Topics

Who is responsible for this new product?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181800486867

So in my quest to fix B above middle C, I succeeded in re-gluing the felt to the hammer with contact cement, which seems to have done the job. But the hammer is still hanging way too low!  After swapping parts around to determine the cause, I discovered that the pedestal block for that particular key is 1/16" shorter than the others.  Has anybody else run across this?  I'm 99% sure the keybed is 100% original, so this would have been a manufacturing defect.

Since Vintage Vibe isn't selling them anymore, I went looking for replacement key caps on my own. I bought a set of white ones that theoretically fit any acoustic piano, but they're off by as much as 1/8" in certain places that you can't easily resize. Does anybody have a reliable source where I can get ones that fit better?

So I decided not to remove the felts from the hammers on my '77 Stage, considering that the felts are very clean along with everything else inside this piano. There's one note, however, where the felt had peeled halfway off and I needed to remove it. The question is, what kind of glue is the best choice for gluing it back on?

Does anybody have a remedy for this one aside from removing the harp bracket?

Is it normal to get distortion from the MXR Phase 90 when you're playing harmonically complex chords? This is the first time I've ever had the chance to use one, and the results seem pretty dirty...

What are the best choices for lubricating the key pedestal felts these days?  I have a 12-year-old can of ACE Hardware silicon spray that's being retired.

I need to take the key pedestal felts off of the hammers in this early '77 Rhodes.  How are people removing them without leaving the sticky residue on the hammer?

I've got a B above middle C that is clunking like it needs a new tine, but I'm not really convinced that's the problem.  The symptoms:

* tuning spring is adjusted to be in the center of the tine as opposed to the end (this is also the case with some of its neighbors)
* the note sustains at a low to medium volume but clangs or just goes dead when played harder
* the hammer is resting 1/4" below the other hammers in the piano

This is an early '77 piano with the felts on the underside of the plastic hammers.  Any ideas?

Does anybody have a reliable method of removing the tine from the tonebar without completely stripping the head of the machine screw, which was machined on tight at the factory?

What's everybody's favorite way to get a dead tine off of the tonebar?  We're talking about the original that was machined on at the factory.  I usually put it in a vise and do my best to crank it off with a 5/16" wrench, but sometimes that ends up stripping the head of the hex screw...

Can anybody explain what the extra wiring is at the end of the pickup rail?

Before I attempt this myself, has anybody succeed in using a dye or stain on good tolex that is already glued on the piano cabinet?  The dye solution would need to be something that doesn't cause the glue to peel off or the vinyl to melt in the process, so I'm guessing a water-based stain is about the only thing that would work.  I'm sure I'll be spending a while at the art store looking for this, but there are a lot of other crazies on here, so I thought I'd ask around...   :shock:

Check it. A photo of Alicia Keys' uncomfortable-looking producer surrounded by the "vintage collection". The sparkletop Piano Bass has the harp cover on wrong...must've got it on Ebay...

Plus it's on top of the "rare ARP Electr[on]ic Piano", a.k.a. the infamous and hated Rhodes Electronic Piano Model 3363.  If that thing is the future sound of R&B, maybe we should stop hating it so much and buy them cheap on Ebay! :twisted:

[Harold Rhodes estimated that 250,000 pianos]

Harold Rhodes estimated that 250,000 pianos (a quarter of a million) were built during the lifetime of production at CBS from 1965 to 1984.  Regarding specific models and eras, all that can be said is that as popularity grew throughout the 1970's, so did demand for the pianos.  We have a better idea of how many of the more obscure models were made, such as the Rhodes Mark IV (one prototype) or the Fender Rhodes Executone (Kenneth Manning states that his is one of 11 total).  As we build the Serial Number Registry here at the Rhodes Super Site, we hope to gain more insight into how many pianos still exist today, which is perhaps the better question to be asking.

I have 2 harp covers for 73-key pianos standing in the corner of my apartment, currently not in use and in need of homes:

* a Speakeasy Flat-Top (no longer in production) that fits both Mark I's and Mark II's, in which I have already punched holes for the "Seventy-Three" logo

* a Mark I Round-Top that is in the middle of a red sparkle customization (paint necessary to complete the project is included, of course)

At this point I am simply taking offers from anybody willing to pickup in Santa Cruz, CA.  Email me at james@fenderrhodes.com if you're interested.

