WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DIFFERENT HALFMOONS??? [Click above to read the full story.] For a simple switch, there certainly seem to be a lot of ways to wire it!  But you can take your Gigger Halfmoon along when you change gear -- without rewiring, or buying another one.  Presenting the , a universal version of the Gigger Halfmoon.  Really universal??  Pretty much.  It has switches in the case to match most organs, synths, and workstations, even old ones. What doesn't work with the ?  1) Some gear can't accept any halfmoon, and won't function with the demi-Luna.  2) If a rig requires more than 24V or 100mA to change speeds, the demi-Luna can't help.  (Some vintage Leslies connect high voltages to the switch; generally, newer gear does not.)   Can I use the demi-Luna with two different organs? Yes and no.  If you own a Nord C2D and a Hammond SK-1, or any other two keyboards/effects from Neo Instruments, Hammond, or Clavia (Nord), the Halfmoon works with all of your gear, all the time.  This is handy if say, you forget the power adapter for your Ventilator at a gig: the Halfmoon will plug into your XK-3 or Electro 5D and run the internal sim. Otherwise, the case must be opened by removing the four screws; and the settings of the two DIP switches may need to be changed.  This will take a few minutes, and require simple tools:  a Phillips screwdriver, and some sort of pick or jeweler's screwdriver, if your fingers are large.  Also, DIP switches aren't meant to be changed too many times, and will eventually wear out. If you plan to trade off organs every couple of months; or if you want a spare demi-Luna for two different organs, then everything should be fine.  Changing the switch daily, or even weekly, though, is not recommended.

How come my Halfmoon still doesn't work? Surprisingly, most products that accept a halfmoon switch don't come pre-configured to use one!  Since a halfmoon switch is less common with modern keyboard setups, manufacturers tend to set their products up to use 'tap' switches like a sustain pedal out of the box.  In particular, keyboards from Clavia DMI (Nord) and Hammond-Suzuki ship this way, among others. Check your user manual:  There is usually a section in the 'setup' area that controls how the rotary pedal input is treated.  (A halfmoon switch is still a 'pedal' to the electronics in the keyboard.)  If the organ or synth can work with a Gigger Halfmoon or demi-Luna, there is probably a setting called "HM," "CU-1," "Halfmoon," or even "Half Moon Switch." Even keyboards that don't support a Halfmoon can often use our 2-way model.  If the rotary input can be configured to 'latching' or 'momentary' operation (vs. toggling), then set it that way; and if there is a choice of 'open' or 'closed' polarity, set it so that open selects Fast speed. If your keyboard can only accept a momentary/tap/sustain pedal, then the Faux Moon can help.  Check the information at the bottom of this page, or you can contact me to be sure. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   Connecting to Specific Keyboards and Modules   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   Nord Electro 5 and 6 (and Stage 3 and 4 Compact) Hammond-Suzuki SK1 / SK2 Neo Instruments Ventilator II

How Is It Mounted? Manufacturer-specific halfmoons often come with a mounting bracket to attach the halfmoon to their keyboard.  My Halfmoons do not.  Here's why ... These brackets aren't universal.  A Hammond CU-1's bracket won't attach it to a Nord or a Mojo -- or even an XK-2 or XB-3!  I would have to offer 3-5 brackets with different designs; or, some kind of 'universal bracket,' with lots of holes and complicated assembly.  Either way, this would raise the cost of the Halfmoon + Bracket by $25-50, and it still wouldn't work for some customers.  The cost of the Gigger Halfmoon has actually gone down since it was released. The manufacturer's bracket can only be mounted in one location -- even if that's not a player's preferred spot. The two best reasons to provide a removable bracket are:  1) protect the fragile halfmoon between gigs; and 2) the cable doesn't come off, so it might damage something during transport.  My Halfmoon design eliminates both of these problems. Any bracket adds size and weight to a halfmoon. ________ Mounting Mine I provide 3M VHB® tape to attach the Halfmoon to any flat surface on the edge of the keyboard.  VHB is very strong -- the strip can hold about 15-20 lbs., more than 10x the Halfmoon's weight! -- and it stays firmly in place.  Once mounted, the VHB + Halfmoon feels like it is bolted in place.  But guess what?  It can be removed, even years later, with the plastic prying tools sold for use on automotive dashboards.  The cable won't scratch anything when it's removed during transit.  If you have a permanent setup, or an extra 1 inch (26cm)of depth in your keyboard case, this is our recommended mounting method. I also provide 3M Dual-Lok® to attach to the case.  Dual-Lok is kind of like Velcro®, but with larger, symmetrical indentations on each side to hold together.  It mounts and unmounts quickly, and holds solidly -- not as tight as VHB, but more than sufficient for most players. For permanent installations like a church or school, where the Halfmoon isn't going anywhere, but there are concerns about cables breaking or going missing, the jack on the Halfmoon can be replaced with a permanent cable and a strain relief; and the Halfmoon can be mounted with screws to the organ cabinet.

