Hammond SK1-88From real comments

Name: Hammond SK1-88
Rating: 3.2 (12 reviews)

Verdict distilled from 12 mentions across 9 aspects in comments under product review videos.

Positive sentiment64%

PROS 64%

CONS 36%

Rank based on 12 mentions across 9 aspects

View the verdict as

Buy this if...

You want a portable keyboard that blends acoustic piano and Hammond B3 organ tones
You need a lightweight, gig-ready instrument for live performance
You mainly play piano and organ rather than needing strong synth/string patches

What users love

Excellent layered piano and organ tone0 mentions

Strongly positive

Good all-around action for piano and organ0 mentions

Widely praised

Lightweight and portable0 mentions

Widely praised

Useful for gigging musicians avoiding bad venue pianos0 mentions

Strongly positive

Versatile for organ players0 mentions

Widely praised

Skip this if...

You're a dedicated organ player who needs authentic unweighted organ key action
You need strong synth, string, or vocal patch sounds
You're on a tight budget and could achieve similar sounds with a cheaper MIDI controller and software

What users complain about

Weighted keys compromise organ playability0 mentions

Frequently criticized

Silent keys outside the organ's original range0 mentions

Frequently criticized

Weak synth, string, and voice patches0 mentions

Frequently criticized

Pricier than DIY alternatives0 mentions

Generally negative

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Hammond SK1-88

Excellent layered piano and organ toneGood all-around action for piano and organLightweight and portablePricier than DIY alternativesSilent keys outside the organ's original rangeWeak synth, string, and voice patches

Hammond SK1-88

Excellent layered piano and organ tone

Good all-around action for piano and organ

Lightweight and portable

Pricier than DIY alternatives

Silent keys outside the organ's original range

Weak synth, string, and voice patches

Versatile
1. MXR Super Badass Distortionarrow_upward15
2. Wampler Paisley Drivearrow_upward6
3. Mad Professor Sweet Honey Overdrivearrow_upward4
Expensive
1. Moog Subsequent 37arrow_downward3
2. Origin Effects Deluxe61arrow_downward3
3. Eventide Orvillearrow_downward4
Dynamic response
1. Mad Professor Sweet Honey Overdrivearrow_upward8
2. Wampler Paisley Drivearrow_upward2
Build quality
1. Moog Subsequent 37arrow_upward3
2. Origin Effects Deluxe61arrow_upward1

Overall Impression

The layered piano and B3 organ sound is the SK1-88's biggest draw. Multiple commenters were impressed by the acoustic piano voice combined with the Hammond B3 organ sound, calling it beautiful and paradise-inducing. This layered tone appears to be the signature strength of the instrument, drawing praise from several listeners who found the demonstration compelling enough to put the keyboard on their wish list.

Weighted 88-key action creates a real compromise for organ players. Because Hammond made the SK1-88's keys weighted like a piano, some commenters feel it fails as a proper organ, since weighted keys hinder good organ articulation. One user also noted the extra keys beyond the original 61-key organ range have no organ sound at all, creating awkward silent zones that force awareness while playing, leading them to prefer the 73-key version instead.

Versatility appeals to gigging musicians, though some sounds fall short. Fans appreciate the lightweight design and the single action that reasonably serves both piano and organ playing styles, useful for live gigs and avoiding poorly maintained house pianos. However, at least one former owner found the synth, strings, and voice patches largely unusable, sticking mainly to the organ and piano sounds before eventually selling the unit for a different keyboard.

Outdated / Not-accurate data?

pianoExcellent layered piano and organ tone

3 mentions

Strongly positive

Several commenters were blown away by the combination of the acoustic piano voice layered with the Hammond B3 organ sound, describing it as beautiful and paradise-like. This layered patch seems to be the keyboard's signature strength.

@mariagheorghe7139

The piano sound at the end is so rock n roll kind!

