Messages

It seems that both a "73" size and a "88" size were produced by CBS.
So I still don't understand why ep-service sell only one size.

ok
the seller told me there is only one size.
bizarre !

[great]

My impression from having seen the show live is that it is an autowah/envelope filter, which he only used or "Higher Ground."

That's a great video clip. He didn't have live horn section on the show I saw. A whole different band too.

You r certainly right, I remember Stevie was a big fan of the mutron III auto filter, using it on his clavinet ( http://www.mu-tron.org/ )

This video is a french tv show, with the backing band of the night show

here is stevie playing on the same keyboards rig.
I wonder what's the boss type pedal on the clavinet ?

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xci5p1_stevie-wonder-victoires-de-la-musiq_music

here it is, but no size specified ( 73, 88 ? )
i've send them an email, waiting for the answer.



http://www.ep-service.nl/joomla/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=418&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

I had same issue with a few keys on my '77 rhodes
I solved it by cutting the extremity of the dampers metal bar, like shown in this video
http://www.youtube.com/user/vintagevibekeyboards#p/u/170/SdLRBHkuzIo

Hi garagebandking41
Wassup man ? Did you do the bump mod ?
How do you feel with your 78' now ?

The referenced article does not specify CE-1 or CE-2.

Both were available during the making of the Jarreau albums.

You're right my friend, but it can only be the CE1 which have a "stereo" output.

Jay Graydon says :" the output on the BOSS CHORUS was the "stereo out" so only the "chorus" was sent and not mixed with the dry source.  " ( source : http://www.jaygraydon.com/askedtxt.htm )

Any early 80s Al Jerreau with the "E Model" rhodes has this chorus pedal.  Sounds great.

Sorry but it's a Boss CE-1, not a CE-2

_____________

hmm it sounds good ! thanks for your response.
I'd like to see his royal blue - gold sparkle colors...
Peace
S.

Nice gear Spooky !

What is your rhodes's history ? Some  electronical or mechanic tweaking ?
Do you use the MS20's filters with the Rhodes ?
What kind of music do you play with that set up ?

I know what O. is talking about. I have played on a 1972 Stage with a very unconfortable touch. There was no "pianissimo" nuances possibilitie. A "pianissimo attack" resulted in a No sound. :oops:

It was not heavier than some pianos, indeed, but I couldn't play it with nuances, whereas I can always deal with a piano. Even if it has a heavy touch, a piano stay playable.

I've made a test using the sustain pedal.
When I push it down, the dampers are off... ok, So...

1st observation : the touch is much lighter. It's like a Mark 2.
It seems that, WITH MY RHODES, the damper's tension - or stiffness - is the main cause of touch hardness, contrary to what tnelson said :

That said, the Rhodes action is pretty light when all is in adjustment, and I don't think even very stiff damper arms would affect this much.

2nd observation : the spring return of the keys is the same than when damper pedal is not push down : No link between the dampers' tension and the spring return of the keys.

yeah you're right tnelson.
I'm pianist too, and I know what you are talking about.

do you think that the "spring return" is improvable on a rhodes ?
do you think it can depends of the damper's stiffness ?

the rising of the keys after striking is what is slower than i feel it should be.

Helo guys,

I think, but I'm not sure, that lubrifying make the "pressure" lighter AND make the "key's return" faster.
Can some technician correct me if I'm wrong.

S.

Hello guys,

Is it true that increasing the dampers' tension will also result to make the touch feeling harder ?

Hello guys,

Has someone mesurated the " frequency curve " of the Suitcase cabinet ?

S.

hi guys,

as I explained in an other post, my rhodes is a Suitcase model ( in fact a Stage with the Suitcase namerail ) that I modified to use it less the bottom cabinet.

Now I can use treble, bass and tremolo.

I think it's a well known upgradd, but maybe it could help someone in the same case to know it's possible.

S.

Hello guys

Have you ever heard talking about a TOO LOUD harp rca output which makes the preamp distording when playing very strong?
It's what happend to my Rhodes, with two different preamps.

So my technician puts an electric resistance into the preamp, to lower the input signal about 3 or 4 dB. Now it works fine.

The Rhodes is a Stage 73 Mark 1, first week of 1977, with the exclusive namerail upgrade. I got it with two Super Satellite cabinets.
It has been customized by the same technician to be used less the cabinets. Now it has an onboard AC power on the back and two jack outputs next to the "accessory".

It has a great sound, very very closed mics' setting. I finished tuning it myself.
Here is some pics. Sorry for the bad quality.

