this too- if original the speakers are pretty rare and odd beasts.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-242214.html

[Manning]

yep, I had a BC and that weird cabinet, some guy from Melbourne bought them about 10 or 12 years ago. The Hammond was rescued from a landfill in Western NSW and sold to me. The BC was in great condition for something that was going to be used to fill in a creek. I recognised the cabinet from the transistor amp description. I'd take it from you for old times sake except that Maitland is a long way from Melbourne.

strange how things turn up!

It's a possible long shot, but Gareth (Gigpiglet) makes semi-regular runs from Melb to Sydney, and he might be willing/able to find room for this on his truck.

It's worth checking with him - seems a shame to let a classic old thing be wasted.

[wez]

Gareth is a Top Bloke but that might be pushing it! it is a beast of a thing (way bigger than a 122).

I have a vague memory suggesting that the speakers are not original, better have a look. but not that keen to drag it out of the shed until it has somewhere to go! hate for it to end up in the hard rubbish collection, but that's a definite possibility.

Billy Bragg used to refer to Ian McLagan's B3 as his 'drinks cabinet'!

[Hookemeister]

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-242214.html

Interesting read... 100 -120 volt DC to fire up the electro magnets! I've been working in audio for over 40 years and have never seen a speaker with an electro magnet... guess I'd better pay a visit to the Powerhouse Museum, probably got one there.

[Alistair]

New one for me too. Can't for the life of me figure out why they got superseded....

[Alastair Reynolds]

I have some old STC console Radios (Big wooden cabinets, 3 feet high etc) that use electromagnet 12" speakers and what you'd do is use the electromagnet coil as a choke in the power supply for LC filtering, so on a typical radio it would have 250VDC on it which then went onto the plates on the output bottles and off to the dropping resistors for the pres and frequency converters etc.... Nifty

[rick]

I have seen a bunch of powered field speakers
Make good things to find and sell to Korean enthusiasts so one can buy
Things more usual and pay the rent and find more heavy old junk

[Hookemeister]

I have some old STC console Radios (Big wooden cabinets, 3 feet high etc) that use electromagnet 12" speakers

Of course you do... I think you and Rick should get a place together.

[Alastair Reynolds]

It would need to be a big shed

[mylesgm]

It would need to be a big shed

Bwahahahahhahahaaaaaaaa.... why am I not surprised?

[wez]

OK, last call before this guy gets chopped up for firewood or goes in the hard rubbish - i'm over any sentimentality I might've had for it. The space it's currently taking up in the shed is way more valuable to me than the cabinet is at the moment!

[Lee]

Hey Wez I'm contacting the others to see if we will get that off you.

[Lee]

Are you in Sydney or Melbourne Wez?

[wez]

Hey Lee, I'm in Melbs.

[rightintheface]

Wez,
I figure I should post, you know, in the right thread so you see it...!
I'd love to come check the cab out, maybe Wednesday? Pm me your address/mobile if that's cool.
Also, reckon you can wack a tape measure on it and get some rough measurements?
Cheers mate,
Mitch

[Lee]

It looks like its a no go as I'm in Sydney. Bummer.