[1967]

I'm compiling Fender/CBS price lists as they come up and posting my findings by year under this topic for anybody who is interested.  The final list price for a new Mark V Stage 73 was $1095 USD, which is (interestingly enough) what many people are paying for a used Rhodes in prime condition these days.

1967

Fender Musical Instruments Price List October 1967
prices in USD
**** price not listed

$895 73 Key Piano, 6-Octave, with Legs and Sustaining Pedal, and Amp (Two Pieces)
$**** 49 Key Piano, with Legs and Sustaining Pedal, and Amp (Two Pieces)
$390 Piano Bass, 3-Octave
$**** Celeste, 4-Octave

$59.50 Stand for Piano Bass and Celeste
$31 Cover for 73 Key Piano
$9 Cover for Piano Bass

1968

Fender Musical Instruments Price List July 1968
prices in USD

$895 73 Key Piano, 6-Octave, with Legs and Sustaining Pedal, and Amp (Two Pieces)
$390 Piano Bass, 3-Octave

$795 Contempo Organ, Portable, 5-Octave, with Pedal and Legs, Hinged Case and Leg Bag
$895 Starmaster Organ, Portable, 5-Octave, with Pedal, Stand and Carrying Case

$59.50 Stand for Piano Bass
$31 Cover for 73 Key Piano
$9 Cover for Piano Bass
$10 Cover for Contempo Organ

1973

Fender Suggested Retail Price List p. 7
prices in USD

$1280 Suitcase Piano Set, 88 Key
$1125 Suitcase Piano Set, 73 Key
$500 Suitcase Piano Bottom (amp only)

$870 Mark I Stage Piano, 88 Key
$720 Mark I Stage Piano, 73 Key

$430 Piano Bass, 32 Key
$65 Piano Bass Custom Stand

$795 Super Satellite Power Speakers (complete system)
$375 Super Satellite Master Unit
$350 Super Satellite Slave Unit
$175 Super Satellite Preamp

The price list I received has dealer notes that indicate a raise in prices of around $15 to $20 at some point, but there is no indication as to when that happened.  Every piano and amp also had a custom vinyl cover available that could be ordered from the factory, at a cost ranging from $20 to $40.  Additionally, hard cases with casters were available for the pianos and amps, priced around $100 for the Suitcase & Stage Pianos and $70 for the Satellite Amps.

1977

Rhodes Keyboard Instruments
Suggested Retail Price List Effective June 4, 1977
prices in USD

Keyboards

$1545 Suitcase Piano Set, 88 Key
$1375 Suitcase Piano Set, 73 Key
$1095 Mark I Stage Piano, 88 Key
$925 Mark I Stage Piano, 73 Key
$525 Piano Bass, 32 Key

Amplifiers

$975 Super Satellite Power Speaker Set (For Mark I Stage 73 or 88 Key)
$445 Super Satellite Master Unit
$415 Super Satellite Slave Unit
$180 Super Satellite Pre-Amp

Note: This was the last production year for the Super Satellites, which would be replaced with the Janus I System in 1978.

Accessories

$52 Suitcase Piano, 88 Key, Cover Set
$29 Suitcase Piano Top, 88 Key, Cover
$46 Suitcase Piano, 73 Key, Cover Set
$23 Suitcase Piano Top, 73 Key, Cover
$23 Suitcase Piano Bottom Cover (88 or 73 Key)
$29 Mark I Stage Piano, 88 Key, Cover
$23 Mark I Stage Piano, 73 Key, Cover
$19 Super Satellite Master or Slave Unit Cover
$14 Piano Bass Cover
$110 Piano Bass Stand

1978

Rhodes Keyboard Instruments
Suggested Retail Price List Effective December 17, 1977
prices in USD

Keyboards

$1595 Suitcase Piano Set, 88 Key
$1425 Suitcase Piano Set, 73 Key
$1145 Mark I Stage Piano, 88 Key
$975 Mark I Stage Piano, 73 Key
$550 Piano Bass, 32 Key

