Mrk 1 77 vs Mrk II 82

[Animalbeats]

 I have both of these Rhodes.

Is there features to look out for that put one above the other?

As I may only be able to keep one.

[sean]

Does the Mark II from 1982 have plastic keys? 

The plastic keys came in black or white...  here is a photo of the black plastic keys:



Rhodes purists are legally prohibited from showing any love for these plastic key models.  The action is a little klunky, with a lot of clickety-clackity hammer bounce, but the audio output is 100% Rhodes smoothness.  If you have a plastic-key Rhodes, I highly recommend that you move the action rail to the forward position. 

I wouldn't pay much for a plastic-key Rhodes.  (I already have one.)

So, my recommendation is that you keep both Rhodes pianos.  If you are forced to part with one, you might feel less guilty about getting rid of the 1982.

Sean

P.S. - The plastic balance rail pins are easy to break (in shipment or setup - I don't have any worry about them during playing), but since VV sells new key pin sections, I don't worry so much.
https://www.vintagevibe.com/products/rhodes-mark-ii-plastic-key-pins