The Day I found my Hammond!

It was January 20th, 2026. We went to Randee's Music in Rockford, IL to get new strings on a guitar for my Homeschool Group I teach, and I had a broken string on my U-Bass, and I'd rather let Randee's guys do it than wrestle with it myself.

I was on the piano side of the store, rummaging through the bargain bins of old music on sale cheap, when I noticed a dusty Hammond right next to me. I asked Joel if the Hammond works. You never know. It might be a fixer-upper. He walked quickly into Randee's office, and they shut the door for a long time.

When Randee came out he showed me his other Hammond first, one in walnut in a bit rougher condition, like it had a past life on the road and on stage. It wailed and roared, and I blurted a Hallelujah! It sounded like sunbeams from Heaven shining on my face!

Then Randee showed me this one! The console is in cherry, and it's pretty much gorgeous, aside from the dust. The Leslie is walnut. I'm not the matchy-matchy type anyway. Randee played it. Joel played it. I played it. Grant even got on it! The sound is clean and glorious. It's fat and juicy and loud enough for a stadium or an arena or a big church with carpet and cushy seats!

It turns out this one came out of a Lutheran church in Rockford about 15 or 20 years ago, and Randee has had it all this time. The church had nobody who knew how to play it. The drawbars were a mystery. And 20 years ago you couldn't find anything under the sun on Youtube like we can now! So the church traded it to Randee's for a nice keyboard.

You can always tell a B-3 by the legs. They have four legs like thick spindles to show off the player's footwork on the pedals. The C-3 is the "church" model, and it has a console that goes all the way to the floor for the lady players' modesty. Having played organ pedals in church in a skirt or dress, I can appreciate that. The B-3 is the iconic favorite all purpose Hammond, though! And it turns out the cherry cabinet is the most desired now.

I hesitated for a couple weeks because of the price. But this one's a honey in great condition, and it sounds Sa-WEET!!! I couldn't get it out of my mind. Grant encouraged me to jump on it and offered to pitch in. It came February 5th, and I feel completely satisfied! No regrets!!!

I'm playing early contemporary worship songs from my youth. I'm playing my Bach and Brahms like old friends! I'm playing with the TV during the Superbowl! I'm sitting up way past bedtime playing from books I've found in my house that I didn't know I had! I'm doing improv on random chords. I'm trying out all the presets and drawbars. I'm spinning the horns and drum on the Leslie and shutting them off repeatedly, because that's what it's for! I'm working my feet! It's all coming back and getting better!

Randee has one more, a little rough looking, but it sounds great! And he has a Hammond guy to service them, too!

To Randee and the Lutherans in Rockford who traded it to Randee, I love your old organ, and it has found a happy home!

Call or text me at 269-986-2127 to get started with lessons at any age on piano, voice, guitar, drums, or organ north of Ottawa, IL.