Messages

I'd say, the older the better. So that would be the top left one. Stay away from the russians. I've got the one in the middle of the upper three. Nice creamy phaser with a vintage touch to it. They pop-up on marktplaats regularly. Another idea could be to check vintage guitar shops or markets. I've already seen quite a few of them at vintage veenendaal for instance along with loads of other nice classic effects.

Kitchen.

I use a vintage Ibanez BC 9 Bi-Mode chorus. Actually 2 (slightly different)choruses built into one stompbox. Both choruses are off course separately adjustable in speed and depth. You can use this box in mono or in stereo. Great piece and from what I understand pretty sought after. Ibanez has reissued several stompboxes from these 9-series except for this bi-mode chorus.

Kitchen

This clip has been removed from youtube.

That shim was taken out my Mk1 to adjust escapement, so although it's a stock shim, it might sometimes be necessary to remove it for escapement adjustments.

Kitchen

Italian vintage keyboard madness !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDYeNhq3nR4

Kitchen

Nice clip of Zawinul playing Mercy,mercy,mercy on a silvertop live back in the sixties.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4cFi4bqq1E&feature=related

Kitchen

The tonebar clips add mass to the tonebar thus increasing sustain.
You have a few because not all tonebars need them. If the piano is set up properly you might not need them at all. The originals are hard to find, so I hear. I believe ep service in Holland has non-original clips.

Kitchen

Stage Pianos

Basic Information
_____________________________________________________________

Piano Serial Number:
Unreadable(poorly stamped onto sticker)

Badge:
Gold Badge with Rhodes Logo bottom right of harp

Name of "Model" on Badge:
Stage 73

Harp Production Start Date
upper right hand corner of harp, and color of stamp
2076 in black

TBJ Number if visible
Upper right hand corner of harp
010254 TBJ

Harp Production End Date
Lower right hand corner of harp or upper right hand corner for most mk2s
2464

Do you believe the piano is all original, possibly modified, or definitely modified/switched around?
Definitely modified. It's been customized to my preferences.
_____________________________________________________________
Additional Information (No disassembly required)

Tonebars:
Standard Gold Numbered ONLY Tonebars (low register multiple bends, with numbers ONLY)

Pickups:
Standard Red Pickup

Hammers:
Full Plastic Hammers

Hammertips:
Standard Neoprene (non-original)

Logos:
Rhodes logo (on Namerail, Back of Piano, inner gold badge or Ink Stamp)

Namerail:
Standard Mark I Ribbed Aluminum

Faceplate:
Rhodes Silver Faceplate

Knobs
Silver outer with Black Inner

Harp Cover:
Black Round Plastic

Harp Support Blocks (on the left and right side where the harp sits ontop of)
Aluminum

Keys
Wood Based

Keycaps
Later 2-piece keycap set (Whites-side wooden, flat top, Blacks-very glossy, more rounded edges '76~'83)

Sustain Pedal:
Black with non-original home-made rod

Legs:
Standard leg set with Braces

Leg Brace Knob:
non-original knob

Hardshell Case lid:  
Straight slope at keys side, all tolex

External Side Case Latches:(make sure they're not just missing, check screw holes)
Later Clamp Latches, 1 on each side near keys

Rear External Case Lid Hinges:
Later 6 screw double lip design, 2 on rear

Latches on Lid Leg Compartment:
Straps with Snaps
_____________________________________________
Other Information (Some disassembly required, removal of namerail)

Sustain Bar Mechanism:(viewable with Harp removed or swiveled forward)
Endpins held in by 2 Phillips screws (from memory)

Key Pedestals:(if you know original configuration, not if you have a bump mod added later)
Flat, bare wood (white felt on bottoms of hammers)

Dampeners:
Grouped Metal Arms

Front Keypin felts:
Small Green Circles (originally these, not anymore though)

Glad to be of any help,

Kitchen

Try dropping polyvoks a line (pm) he's got one fully operational.

Good luck.

Kitchen

I've got a '76 (2076) Stage which had the bare pedestals and felted butts. After a complete overhaul my tech installed (amongst other adjustments) a bump mod and removed the white felts from the hammers. The action is incredibly lighter and faster now.
Not only can a spray solve the glue which keeps the felts in place, but if you would want to re-attach felts or glue on new ones, this same spray can cause that your glue won't hold on the (spray saturated) wood !! You may have to sand or degrease if you want the glue to hold.

