Need some help on this serial number

[coachdobbs]

There is a guy in town that just put a Rhodes up for sale. I emailed him to see what year it was made and he gave me this serial #37631 and not the four-digit number. Is there anyway I can tell by this number what year it was made?

[Ben Bove]

Serial numbers unfortunately varied a lot.  My guess though is it should be late 74 or early 75, should have hybrid hammers and older torrington tines.  Early MkI.

[coachdobbs]

He emailed me and said it was a 3374 so you were right it was a later 74 model. That was a very good guess on your part. How were you able to come to that, just curious?

[Ben Bove]

:twisted:

Ancient Chinese Secret.  Well, I'm putting together hopefully a guide from serial numbers, what years were what numbers.  But from what I've recorded before 1975 they can be all over the place.  Oddly seem to jump 10s of thousands, I haven't figured it out just yet.  The black serial stamp after 76 was pretty consistent though.

[Mark II]

:twisted:

Ancient Chinese Secret.

WOW, Respect.
I need the lottery numbers for next saturday. Can I expect your help ?

Cant wait to sse this guide.

kind regards
Mark II

[Loucas]

By the way guys: What are these stamps with numbers-codes on the top of the  left bass keys especially on Mark I  Rhodes?They seem  to have the same numbers .

[james]

A few years ago John from Major Key explained to me that they inflated the serial numbers at certain points in history to make it look like a lot more pianos were built and shipped than in reality (apparently manufacturers like Steinway do this sort of thing too).  That would suggest that there weren't 37,631 Fender Rhodes pianos built by late 1974, which does seem realistic when you think about it....

[Ben Bove]

They certainly inflated the numbers when they started using the stamped badges... 700,000 pianos, not quite haha

[Loucas]

Wow !
Thanks !