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No, do not add weight to the hammer. Extra weight may cause the reed to snap. Try running a hair dryer back and forth in the area of the sticking hammer(s). Never use a heat gun  (like from Harbor Freight)they are so powerful, you can actually char the wood or even start a fire, especially if you put Naptha in there at some point.

Ok, I just followed the link posted above to the new Wurlitzer website and nearly fell off of my chair laughing. It states that Elton John used a Wurlitzer on Bennie and the Jets! Not only did Elton rarely ever use a Wurlitzer, there isn't any electric piano of any kind on that song! There is an acoustic piano and a Farfisa organ. You can probably count on one hand how many Elton songs used a Wurlitzer. THe first few that come to mind are "Sails","The Scaffold", and "Lady Samantha" (Empty Sky LP) and the original, less known version of "Grey Seal". I believe at least one more song from Empty Sky uses one also. This Wurlitzer sounds like either a 112 or a 120. "Grey Seal" might be a 140. Oh yeah- a later song, "Don't go Breaking My Heart" uses a Wurlitzer also. A lot of other Elton songs feature a Rhodes. "Honky Cat" and "Daniel" are the first 2 that pop into my head.

Any news on this? When is it supposed to come out?

Hey, what do you mean by the jack (nobody calls them "fly" anymore) is sticking? Is it stuck against the felt as if there is adhesive on the felt? You do have excessive lost motion there. The lost motion has nothing to do with the hammer not returning, however. If you had zero lost motion, that can affect the hammer return.  The protek should help with the hammer returning. You may or may not need to add protek on other hammers,the reason why this is most noticeable in the high treble, is because the hammer tips are smaller and lighter here, so there is less weight to let gravity do its thing.

IMHO, I think the main problem with digital versions of Wurlitzers is that they are tuned too perfectly. I think they would sound more realistic if you could detune notes a little...
When I use the Wurlitzer settings on my Kawai (my avatar) I usually drop the pitch a little - A438-A439, but that tunes every note at once. It does seem to sound a little more realistic when playing along with recordings, however.

A couple more things- high treble reeds can actually snap while filing, so be extra careful there. I've never tried a dremel, but that idea might work ok if on the longer reeds. I'd be afraid to use it on the small treble reeds (afraid of pressing too hard and breaking)

I don't know if this will help or not, but I once had a 720 with a loud hum/buzz, and after much trial and error, it turned out to be the volume control was worn out. Hope that helps.

Have you checked the letoff for that note and also how high the damper is lifting?
My 140b is very mellow sounding too. It always seemed normal to me, but I haven't played many 140s.

You can carefully file installed reeds if the piano is UNPLUGGED from the wall. Also, clean the dust completely off before turning back on. Only file a tiny amount at a time or u may go too far. If you hear loud crackling after turning on, the solder dust is shorting out. Turn off and clean again. You can try cleaning with compressed air in a can, but the condensation can also cause it to crackle until it warns back up.
Do not file the aluminum of the pickup!

The key dip should be roughly the same on any properly regulated keyboard, including those which can't be regulated such as (most) digital pianos and keyboards. 3/8"-7/16" is normal. Most people use 3/8". I prefer 7/16" on heavier feeling actions such as many Rhodes. Deeper dip makes the action feel lighter,but the 700 action is very light so I would go with 3/8". Even if the key dip is too deep or shallow by 1/32" or 1/16" it can throw off the Letoff in this very sensitive action.

If you haven't done so, look up the 700 service manual (or 112A or 120, the actions are the same) and read and reread the action adjustment procedures.

I just found 2 different sellers on eBay that are selling a piano key dip block. One is only $2 plus shipping. You place the thicker end towards the front of the piano, and when you press the key down, the top of the block should be flush with the neighboring white keys that are not pressed down. This does not work for the black keys, only the whites. The 700 black keys have a screw in the keybed that you raise or lower to adjust dip. The bottom of the black keys have a piece of felt glued on so that they don't make noise when they hit this screw, if the black key gets buried below the neighboring white keys, the screw needs to be raised. (And/or the felt is missing)

Be sure to check the dip in the problem area- are those keys pressing down too far? Not far enough? Just because someone put the individual front rail felts in, it does not mean that it was truly done correctly. If the dip is too shallow, it feels "choked" in your fingertips. If too deep, hammers can block against the reeds and break them also.

