Conference napalm::guitar

    I'd suspect most of those pins (Prolly all but 2) control the rotor
    speeds. Controlling those from the Ensoniq will be a challenge, but
    I'll bet someone can invent a CC to CV converter to allow control
    from, say, the mod wheel...
    
    Edd

    Maybe Danny Gatton will share the design of his "Magic Dingus Box" with
    you. But be prepared to bolt a big ugly sheetmetal box onto your
    guitar.
    
    :+)  jim

    The 9-pin connector is (I think) the current interconnect for Leslies. I
    know the new products (both Hammond and Leslie) use them. Leslie should
    be able to provide the info. If I can locate the address/phone for
    Leslie tonight, I'll post it here.

    (Insert sound of long dormant synapses firing)
    
    ...I seem to remember (Don?) Leslie had quite a little rivalry running
    with Hammond, often resulting in Hammond changing the interconnect so
    Leslie's speakers wouldn't pin up right. Of course, a little reverse 
    engineering would settle the score, so the game would start over.
    
    Or did this happen far too early to be of any consequence today???
    
    Edd

    Sorry, but I just checked and the current Hammond/Leslie interconnect
    uses an 11 pin connector. I guess I've never heard of a 9 pin connector.
    Everything in my experience has been 6 pin.

    According to a 1991 issue of Keyboard magazine, Leslies are currently
    made by

    Suzuki Musical Instrument Manufacturing USA, Inc.
    733 Annoreno
    Addison, IL 60101

    phone 708.543.0277

    If it's an old wooden Leslie with the tube amp, the Aspen Pittman book has
    schematics which should explain what the connector is for...
    
    If it's one of those oddball Leslie "combo" rigs (825, 900, 925, etc.)
    then the connector goes to a preamp pedal, which may be near
    impossible to find.
    
    There's a company specializing in refurbishing/selling/renting Hammonds
    and Leslies based in CT (Goff?) and they advertise in Keyboard's
    classified.  You could contact them and maybe get some help.
    
    								Brian
    

    Well, it's been awhile...and I am a keyboard player, poking around in
    the guitar area but....
    
    In my younger days, I owned several different models  of Leslie
    speakers...Since I couldn't afford the Hammond to go with them I user
    then with various combo/compact organs...(wish I had that old FARFISA
    or VOX organ now...worth some good bucks...) anyway, these organs
    didn't have the built-in Leslie connectors found on the big hammonds so
    I used an external Leslie pre-amp. This was a small floor box with 
    standard 1/4 " inputs, a level control and a foot switch for
    controlling rotor speed. This box also provided the AC for the motors
    since the Leslie had no power cable of it's own.. These preamps were
    very common and readily available, still are as a matter of fact.
    
    If you pick up a copy of keyboard mag, check out the ads in the back,
    several companies offering Leslie parts, etc. etc. these guys should be
    able to set you up with the pre-amp.. I'd anticipate about $150, most
    likely rebuilt at this point.
    
    Now, 9 vs 11 pins....I think.....the original tube amp powered leslies
    used the 9 pin connectors. Simple signal, power and rotor speed.
    Eventually Leslie realized that those 40 watt amps were not cutting it
    against the Marshalls that everyone else was using...so they marketed a 
    family of solid state amps, some even came tolex covered (hey, it's not 
    a leslie if it's not a big wood cabinet)...I believe the 11 pin cable
    was used for the solid state amps...Still had the same external preamp
    set-up, but some added features like the ability to completely stop
    the rotors (not on the old ones) and ( I think) have them spin up and
    down independantly of each other..that would account for the extra
    leads...Call thos guys in keyboard, they can get you go'in...
    
    Anyway, that's how I remember it...hope this helps
    
    PS: yes, we ran guitars and even vocal mikes thru that preamp with no
    problem...made some interesting noise.
    
    Regards,
    Gary; I'll slink back to COMMUSIC now!

The old tube Leslies, like the model 147 and 122 used 6 pin connectors that
were keyway-less.  They were pins of differing sizes which could only be
connected one way.  The keyed connectors were used in the black, solid
state Leslies, like the 900 and were intended to be connected via the
chrome box pre-amps to an audio and power source.  I believe the latter were
11 pin.  Personally, I've never heard of a nine pin configuration.
All of my experience has involved using the Leslie schematics (which are usually
glued to the side of the amp) and a meter to buzz out the circuit.  I've
never had much luck finding a pre-built cross connection type of box.

/Terry (The Non-Minimalist)  ;-)

>    Now, 9 vs 11 pins....I think.....the original tube amp powered leslies
>    used the 9 pin connectors.

    Nope. All the 122, 145, 147 models have a 6 pin connector.

        2 AC power
        1 signal
        1 rotor speed
        1 gnd
        1 N/C (unused)

    I just rebuilt a model 122 using part from a 147. I'm not familiar with
    the 600 and 900 models, nor the current 300 series that use the 11 pin.

    --Ron

    re:-1 Hey...6 pin??? 9 pin?? after all it was the sixties, if you get
    my meaning......
    
    Jimi hendrix....Vanilla Fudge......

    I don't mind...

    Yeah, it was the 60s. If hadn't just worked on this again, I probably
    wouldn't rememer very well either. My mind's kind of a haze...

    The outcome of the story is that my buddy will NOT be getting the 
    Leslie Cab with 9-pin connector.  Apparently he called Leslie,
    told them the situation and they said stay away from the cab.
    
    ben.

    ben, is he still in the market for a leslie? If so I recommend an old
    145 or checking out the newer 302, probably the most roadable speaker
    Leslie's ever made.

    --Ron

    hey ron,
    
    my friend is always in the market for something!  at this point he'll
    probably try and talk his wife into one of the more portable hammond
    keyboards and THEN somehow bring the leslie home!
    
    thanks for the input, i'll pass it on.