Janus I Keyboard Amplification System

$625 Janus I Power Amp Enclosure w/ Power Cord and 15' 5-Pin Preamp Cable
$110 Janus I Preamp/Nameboard Assembly, 73 Key
$115 Janus I Preamp/Nameboard Assembly, 88 Key

$1335 Janus I Keyboard Amplification System, 73 Key (includes 2 Amps w/ Power Cords, Preamp/Nameboard Assembly w/ 15' 5-Pin Preamp Cable and 35' Interconnect Cable)
$735 Janus I Keyboard Amplification System, 73 Key (includes 1 Amp w/ Power Cord, 15' 5-Pin Preamp Cable and Preamp/Nameboard Assembly)
$1340 Janus I Keyboard Amplification System, 88 Key (includes 2 Amps w/ Power Cords, Preamp/Nameboard Assembly w/ 15' 5-Pin Preamp Cable and 35' Interconnect Cable)
$740 Janus I Keyboard Amplification System, 88 Key (includes 1 Amp w/ Power Cord, 15' 5-Pin Preamp Cable and Preamp/Nameboard Assembly)

Accessories

$54 Suitcase Piano, 88 Key, Cover Set
$30 Suitcase Piano Top, 88 Key, Cover
$48 Suitcase Piano, 73 Key, Cover Set
$24 Suitcase Piano Top, 73 Key, Cover
$24 Suitcase Piano Bottom Cover (88 or 73 Key)
$30 Mark I Stage Piano, 88 Key, Cover
$24 Mark I Stage Piano, 73 Key, Cover
$14.50 Piano Bass Cover
$140 Piano Bass Stand note: still available
$15 Janus I 35' Interconnect Cable
$29.50 Janus I Power Amp Enclosure Cover
$33.75 Converter Kit I (100 Watt Enclosure with 80 Watt Keyboard)
$123.75 Converter Kit II (80 Watt Enclosure with 100 Watt Keyboard)

1985

The only model available was the Mark V Stage 73 at a list price of $1095 USD, not including the 450 lb.-capacity Peterson stand. The Mark V with stand was $1195, and the stand itself could be purchased alone for $150.

1987

The Mark V Stage 73 is sent to the back page of the price list, still tagged at $1095, and the stand is marked separately at $100.

So who wound up with this infamous ad???

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370247817523&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

I'm in the process of acquiring the 1969 Stage Piano (i.e. original wood hammer) schematics & service manual for the Super Site, listed on Ebay right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300330672270

If anybody wants to send a PayPal donation to the cause, I'd truly appreciate it...I doubt that it will sell for $25.99!!!

[1. The "Fender Rhodes" logo was changed to simply "Rhodes" in 1975 for marketing purposes.]

Much confusion surrounds the name badges on pianos with the "Fender Rhodes" logo versus those with the "Rhodes" logo, with discussions and debates arising over their use in both determining age, value, tone and playability. To dispel, many myths, here are the facts:

1. The "Fender Rhodes" logo was changed to simply "Rhodes" in 1975 for marketing purposes.

2. A "Rhodes" is not Pre-CBS.

I have to head out the door...more to come shortly!

After a small shipping fiasco it finally showed up....

73-Key Piano w/ Amp & Sustain Pedal   $895 (cover available for $31)
49-Key Piano w/ Amp & Sustain Pedal   (no price shown)
Piano Bass, 3-Octave                  $390 (cover available for $9)
Celeste, 4-Octave                     (no price shown)
Stand for Piano Bass & Celeste        $59.50

This woman has been stalking me from my Yahoo! mailbox for practically a year now, and this video shows a vague map of her location...can anyone identify her whereabouts so I can call the police?

http://www.fenderrhodes.com/img/users/james/st.html

Facebook keeps implying that this woman is looking for me...is she looking for any of you too, or is it just me???

It arrived today, and I heard the Korg M1's choir of angels sounding as I opened it. The guy wasn't kidding about it being near mint: the spine wasn't broken (I took care of that when I scanned it) and there were only a few finger-dents in what otherwise felt like new paper. So here are some Web-rez scans for everybody...Ben, I've got the 2400 dpi ones ready for you too!

After seeing the Five Peace Band last night, I think Yamaha needs a new ad slogan:

Even Chick Corea can't make the Motif sound like a real Rhodes.

