Back in 1974, Hammond dropped this gem as their flagship drum machine, designed to perch right on top of an organ and add instant rhythmic flair to those swirling tonewheel sounds.
At its heart, it's an all-analog beast with 11 distinct voices including thumpy kicks, tight snares, brush drums, noise-based hi-hats, cymbals, Latin percussion like cowbell, and play-along elements triggered by organ manuals. The star is the auto-vari system: pick from 16 styles—think waltz, samba, bossa nova, hard rock, tango, or even combo beats by stacking buttons—each with four A/B/C/D variations for 64 rhythms total, switchable manually via lighted buttons or auto-cycled every 1/2 to 16 measures. Controls are dead simple with tempo/volume knobs, sound/silent switch, and slide switches for voices; the silver-and-walnut wood case feels sturdy and era-appropriate, about organ-top size with a single 1/4" mono out, footswitch jack, and rear balance knob to dial low-end punch against highs. A 16-step sequencer locks in those hardwired patterns, polyphonic for layered beats.
Vintage hunters love its warm, lo-fi punch—soft yet characterful for soul, jazz, or retro electronica—though some note the fixed patterns limit deep programming, and modern sync needs adapters. It's a rare Hammond outlier, bridging organs and early Roland vibes.