Yes, Letoff and aftertouch go hand in hand. It is important to check hammer line and key dip too, especially since the way dip is achieved on this piano has been altered. Assuming dip is correct, Letoff is the next step, but it won't hurt anything to try to adjust Letoff on a couple of notes to see how different it feels. Tariffs and USPS rates going up have caused the price of the tool to increase, but it is well worth it to own the correct Letoff tool.
Also this action is more difficult to adjust than the 140/200/300 actions. I've never worked on a 112 action, but Letoff on the the 112A/120/700 action is tricky. (It's same action on these models)

Ok, after watching both videos, it sounds/looks like those hammers are letting off way too early. You need the tool that's sold on eBay. One of your videos looks like it's slo mo, not sure if that was intentional. eBay does not charge you extra to ship from US to Canada as far as I know. They have a shipping hub in Illinois and items get sent to the respective countries from there.
This adjustment is very sensitive on the 120/700 action. Turn the screw just a little bit at a time,then test. It's been quite a while since I've adjusted a 700, but if I remember correctly, you want to turn the screw counterclockwise to improve. (in this instance) On the first test key, pick your worst one and try turning the screw about 1/4 turn at a time and see what that does.

The first step I do when refurbishing any piano is to remove the keys (making sure they are numbered first), then vacuum the whole keybed. Be very careful not to vacuum up any key felts or punchings, but always vacuum the back rail cloth.

The letoff tool is available on eBay. No minimum order or $25 shipping like VV. Are you 100% sure that the white key key dip is not too deep in the problem area? If you press the key slowly, does the hammer just block against the Reed? In over 45 years, I've never seen loose reeds unless someone messed with yours that did not know what they were doing.

eBay has a U.S. shipping hub for international orders. It does not cost you extra like it would if item were shipped directly to you. eBay deals with any customs issues.

Properly done bump mods usually improve the touch a lot.

The other possibility is that the keys are pressing down too far. Check to see if the felt strip at the front of the white keys (under keys) became unglued and moved during transport. This model does not have individual round felts like later models and acoustic pianos.

It sounds like you need to adjust the Letoff so that the hammer releases from the Reed later , or possibly slightly sooner. It depends if the hammers are blocking against the reeds or not. The correct tool is sold on eBay with no minimum order amount. Common tools can not be used for this adjustment. I had the exact issue when I bought my 700 in the '70's (or it sounds like the same issue) This partially led me to become a piano tech. Don't bang on the keys- until it is repaired, that can lead to broken reeds.

Also, Marcello, that eBay listing is the correct tool.

Sorry I haven't been on lately... @ Velo, I was talking about the large L shaped hum shield, not the shields on the A versions.

@ Marcello, I agree that the trim pot may need to be turned up, or cleaned, or replaced. Be careful of cleaning this pot, some parts cleaners will harm the plastic wheel.

Hi Marcello, I am more of an expert in the piano section than the amp section, but to me, it sounds like A: pre amp is working just fine. B: It still seems to be a grounding issue. Does it improve with a hum shield? Does it even have a hum shield? I seem to remember the non A 200 not having one. Also, the regular 200 does not have the separate preamp board on the Reed bar like the later models, it's a section on the amp board. If that were bad, you wouldn't get any sound.  And C: you need to adjust letoff on the keys. It seems like you have to hit them pretty hard - or at least some of them. The tool is sold on eBay.
I'm pretty sure the vibrato section might be the only issue. A broken ground here could cause both issues, hum and no vibrato. Always check things like this before spending money on parts that you may not need.

Have you carefully removed the amp board and inspected the bottom of it? It may just be a ground trace or two have opened up. Always unplug the Wurlitzer when touching the boards.

Hopefully someone with more amp experience will chime in on this thread.

I can't take any photos anymore, I sold it last year. Your second photo, top right shows the missing part I needed. I bought a part from the hardware store to do the same job, however I could not get one that had a male end to fit the pedal rod. I took the lyre to multiple hardware stores and nobody could help me. Morelock's was clueless when the were still open and didn't know what I was talking about.

I could be way off listening through tiny speakers on my iPad, but I think it's an early model with felt hammers. Circa 1970/71?

This sounds like the best solution for the issue. It is pretty common. I see acoustic pianos, some fine quality, that have hammers glued in crooked too. ( usually just a few at most)  Those are wood to wood, but piano techs also use heat to loosen glue and straighten the hammers.

In a pinch, (no pun intended) needle nose pliers may be your best bet. Other than the piano tools made specifically for this, standard wrenches may be too wide to fit between the piano parts. Having said all that, the tool sold on eBay is 3/16", not 1/4", but like I said a tool from a hardware store may be too wide to fit between the parts.

These early models have a metal top which serves as the hum shield. The separate shield started with later models.

If it works, how can it devalue the piano? It's still a vintage amp...

 A non working amp devalues it IMHO.

Where did you get the new cable? Is it specifically made for the pedal or did you use a bike cable?

It sounds to me like the cable is a little too long. I doubt the issue is inside the piano.

