SK1-88 88-Key Digital Stage Keyboard and Organ with Keyboard Accessory Pack

The dilemma in designing a keyboard with both faithful and accurate Hammond Organ and Grand Piano voices lies in the keyboard itself. It seems destined for compromise-should it be organ-like, or weighted? Hammond has the answer in the unique keyboard 88-note Fatar keyboard on the Sk1-88, which is light enough for an organist's comfort, yet has the "heft" to satisfy any piano player. The Sk1-88 also automatically adjusts the "depth" of key contact making all playing comfortable. The keys are also shaped to allow traditional Hammond "moves" like sweep and glissando. Now the pianist who always wanted to play Hammond can do so in comfort, and vice-versa for the organist.

Digital Tonewheel Generator
Laurens Hammond's original organ (invented in 1935) had an intricate electro-mechanical mechanism that used 96 quarter-sized wheels spinning on driveshafts powered by his patented synchronous motor. The wheels were notched according to pitch, and an electromagnetic pickup (much like that on an electric guitar) sensed those notches and rendered a musical note. The drawbars combined those harmonic tones to produce the inimitable Hammond organ sound. For a more detailed desciption of the SK1-88, please see #J09924.