Yeah I'm very proud of all my instruments, with a special tenderness for the vintage stuffs

But it's true a clavinet is missing  :lol: I use for the moment a Nordelectro2 ( not a bad simulation in fact ... it particulary use a "natural" tuning, not a cold "equal" tuning ).

No instructions on the web page...  where I have to click to download, please??
Don't only repeat what you have already said before. Thanks u.

congratulation sean p for your purchase. it's always a joy to see a new couple to be formed.

[This is my Rhodes. He's born in 1977, like me Stage 73 with the original suitcase preamp]

This is my Rhodes. He's born in 1977, like me
Stage 73 with the original suitcase preamp



The suitcase preamp, with 2 jacks outputs and power supply modif ( tremolo effect is realy a fantastic thing :lol: ) :



My Rhodes' friends ( Twin Reverb, Leslie122, Boss CE-1 )



His bedroom, shared with a portable Hammond B3, MUTRON biphase, etc.


Great sound and touch !! Love my vintage effects too ! :wink:

sorry but I don't how to download the files. is SAFARI ok with your ftp ?

well, thank u, markII.

one thingh more... I've just learned from a rhodes technician, that the tremolos' rates can speed up along the years. it would explain why I feel mine is too speed...
ok fine. see U.

Soukouss

[enhances]

Yep, u're right. I'll try soon. But I suppose you talk about dynamic "created" by the twin, more than the rhodes's natural dynamics, that a PA system will faithfully reproduce. Maybe it 'd be more precise to say that the Twin enhances the rhodes' dynamic range. I'll try out.

In fact, both two chanels distord.

How can a guitar amp has more dynamic than a PA system ?!!
For me it will have more compression, and changing the color sound, but not more dynamic than a transparent PA system.
Explain me what you're talking about, please.

Soukouss

Hi everyone,

I have a wish : to have the "square" tremolo sound with my original "sinusoidal" tremolo namerail ( concentric knobs ).
I imagine a little button to swith between square or sinusoidal type wave.

I mean, I like the original sinusoidal sound, but I'd like to have sometimes the square tremolo. Very typicall RnB sound, for me.
What's the technical tweeking ? Do you have shematics ?

Also, I would like to change the rate range of the tremolo. I feel it could go much slower. I don't need the high speed rates.
Do you know if some Suitcase have got fast tremolos, and others have got slower ones? Is there one typicall rates range for the Rhode's Tremolo ?

See U

Hi guys,

I have a problem with my suitcase rail. The sound has some overdrive when I play strong.
It's not the suitcase cabinet, because I don't have one; my rhodes is a stage with the suitcase preamp rail and two jack audio outputs, that a technician installed.

The problem is resolved if I put one pedal effect in the accessory insert, bypass it and use its "input gain" button to LOWER the signal before it returns in the preamp.
It works, but it not satisfy me. What's wrong in my preamp ?

Do you have any ideas ?

Peace. Bye.
Soukouss

WHat is the difference betwwen the Mutron Bi Phase and the Smallstone ?
Which has the more "liquid" sound ?

NO, you don't need a preamp to have a cleaner sound.
Did you ever try to plug your Stage directly into an amp ?
You can have this very clean sound. Just well balancing the input level and the master level on the amp.

Isn't it true, guys?

By me, people use preamp because they want to add some warm and cream to their sound.
For example, the "Mk1 Suitcase Preamp/Vibrato" putted into my Stage by a technician, give me a creamy sound ( and stereo Vibrato effect too !! ).

It's true that I win a better output "level" from my Rhodes, but that was not the first required goal.

---------------------------------
Soukouss

Hi all !

@ BackRoomSounds,

I see at the very first of the 1st video ( "ray charles' style groove"), Barney plays a glissando with the left hand, very easy. Is it a result of the pedestal mod?

:wink:

Hi, I just recently bought a MKII suitcase.

What is the date number ( the 4 numbers code, inside, top right ) ?

[direct]

If you want more "bells", just plug out from the Accessory ( effect loop ) output into an guitar amp.
Or U can use the stereo "preamp out" from the Suitcase too.
Because Suitcase Speakers are bad for "bells-like" sound, prefer some direct plugs.

everyone says twin.
very heavy though, if you can be bothered. or have your back destroyed.


actually i want to add to this question..
what is a heaps light amp that is ok for rhodes??

The Fender "PRO Reverb" is lighter than Twin Reverb and sound great too.
Also, overdrive is less difficult to obtain with it; it comes sooner. :wink:
A very good alternative.

it's so true! ...