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May 7, 2023

@antonioperillo1182

With my great surprise this Hammond sk1 has an astonishing acoustic piano voice, and the layered combi of it with the organ voice is beautiful, really!!!!! 😊👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍

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September 11, 2021

@nickyfarrell3024

The acoustic piano, layered with the Hammond B3 sound, sent me straight to paradise. This keyboard is on my bucket list. Such a great demonstration.

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May 31, 2021

check_circleGood all-around action for piano and organ

2 mentions

Widely praised

Commenters appreciated that the keyboard offers a single action that works reasonably well for both piano and organ playing, making it versatile for players who switch between styles.

@llav3

Excellent video! This product seems to me like a great versatile keyboard for an organ player.

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July 15, 2022

@JosephAkins

I like that you are providing an action that works good for both piano and organ. However, I'll have to try it to see if it really works me. I also like that it is light weight. It would be nice to hear the piano in other genres such as classical.

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July 10, 2013

fitness_centerLightweight and portable

1 mentions

Widely praised

The keyboard's light weight was called out as a plus, making it appealing for players who need to transport their gear to gigs.

@JosephAkins

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July 10, 2013

eventUseful for gigging musicians avoiding bad venue pianos

1 mentions

Strongly positive

One commenter noted they would have loved having this keyboard during their professional playing days to avoid poorly maintained house pianos with missing keys.

@franzschaefer4002

Wow! Love this! Could have used it when I was still playing professionally and avoided all the shitty pianos with missing keys I was forced to play on ...

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November 11, 2019

queue_musicVersatile for organ players

1 mentions

Widely praised

A commenter found the product a great, versatile keyboard specifically well-suited for organ players.

@llav3

Excellent video! This product seems to me like a great versatile keyboard for an organ player.

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July 15, 2022

warningWeighted keys compromise organ playability

1 mentions

Frequently criticized

Because the 88-key SK1 uses weighted piano-style keys, organ players feel it undermines proper organ articulation, arguing Hammond should have kept it more organ-like. This is seen as neither a true piano nor a true organ.

@petrupetru07

too bad that hammond make the keys weighted. this is a organ. they should stick with that. now is not a piano nor a organ. on weighted key you can not play good organ .

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September 23, 2020

volume_offSilent keys outside the organ's original range

1 mentions

Frequently criticized

Since the original organ voicing only covered 61 keys, the extra keys on the 88-key model produce no organ sound, creating dead zones that one player called a design error and a reason to prefer the 73-key version instead.

@luischabrillon6823

The keyboard's expressiveness is neither that of a piano nor that of an organ. It's halfway between both. The piano is super. The organ has keys with no sound on both sides because they say the organ had only 61 keys and this one has 88. I think it's a design error, because it forces you to be aware of the keys that don't sound. I'll stick with the 73 key version despite the issue of silent keys persisting.

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April 23, 2021

thumb_downWeak synth, string, and voice patches

1 mentions

Frequently criticized

A former owner found the synth sounds, strings, and voices largely useless, ultimately relying mainly on the organ and piano voices before selling the unit for a Kronos.

@ianginn5172

I had one..... organs are awesome, pianos good, synth sounds, strings and voices were useless... sold it....kronos all day....

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June 7, 2020

attach_moneyPricier than DIY alternatives

1 mentions

Generally negative

One commenter pointed out they could achieve a comparable sound using an M-Audio MIDI controller with Logic Pro patches for a fraction of the SK1-88's cost.

@TheModernMusicStudioBeaumont

I can get the same exact sound with my m-audio midi controller and Logic Pro patches for a fraction of the cost.

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March 2, 2019

Hammond SK1-88chat_bubble_outlineFrom real comments

thumb_up_off_altBuy this if...

What users lovefavorite_border

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What users complain aboutheart_broken

Compare in seconds

Who wins on what

Versatile

Expensive

Dynamic response

Build quality

auto_awesomeOverall Impression

Hammond SK1-88From real comments

Buy this if...

What users love

Skip this if...

What users complain about

Overall Impression