He was able to get the 80's Elektric Band sounds out of it perfectly, but the Rhodes tone was just plain wrong, empty, devoid of emotion. I found myself waiting for him to head back over to the acoustic piano. That's where he's doing his best playing on this tour!

I've been looking at videos and pics of the tour so far, and Chick is using the Motif for all of the Rhodes-type sounds when he's looking for them. Since he's been overseas, I'm still wondering if the Mark V will be along for the ride when he gets to the US. Does anybody know what the plan is? I'm having trouble waiting for March 23rd....

BTW, it's obvious that Chick's Facebook account is being run by somebody else here in the US considering how many "friends" he adds throughout the day. There are a lot of drummers on my list who I've added via musician friends of mine who actually know them (Steve Gadd, Jerry Marotta). You get the sense that they're using it like normal people, even if their friend-base is in the thousands. So what's the deal, Chick? You never reply to my messages...you're never online so I can chat and catch up...what happened to us? We were so close, and now we're so far! All of this touring has torn us apart, and now you've got somebody pretending to be you? :cry:

We don't have much data on the serial numbers, but you can still determine the production year by looking inside the piano. There are two 4-digit date codes, one on the pickup rail and one on the tonebar rail. The code on the pickup rail is located on the right-hand side, beneath the part number. The first two digits indicate the week of the year, and the last two indicate the year (e.g. 0978 = 09th week of 1978, sometime in early March). This is the week the pickup rail was completed, which was normally 1 to 4 months prior to the day the piano was finished. This code is the best indicator of the piano's age.



In cases where the pickup rail code is unreadable, you can also look for the finish date code on the lower right-hand side of the tonebar rail. From 1965 to 1973, this also followed the week/year convention mentioned above. Sometime in 1974, the code was switched to week/year/day, where 1581 is interpreted as 15th week, 1978, 1st day of the work week (Monday). When 1980 arrived, the year digit started over at 0, so 1501 would be 15th week, 1980, 1st day of the work week.



As a point of reference, here's an overview of the different models and their production years:

* "Sparkle Top" Fender Rhodes (1965-1969)
* Fender Rhodes Mark I (1969-1975)
* Rhodes Mark I (1975-1979)
* Rhodes Mark II with wood keys (1979-1980)
* Rhodes Mark III EK-10 & Rhodes 54 (1980)
* Rhodes Mark II with plastic keys (1981-1983)
* Rhodes Mark V (1984)

[how am I supposed to connect this thing to a regular amp???]

It is very common for pianos that were updated with the Super Satellite speaker package to be sold without them these days, or for the Suitcase Piano top to be missing its bottom and placed on a heavy-duty keyboard stand instead.  Since both of these pianos used a 5-pin DIN or XLR-style cable to connect with the original amplifier, the question almost always arises: how am I supposed to connect this thing to a regular amp???

The good news is that the Super Satellite system included a pair of 1/4" outputs as well:



As did the later Janus I system:



The original design was for Accessory 1 & 2 to be an effects loop, with #1 being "send" and #2 being "return".  Since #1 (the top jack) is "send", it is wired straight to the pickups and has an output level similar to an electric guitar with zero amplification.  Accessory #1 is functionally the same as the 1/4" out on any guitar or bass.

So in order to get the correct signal from the piano, you will want to use one of these:

a) guitar or bass amp
b) tube preamp
c) mic input on a mixer
d) mic input on a keyboard amp

In the case that you have a Suitcase Piano top without the Accessory jacks, you will need to remove the plastic top and use the output from the RCA jack at the left end of the pickup chain.  The cable you find inside can be unplugged easily without damaging anything, then you can connect an RCA male-to-whatever cable of your own in order to get output to an amp or mixer.  Again, it's the same as a passive guitar output.  You'll need some sort of preamp along the way to boost the signal no matter what.

I've always wondered what people's opinions were regarding using the Stage Piano's cross braces on the legs when you actually have them...do they make any difference in stability?  What I'm talking about is the "wobble" factor you get while playing when you've got the 4 legs for support and nothing else, which is what most people wind up with when buying a Rhodes these days since either the braces or the complete leg set are typically lost.  I only owned one Stage 73 with the braces and never tried them (at the time I used a stand instead of the leg set), so I don't have a point of comparison besides the Suitcase's amp base, which tends to be rock solid.  What do you guys think?  Are the braces worth it?