The Gigger Halfmoon vs. The Competition

Feature Gigger Halfmoon The 'Chicago'   The 'Scandinavia'   L'italiano Chorale/Off/Tremolo Available 2-way halfmoon      [1]       Can mimic 2-way halfmoon         Permanent cable       Detachable cable     Spare knob FREE FREE       Spare case screws FREE         USA Switch   Labeled   Survive sitting/stepping on it    ??? Neo Ventilator compatible   Hammond XK/SK compatible   Nord C1/C2 compatible   Electro 5/6, Stage 3 compatible   Electro 3/4, Stage 2EX compatible       Motion Sound compatible    [2]       GSi Burn compatible          [5] Crumar Mojo 61 compatible          [5] Crumar Mojo Classic compatible          [5] Crumar Mojo compatible          [5] HX3 compatible         Booker Labs compatible   Viscount Legend Exp compatible   Dr. Fishsticks compatible         Spare parts       Mounting 3 ways  [3]   3 ways  [3]   H-S only Nord only Crumar only Looks  [4]   8/10 8/10 10/10 7/10 8/10 Cost  1.2x 1x 2x 3x 0.9x

Notes:   1. Limited production run.   2. Requires TS cable.  Please notify Halfmoon-Switch of this when ordering.   3. Dual-Lok® and VHB™ mounting strips included.   4. OK, well give the Chicago the edge in the looks department -- at least, with a classic B-3/C-3/etc.  With a Nord Stage 2 or an SK1? Not so much. Beauty is subjective.  In some ways, the Scandinavia looks better than our Halfmoon.  If only the sides didn't have open seams, and those big mounting screws on the switch ...   5. Crumar has different models for each product or product family.  Some are compatible with more than one model; others are not.

Please note:  Although the demi-Luna and Gigger Halfmoon™ can be added to many keyboards, there are limitations with the internal rotary sim of a few well-known (and used) models. ________ INCOMPATIBILITY Nord Electro (original), Electo 2 Nord Stage (original) Hammond XK-2 Leslie 3300  (It may be indirectly used with an organ that supports the 8- or 11-pin interfaces.) Leslie 2101 and 2101 MK2  (It may be indirectly used with an organ that supports the 8- or 11-pin interfaces.) Numa Organ 1 or 2 In particular, if an organ/speaker uses a sustain pedal -- and only a sustain pedal -- to change speeds, it probably cannot use a halfmoon -- ours or any one else's product. ________ STOP/OFF FUNCTION A Leslie that is designed to work with a 3-way halfmoon supports three speeds:  Chorale, Off, and Tremolo.  Not all keyboards support the Stop/Off 'speed'; some of them can only support Chorale and Tremolo. Hammond SK Pro, all models  (Yes, this is strange, since both the SK1 and SK2 supported a Halfmoon.) Nord Electro 3 and 4 Nord Stage 2, EX, and 2 EX Most synths and workstations Leslie 122A and 147A These are limitations of the keyboard/speaker's design, and an external switch isn't going to compensate.  Some of them (ex: Nord) can substitute Off for Chorale using a control on the keyboard itself. Of course, all of these keyboards can be plugged into a Ventilator, Burn, etc. and the Halfmoon can be used to control that sim with all three speeds. Please contact me before ordering if you are unsure about the compatibility.

Prices are shown in US Dollars (USD) excluding shipping, unless otherwise noted.  Massachusetts residents and on-site sales will be charged 6.25% state sales tax. Items returned for any reason other than defective merchandise will be subject to a restocking fee of up to 15%.  Returns should include original packing materials and accessories, (cables, manuals, and software, as appropriate); faillure to do so with result in a restocking fee of at least 15%, to be determined by Ashby Solutions. Ashby Solutions, Gigger Halfmoon, demi-Luna, Faux Moon, and the Ashby Solutions logo are trademarks of Bruce A. Wahler.  All other trademarks are the property of their owners. Copyright © 2019-2023 by Bruce Wahler.  If you have suggestions, please send them to webmaster@halfmoon-switch.com.