Since 1958, Electro Music had offered an economy model for the entry-level market. The concept was a 33" cabinet with just a single rotor and a 12" speaker to handle the entire frequency range. The first was model 25 (a.k.a. Orpheus), later replaced by the 2-speed model 125. The ProLine version of this concept became model 825. This speaker had the same road-ready exterior as the 760 as can be seen on the right. The 825 (and later the 820) had a 70W amp and an unusual 6 ohm 12" speaker).
The sound of this type of Leslie is quite a bit different from the traditional horn/rotor cabinets - you can listen to me playing along to a U2 record through a model 825 by clicking here.
Left:
My own Leslie 825 with its original road cover (please excuse the mess). It makes an excellent t.v. stand.
This Leslie is now sold and lives in Finland.
Above - the diagram of model 825 from a German brochure. I added the English text.
Right - The t.v. stand without its clothes. Apart from a tiny nick in the finish in the lower left corner (just outside the picture frame) the cabinet is immaculate.
Model 825 was discontinued in the mid- to late 70's and replaced by model 820. The speaker is much the same, but the input plug was now the standard 11pin system. The Leslie 820 pictures are courtesy of Mike Pilato, New York State, U.S.A.
Special
models
Some special models should be mentioned: Model 825U - a 'utility' version of
the 825 made for concealed installation was available, but is very rare
today. The same can be said about model 900U - the utility version of model
PRO 900. I have seen pictures of both, but I have yet to find pictures I can
use on this page.
A home
oriented version of the 825/125 theme called model 130 had a 'decorator' style cabinet and
an additional stationary tweeter - see the
decorator page. A special version of the 825 with reverb and a
slightly different rotor design was available in the US under the model
designation Leslie 830, however, this version is not compatible with Hammond
organs.
Click here for a couple of pictures of the 830.
Model 825 and 820 only differ on the outside on the badge, and the input socket.
ProLine Leslies today
Today only a few Leslie models remain in
production, however, the ProLine series is still very much alive with the
new model 3300 and the special system 21. You can read more about current
Hammond/Leslie products through
www.hammondorganco.com