I got an email from a guy in South Texas (Harlingen, near the border) this morning saying that he has a Fender Rhodes 73 that he wants "to go to someone who will appreciate it", i.e. for free. So if anybody out there is serious about driving and picking the piano up from him, let me know and I'll put the two of you in touch.

I just checked when I logged in and we hit the 20000 post mark sometime in the last couple of days.  Congrats to everybody for doing so much talking here!

I'm assuming that 98% of people out there with a Twin Reverb automatically go for the SM57 when they need to mic their amp, but what about the Suitcase?

It's even got a snazzy bench to go with it....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=300261820456

47. Season 3, Ep 6: Blue's Big Pajama Party

Blue is having a big pajama party, late at night at the Blue's Clues house. We're invited, but what fun is pajama party if you do nothing but sleep? Blue certainly thinks this and so we have all sorts of fun. We help Shovel and Pail to identify animals that stay awake at night. We even pay a visit to outer space to try and answer the deep question of just why it is that we have night.

The warm, peaceful Fender Rhodes plays an important part in keeping everybody sleepy in this episode. Later the keyboardist begins to punch it out as they begin to wake up.

I just picked up a Super Satellite slave cabinet (which functions as a standalone amp) from the Rhodes-branded production era, and there's something I really don't understand.  In the photos I've found of a master or slave cabinet the power amp AC is labeled 117V - 60Hz - 250W, and it looks like the Super Satellite user guide is showing the same thing (the scan is really crappy so I may be wrong).  In every piece of advertising I've found for the Super Satellites the cabinet is stated as being a 100W amp.  So here's the question: why is my slave cabinet's power supply rated at 500W???

I'm trying to find out partly for historical reasons but mostly because I don't know a damn thing about amps and would like to know more.  Any help on this one would be greatly appreciated.

I picked up a Super Satellite cabinet that was shipped to me without any sort of power cable in the box, which left me wondering if the guy ever had one in the first place.  Since the jack is really an AC plug, I was able to use an extension cord to power it up, but I still want to know what the standard power cable is supposed to be!!!  Here's a another one on Ebay right now:

Duane and Lina lived in a community hard hit by a tornado, leaving them and many of their neighbors with serious damage to their homes. Because so many homes were in need of repair, the local contractors had waiting lists of people who needed to get their homes fixed.

Duane and Lina had their names on one such list, but one day had two men stop at their door and offer to fix their roof for half of the other contractor's estimate. The men claimed that they represented an out-of-state company that wanted to help people get a good deal due to the tragic events of the tornado. With a $500 payment for supplies, the men said they could begin fixing Duane's roof. Duane was interested in getting a good deal, but he first wanted a written estimate for the repairs and proof of their license to do business before he paid them anything.

The men said they would be back later with the information, but never returned. They did, however, stop at a nearby home with the same offer. Unfortunately, Duane's neighbor paid the men the $500 deposit they were requesting and waited for them to return with the supplies. Again, the men never returned, leaving Duane's neighbor with a damaged roof and short $500.

[somebody]

I thought that since my max bid is only $125 and I've already got a Super Satellite cabinet showing up at my very small apartment this week, somebody should put in a higher bid on this thing and make sure it doesn't just get bought up at the last minute for tines & pickups:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220276678502

As we said in the previous Piano Bass From Hell thread, it's probably one of the only plastic-key Piano Basses ever built, maybe even the last Piano Bass ever.  Ben, I hope you already grabbed all the pics from the listing!!!

[And I'm the one bidding on it right now, so do me a favor and lay off please!!!]

This is it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220276678502

Apparently this is the cosmic cousin of my 12-note Mark II, made in '81 with the plastic keys hidden inside what looks like a late 70's Piano Bass.  I call this thing "cousin" because it seems to be in the same condition as mine was when it was dug up, nicely trashed but still somehow operational.  And of course, the harp cover is on wrong.  That's how we know it's been in the right hands.