Kitchen

Hey, Fred...do you still have place for your bed (pardon the rhyming) ??

Kitchen

I know exactly what you mean. I had my Rhodes completely overhauled a while back. It's awesome to play a resurrected beast !!

Kitchen

I've got an old smallstone and an Ibanez BC9 Bi-mode chorus right now. Very happy with both. Hearing good things about the stereo pulsar as well. Still searching for the ultimate wah....maybe colorsound ?

Kitchen

Hi and welcome,

I removed glue residue from damperarms with white spirit ( is that the same as synth thinner?) very succesfully. This stuff dissolves the glue to some sort of elastic jelly what comes off very easily. Just let it soak for a day or two submersed in this stuff.

Good luck !

Weatherstrip for hammertips ? I used cyanoacrylate (plain superglue) and it works fine.

Uri Caine on a MkII.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4IRAriH9f4

Removing glue from the damperarms? Take off the felts and let the damperarms soak overnight in some white spirit. This will solve the glue. Your damperarms will be like new ! Not specifically environmental friendly though...

Kitchen

Tried epservice in Holland ?

Kitchen

Anything Hancock has recorded in his Headhunter period would be great !

Kitchen

possible to place a pic of these screws and size in mm's for us Europeans only familiar with the metric system :wink:

what's an Allen wrench ? is this somekind of hexagonal bolthead ?

Kitchen

They are not as scarce stateside.

It's not that they're scarce, they're just more expensive. A' regular' 73 stage MK 1 or 2 is offered for, what I think is a ridiculous, €1000 up to €1950. (thats $1400 to $2730 !!) Don't know off course what price eventually is paid.
If it was a piano you'd buy from a tech and was completely overhauled it's a different ballgame, but most of them have never been touched or seen by an experienced tech or have professional modifications or something like that.

Kitchen

88's don't have the tonebars way down there, so this looks just as it's supposed to be. Same goes for the wiring in the high register, it might look messy, but it's supposed to be like that. If it plays, doesn't smell like fungus and judging the pic's, I'd say go for it !
Pricing is somewhat difficult, since I'm from Europe and prices are higher over here for these babies, but I've seen them for around €1700,- to €2000,- over here depending on their state. Rob A is correct about the sustain pedal and rod and you just cannot do without them. I for one, wouldn't hesitate if I could get it for 500 bucks (bargain :shock: )like Rob A stated, but I'm European.....

Good luck

Kitchen

Super, I'm glad you like it !! Any chance of soundclips ??
Currently I'm looking into a EHX Deluxe Memory Man, but that's just because I might just get it for very little money (fingers crossed !). If that won't work out I'll be getting the Pulsar.
This weekend there's a vintage guitar show where there will also be a few pedals,amps and so on. Maybe I can score something there. Last time there was a Fender fuzz/wah....still thinking about that one.....should I've bought it ?

Anyone got experience with the Memory Man ?

Kitchen

Hi Dave and Carol,

Thanks for taking the time to come to this forum. A lot of us (all of us probably)appreciate it big time. It's so strange, in a way, to be able to 'talk' to the children of the inventor of this great instrument which we all love dearly !!
Love the jacket Carol !!

Kitchen

Those pickups are diagonally placed for those limited edition piano's with L-shaped tines........

It does sound great: '' I've got a Fender Rhodes 73 gold label...''  

I've got one in mine ,but on the other side; the tonebar side.
Don't know the reason for the difference between gold labelled and ink stamped piano's though.
Does anyone know if there was a reason for that ?

Kitchen

I'm loving the stories and inside info already, Carol !!
Thanks !

Kitchen

Hi Carol,

Love those gentle giants. The owner of a shop where I worked during weekends and holidays about 12 years ago had two Great Pyrenees. Lovely dogs! Great pics on your site. Good luck with the puppies !

Any chance of recovering a rare Rhodes gem whilst cleaning out the barn ?
Or a forgotten cardboard box filled with hundreds of Raymac tines ? :wink:  :lol:

About those celebs your brothers assemble piano's for, anybody we might know ?

