LESLIE SPEAKER - Which One's the Best?

The popularity of Hammond drawbar organs is at fever pitch, with even the "off models" such as the A-100s, the Cs, Ds, Es and even the little "M"s getting attention from consumers who are rabid about having "that Hammond sound" in their homes and recording studios. Coincidental to this interest and popularity is the associated "sound box" of the Hammond--the Leslie Speaker. As is the case with Hammond organs, NOT ALL LESLIE SPEAKERS ARE CREATED EQUAL! Many look similar in that they are wooden cabinets with slats on the front and sides and a "rough" back with panels hiding the "twirly things" and amplification geponents.
In general, there is one Leslie speaker that stands out above all the rest: The 122. When you find them on okay or in the classifieds, they are likely priced substantially higher than any other Leslie models due to their power, heighth and general perception (mostly true) by the public as being the "best Leslie". You generally cannot make a bad investment if your Hammond/Leslie rig includes the 122.
Catching up quickly in the Leslie value department is the 145 (or similar: 147) cabinet. Frankly, purchasing a 122, 145 or 147 Leslie will generally give you the most solid investment of any of the Leslie speakers that are out there on the market.
Finally, avoid the solid state models that Leslie tried to produce back in the 80s. They are generally dark gray, "vinyl" covered and hardly resemble the wooden, slatted cabinets of the 122, 145/147 varieties previously discussed. They are unreliable and don't have the warm depth of the wooden cabinet Leslies.
There are other model Leslies (125, 245, 21H, 31H to name a few) that are generally inferior to the models listed above, usually due to the presence of a single speed rotor (vs. two speed on the previously discussed models: slow (chorale) and fast). However many times these type of Leslies were purchased inexpensively and retrofitted with two speed motors which basically brought their value and application up to the higher standards of the 122, 145 and 147 models. My personal favorite was the 31H Leslie, which stands an imposing 5 feet, contains hundreds of watts of power and a massive 15" driver that produces more thundering bass than most bass amps. I played an old Model A Hammond (the precursor to the Bs) with two of those monster Leslies--one on each side of the stage--in my days as a Detroit rocker back in the 60s and I recall vividly the power and shear thunder I could produce by using those cabinets. However if you are looking fora nice rig to pit into your recreation room at home or in the living room for family enjoyment, you can't beat the B3 with a nice 122 Leslie in the corner!