And I'm the one bidding on it right now, so do me a favor and lay off please!!!  I plan to bring it back to life and study the mysteries of the plastic key action...and then retolex it in sky blue...and then sponge paint little white clouds on it....

1.

Subject: rare piano
From: David Wagoner <dwagoner9@triad.rr.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:44:26 -0400
To: input@fenderrhodes.com

I am concidering selling this,I cant find a picture of it anywhere,but I read one article,here is a pic,and I will sell this cause im moving,I have been told it's a 1969,but im not sure,it is simply awesome and I charish it,my number is 336-420-7390,you can call if you are interested,I want 4500 dollars for it,and I am pretty sure there were very few ever made,thanks!



http://www.fenderrhodes.com/img/users/douchebag/IMG_0043.jpg
http://www.fenderrhodes.com/img/users/douchebag/IMG_0046.jpg
http://www.fenderrhodes.com/img/users/douchebag/IMG_0047_1.jpg
http://www.fenderrhodes.com/img/users/douchebag/IMG_0060.jpg
http://www.fenderrhodes.com/img/users/douchebag/IMG_0061.jpg
http://www.fenderrhodes.com/img/users/douchebag/IMG_0062.jpg

2.

Subject: Re: rare piano
From: James Garfield <james@fenderrhodes.org>
Date: 2:24 PM
To: David Wagoner <dwagoner9@triad.rr.com>

They're not extremely rare, but you don't see them nearly as often as others...it's the Rhodes KMC I:

http://www.fenderrhodes.com/img/models/student/kmc1.jpg

You should be able to find the production date by looking inside the piano:

http://ep-forum.com/smf/index.php?topic=512

The article about these home models our website is extremely outdated, and it doesn't really give a good picture of what happened with them. All I can say is that you'll never get $4500 for it....

3.

Subject: Re: rare piano
From: David Wagoner <dwagoner9@triad.rr.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:39:05 -0400
To: James Garfield <james@fenderrhodes.org>

Just your `response and the way you say,YOU'LL NEVER GET 4500 DOLLARS FOR IT,is exactly why I dont f**k with geeks like you,I clearly said,thats what i would like to get out of it,meaning,thats what its worth to me and in my opinion,but to say,YOU'LL NEVER GET 4500,WOW DUDE,ARE YOU THAT FUCKIN ATE UP,I HAVE FUCKIN OWNED EVERY KIND OF MARSHALL KNOWN TO MAN,AND A GUITAR PLAYER,AND MICK MARS OF MOTLEY CREW BOUGHT ONE OF MY AMPS,AND WE ARE ON FIRST HOME PHONE BASIS,but you take the fuckin cake,so I have to say,f**k your fender rhodes blog bullshitt,AND f**k YOU AND YOUR MOM,OK!!!!LOL
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH,AND BY THE WAY,WHERE ARE YOU FUCKIN PICS OF THIS KEYBOARD SINCE YOU KNOW SO MUCH,the guy on e-bay paid 3500 for his,and had to restore it,so why is it not worth 4500,OH WELL,NO MORE TIME FOR YOUR GEEK ASS,UHM,f**k YA!

[looking]

Apparently somebody out there (they wouldn't tell me who) reported this site as being involved in a "phishing" scam because the forum was unintentionally caching Ebay pages, making them available for viewing on FenderRhodes.com while looking like they were being hosted on Ebay.  I had patched the caching script to stop this months ago, but old posts still had this junk data attached.  And since the "low priority" notification email was sent to my Yahoo! address on Friday night after my family had headed out to Disneyland for the weekend, I didn't get the message until the site was out of commission for a while.  I guess that's what "cheap hosting" is all about.

So I talked to them this morning and they unlocked my account.  I rebuilt the cache script so that it is much more limited in what kind of content it grabs.  And now I'm thinking of setting up my own Linux machine and running the site from home.  Or maybe the latest iPhone has Apache preinstalled.  It's time to investigate.

From the AP newsfeed:

LOS ANGELES - Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television. Some People Are Stupid. Stuff. People I Can Do Without. George Carlin, who died of heart failure Sunday at 71, leaves behind not only a series of memorable routines, but a legal legacy: His most celebrated monologue, a frantic, informed riff on those infamous seven words, led to a Supreme Court decision on broadcasting offensive language. more...