Kitchen

And..? Have you got the pedal, I'm pretty anxious to hear this pedal on a Rhodes !
What's your experience up until now ?

Kitchen

Great demo!! Reminds me of Jean-Michel Jarre !!

Kitchen

Hi, welcome to the forum. Great to have real family joining the family !
Unfortunately I don't have the means to record my Rhodes and put it on the web, but I'm sure there will be more than enough people here that can help you to get you a killer Rhodes riff for your phone.
Writing this, a question pops up, just curiosity...
Do you or any of your relatives own Rhodes piano's ? (sisters,cousins,uncles and so on)

Looking forward to read your posts in the future.

Kind regards from the other side of the pool.

Kitchen

Welcome to the club and congrats on the 88 !! $450 is a steal if you ask me.

Kitchen

Check it !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMb8BhCXNs4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeoQlUA6cV0&mode=related&search=

Kitchen.

Yep, harp down. Plucking is for bassplayers :wink:

Kitchen

Ep service in Holland services these gems. Why not ask a specialist ? They also sell some parts for them.

Kitchen

Second that.




Kitchen

Damn, you serious ?! I'm in shock !!
He left the world a great heritage of original compositions. Personally I think his collaboration with Jaco during the Weather Report era is his best work.
The man set standards with his Rhodes use.

Rest In Peace, Joseph and thanks !!

Kitchen

Hmm, you're in Sweden right ? Have you checked www.musicstorekoeln.de ?
They sell it for € 75 and if I'm correct € 15 for shipping.
Not too big a difference maybe, but still....if you pay online right after you order they ship within 2-3 days.

Kitchen

In the end I guess there is no such thing as the best wah. It all depends on your own ears and taste.
Don't mean to be a topic killer

Kitchen

Feltpliers ? :wink:

Kitchen

Have you checked if your pins are positioned correctly ? They are oval shaped (the ones closest to you) and you can turn them a bit to compensate for worn felts. This way, if your keys are shifting from side to side, you can eliminate that sideshift by turning those pins a bit. You can turn(rotate) them with a pair of pliers. If they're not 'straight' and you put new felt into the keys, it's much too tight.
That turning of those pins you can do only 2, maybe 3 times. Eventually you have to change those felts.

Kitchen

Just as I posted this I read dnarkosis' reply....sorry for my ignorance... :oops:

Another one,..same band...dig the effects !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSPdRzbCPlA&mode=related&search=

Kitchen

Found a nice one :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X8gvr1UowY&mode=related&search=

Dutch band Gatecrash. The Rhodes is a Mk1 Rhodes pretty beat up by the looks of it. I like the effects used on this.

Kitchen

To me it sounds pretty real. Yes, the sound is heavily EQ'd and has several effects to it, but my guess is it's the real thing. Especially since this is a studio recording and Rhodes is very popular with R&B, rap, hip-hop. What do you use if you need good Rhodes sounds ? Yep, a real Rhodes...
Make, prod.year and so on is pretty difficult to judge by ear, but you could get any Rhodes to sound like that provided it gets teched the right way.

Kitchen

Awesome playing going on there, but I hope the sound on this clip doesn't do  justice to the piano........I think I've got some loose fillings from the earpiercing highs and clanking...
But hey, great job on the restoration and the player clearly has skills !!!
Was that One Note Samba somewhere in the middle ?

Kitchen

Sounds like pickup generated overdrive/distortion to me. Try backing off your pickups just a bit and see (listen) if you notice a difference. Your high register sounds just the opposite. I'd try sliding those pickups towards the tines.

Good luck

Kitchen

Check Spookyman's posts.. he had it done beautifully...pics included !!

Kitchen

Send me your clav and I'll try it on my Rhodes :wink:

Kitchen

Definitely not so good imo. Most of your piano is wood, you see (of course you know that) The wood will expand and contract with changes in temp. Could cause fractures or warping of wood parts. Although it's not so good to store it cold or very warm, humidity or plain water are bigger hazards.A lot of moisture in combination with big temperature changes can ruin a Rhodes beyond repair.
Get it out of there and put it in a room is my advice....maybe even play it. :wink:

Kitchen

Nice !!! And I don't mean the French city !

Kitchen