AGO

American Guild of Organists is an international professional organization serving concert and choral organists. The AGO has approximately 20,000 members. Founded in 1896, the AGO sets and maintains musical standards to promote traditional concert, choral and liturgical organ music.

Typically, AGO members regard the Hammond with disdain. The association is focused on "classical" pipe organ music and console designs that reflect 500 years of pipe organ technology. An electronic organ will never, ever, satisfy a committed devotee of classic organ music. But electronic organs do have a place as practice instruments, in the home and in smaller buildings where a pipe organ would be inappropriate. The AGO sets console design standards for pipe or electronic organs that are pretty exacting.

Laurens Hammond was almost desparate for his organs to be considered serious instruments by the members of AGO which meant the console design had to meet AGO standards. But pipe organs don't have drawbars and preset keys. The G-100 was as close as Hammond came to meeting AGO standards but unfortunately, the G-100 was far too expensive to be practical. It wasn't until the late 1950's that other electronic organ companies like Rodgers and Allen were able sell electronic organs that met AGO design standards and were practical to build.

Thousands of Jazz and Rock organists and millions of their fans are thankful...

See ClassicalOrganistsDislikeMostHammonds.