The Suitcase bottom cabinet is not necessary if you make the upgrade I described. If you play in gigs, it will be a very-cool upgrade because you'll have a  light "stage" Rhodes with the "suitcase" sound.
Remember that the cabinet is only a amp & speakers indeed. The preamp and the vibrato are in the keyboard's "namerail"!
For me, I prefer play less Suitcase cabinet, just with the Suitcase namerail ( preamp+tremolo ) plugged into D.Is.
I think it's more precise, it's more respectuous of the Rhodes sound, for me.
Try :wink:

yes, you can do that, but you loose the preamp & tremolo.
for me, it would be TOO BAD.

U're welcome, baby  

The 5-pin of your Mark II ( or 4-pin with a Mark I model ) is both :

an audio OUTPUT stéréo ( with the tremolo )
AND
a electric 110V INPUT ( the cable in which the 110 volt COMES from the "bottom suitcase")

So if you don't use this-5 pin connection, you have to make an alternative AUDIO output, AND an alternative electrical power, with a little transfo.

Please, ask a technician for this upgrade. It's works great with my Mark I.

If you say that Suitcase preamp would give me better tone I would get it.

I didn't talk about "better". I like the creamy sound my preamp offers.
Careful : It's very subtle !

But maybe if you have an active guitar (with active electronics) the situation would be similar to Suitcase preamp.

I think you have to test it before you buy it. An Active Guitar output is different of a Preamp output. But Line6 has certainly strong inputs. Ask a technician.

Outboard gear is very poor and has one Manley Voxbox for JK's vocal.

Are you sure the sound engineer doesn't put any digital Compression in his Yamaha mixer ?

 What do you think about matching inputs and outputs for that my setup?

What do you mean ??! I don't understand.

Could you tell me which preamp you have (which brand) and where you bought it, maybe I could take a look on the net?

It's an ORGINAL vintage Preamp. The same of a Suitcase Rhodes Preamp, with the stereo Vibrato effect and the Accessory 1 & 2 loop, as well as treble & bass EQ, and a added-on stereo output that I had especially made.
Look at the Super Satellite system at this page, for more detail : http://www.fenderrhodes.com/models/amp.php

Cheers  :wink:

I forgot one think,

You can do this chain :

rhodes STAGE + MONO EFFECT LOOP (1)+ preamp STEREO + LINE6 stereo effect with "line level inputs" (2)= MIXBOARD "line level" inputs (3)

Because : (1)your friend can put a MONO Effect Loop BEFORE the preamp, like in the Suitcase. If you have some mono effect, it's here and anywhere else.
             (2) because the Preamp transform the "passive rhodes' signal" into a "active LINE LEVEL", so your stereo effect must have an adapted input level.
             (3) you need DI boxes if the signal traverses some big distances. If think Jamiroquai use some DI boxes, because the distances are big, not for the sound.

Hi Goran


I'm Soukouss, I live in France. I have a STAGE 73 MK1 with the original sweet rhodes' Preamp/tremolo. If i bypass the preamp, the sound is a bit different. I think that a BSS DI boxes can't imitate that sound. The preamp really has a great "Creamy" sound.

BUT, the Math Johnson' setting is certainly very good too.
Are you sure he doesn't put any preamp or tube compressor after the DI boxes ? Did you ask him or the sound ingineer.

Another thingh : the output signal of your STAGE 73 is OK for effect pedal.
It's like a guitar output.

If you want had some warm to your sound, you can use a preamp, but you don't need a preamp to BOOST the signal. Passive output is great with DI boxes.

What do you think about that ?

cool  

Hi,

First, in my opinion, the preamp of the Rhodes make the "Rhodes sound". You can have some good sound with external preamp or amp, but the factory preamp has THE sound and the good equalizer freq.
And you have the famous "Tremolo!!" Fantastic.

( There is two kind of preamp : mkI or MkII which sound almost similar )

Then, you can look for a "Rhodes preamp" on internet, or you can use a substitute.
Also, the "Dunlop TS-1" pedal is very good to simulate stereo vibrato effect.

Bye. Soukouss

No, they sound too much different

Hi all,

I have found a pair of Super satellite, FR7220 model.
But one is a the "Fender Rhodes" and one is a "RHODES".
The one has a smooth sound, and some 1975 Oxford speakers
The second as a brighter and louder sound, and some 1979 UTAH speakers

I'd like to know if I can make the amps sound similar.

? change TUBES ? what is the tubes models inside ??
PUT one OXFORD and one Utah in both sattelite ?

Is there some differences with the two series ? except the "fender" and not "fender" LOGO ?

Grettiings.