If more ventilation holes are added near the bottom, wouldn't that help with the air flow? I don't mean just randomly adding holes in the back, but towards the amp on the bottom.

I unfortunately sold the piano several months ago, but I think I figured out how to assemble yours. Your rod pulls right out of the pedal now, doesn't it?
You need to take the bottom of the pedal lyre off, (brass plate), slide the nut up the rod with the open end towards the top, so it catches on the lip at the end of the rod, then attach the small nut to the rod after putting it back through the pedal. There should be a felt washer in there (like a balance rail punching) to stop noise. Once lyre is back together, put the longer brass piece into the piano, then attach lyre to the piano.

That's what I figured, but after taking the pedal assembly into several hardware stores, Fastenall, Lowes, etc, I had to improvise. I'll have to see if I have a photo of what I made, I sold the piano several months ago.

Yes, that looks a lot like my old back panel, but I would personally drill some ventilation holes near the amp.

Hi, yes it's very frustrating, I know. It took me years to figure out how to connect mine,and my way was unconventional. Have Cormac (moderator) upload your pictures so we can see what is happening.

You reminded me why I originally removed my back panel. My 700 overheated and died when a friend of mine accidentally left it on. The next morning, it was no longer working. I was a teen at the time, so I wasn't able to repair it myself even though I took electronics classes in high school. I personally recommend drilling ventilation holes near the amp for tube models.

I'm not an expert with the electronics section, but I do know this, check for open fuses and resistors first, or it could be the output transistor. I once saw a transformer go bad causing similar symptoms.

Yes, they had a panel, both the models 700 and the 720,made from Masonite. Yes, there were oval cutouts just below the back of the keybed to put hands in (really just your fingers) for moving. I do not know what happened to my 700 back panel, so I can't take a picture to show you, sorry.

Thanks! I thought it was week 31, day 6, 1973, but I didn't think they worked on Saturdays. When I look at the hammers, that will confirm it, the white felt shouldn't be on the hammers in a 1976 if I remember correctly.
There is not a lot of demand for Rhodes service in my area, but I'm the only person who works on them within 100 miles or so. I just don't see a lot of them. I get more Wurlitzers and even they are not that common here anymore.

Hey guys, I have to tune a stage 73 tomorrow with a date code of 3163. What does that translate to? I know they weren't making these in 1963...
Thanks in advance,
Steveo

The external version is handy for people who service Wurlitzers...especially the early models

It could be a bad transformer or output transistor. In my experiences, bad transformers have opened, but not shorted, so very likely it's in the output. Did it get a possible power surge?

Very interesting point, Alan. If that's the case, I won't need it. My Kawai CA99 (my avatar) has amazing, customizable Wurlitzer (and many other) sounds, and it has wooden keys and an action. I even customized a Wurli sample to sound as much like a Hohner as I could get it.

I would take one that you have to a hardware store and match it up. May be easiest and cheapest option.

Ok, it's called the Wurlitzer line out module under the Wurlitzer parts section. They have an internal version and the external box version. The external looks like it's white now and is about $20 more. I have the external version because I have more than one Wurli.

Vintage vibe has the passive box back in stock. I will look up exactly what they call it.

It's ok, I got it to work finally. I removed the rod from the pedal lyre, flipped it over, and made an adjuster from 1/4-20 connectors. I sold the piano and the buyer said it works fine. I just don't understand why that large nut was put on the rod. I would still like to see pictures from anyone else who  still has an unmodified 270 to see the original piece that connects the rod to the piano.  Morelock's was clueless when I called them about this issue. I'm sad that I had to let it go, but the nice part is, the buyer is a regular local client, so I will still get to play the 270 sometimes.

I've almost solved the problem! I think someone who did not know what they were doing put the 7/16" nut on the pedal rod aftermarket. I took the bottom plate out, removed the rod, flipped it upside down and wouldn't you know it, the other end is now TOO SMALL to grab 1/4-20 double ended nut. I used Teflon tape and super glue to attach the 1/4-20 double sided nut. (it grips real well) I just need one more just double sided nut like it and a short 1/4 rod. Then, it should reach into the piano and grab the pedal rod inside the piano. One more trip to the hardware store in the morning, and it should work....
Buyer is picking up on Sunday...

Does anyone have a picture they can send me?

UPDATE: Almost 4 years later and I'm still loving this piano. The samples are about the best I've ever heard, and are very customizable. You can even save sounds to use on specific songs if you want. I only wish that it had more orchestra sounds, and a Hohner Pianet. You can customize the Wurli sound to make it Hohner-like, but you can still hear the difference.
It has uprights, several grands, clav, CP80, several Hammond presets,harpsichords, Wurli and Rhodes, almost anything you would want, and the action feels like an acoustic piano. It even has a touch adjustment with 4 levels.