I really didn't expect to wake up to this one today, especially since he was still performing last weekend!!?!?!?!!  I'm not in mourning so much as in shock.  But what the hell, he had been doing comedy longer than I've been alive.  

BTW, you can use whatever language you want on the forum as long as you're not using it to piss somebody off.  Or should I say, somebody who's a registered user on the board.  Any other sons of bitches in the public eye (e.g. politicians, movie stars, or people who think they're movie stars) are fair game....

[fenderhordes]

For the first time in my life I tried to register somewhere online and the name fenderhordes was taken!!!??!?!?!!  Who the hell is actively using my typo name now!  It's my Ebay ID, my Yahoo! ID, my MySpace ID, I own the FenderHordes.com domain and everything.  How do I know it was stolen?  Because I had to register under the name fenderrhodes instead!!!  How am I supposed to remember that one?  Which one of you freaks is using my name instead of just trying "fenderrhodes" first???

FENDERHORDES SMASH!!!

Has anybody ever tried to document what kind of springs these are, where they came from and whether they have the same strength across the entire harp?

I'm back into dealing with the pickup rail wiring on my Mark I and still haven't diagnosed the source of the bad ground noise I'm getting from it.  For the sake of my sanity I checked my 12-key Mark II (which works fine & sounds great) using the same preamp, and there's no ground noise at all when I use the 1/4" out.  When I go direct from the Mark II's pickup rail, I get a HOT signal and a lot of ground noise, implying that the Volume/Bass Boost circuit is doing something to regulate the output and cancel or at least tone down the underlying buzz.  I know this is true because you can't reproduce it by turning Volume & Bass Boost to 10.  What's interesting is that on a Rhodes this small, all of the pickups are wired in parallel, so there's no crazy wiring scheme to follow....

So my general question to the techs out there is, if you've got a pickup rail that is wired correctly and has a lot of ground noise or electric buzz, what are some possible remedies for it?

I'm in the middle of watching the "Classic Albums" DVD on Frank Zappa's Apostrophe(') and Over-Nite Sensation (both from 1973), and the great mystery of George Duke's early-70's electric piano sound is being revealed to me.  In film of "Cosmik Debris" and "Montana" he's getting a really punchy, almost Wurli-like sound out of the Rhodes that people argue the early Fender Rhodes models have.  Well guess what.  On his left he has a Stage 88 (I counted the keys) with an ARP Odyssey on top of it, and on his right...a Wurli with a Clav on top.  And guess what.  In both clips, he's playing melodies on the Rhodes & Wurli at the same time!!!!!!!

OK, so I don't know a damn thing about these guys except that somebody put them in the Record Reviews section...I feel like I have to go just for the experience, but I don't have a way to get home from the show.  Is anybody out there going to be in Santa Cruz on Monday?

[shimmering Rhodes organ]

I've never heard him, but Dosh is playing at one of the local clubs in Santa Cruz tomorrow night, and I noticed a Stage 88 in his press photo...does anybody know if it's worth checking out this gig???  Here's the part of the club's writeup that mentions the Rhodes:

Having toured with Fog, Dosh eventually signed to Anticon and released his self-titled debut in 2003. A looping collage of shimmering Rhodes organ, bizarrely stuttering yet funky percussion, and spontaneous performance, the album opened new horizons for Dosh, revealing the unexplored possibilities of a musical approach that combined improvisation with the fine-tuning and complex production techniques facilitated by the solo, studio-based ethic. More touring followed, and Dosh developed an approach to live music that showcases his unique composition style in a spontaneous, public setting, making his performances enthralling, one-off events remembered by all who witness them.

I've still never heard about it or found it on my own, so I thought I'd throw this out there...does anybody know of a supplier for the original braided wire that joins the pickup rail together?

I just watched the 1973 Peanuts special "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" with my family last night after not having seen it since I was a kid myself, and the background music was like a 20 minute Rhodes jam!!!  Aside from the necessary "Linus & Lucy" breaks on acoustic piano, everything he did was on a Fender Rhodes.  I went looking online to see if the soundtrack was ever put on LP or CD, but all I've found so far is a bunch of cover versions by George Winston....