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Topics - Abraham

#1
The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / 200a cheap amp replacement
February 25, 2021, 06:16:56 AM
Sorry but I couldn't justify myself spending $400 plus shipping on a wurlitzer replacement amp... You can find TDA based amp boards on Aliexpress for cents doing pretty much the same job with power enough to drive those little speakers... you don't even use the amp for recording, so why not?

I mean, I'm not criticizing such prices, it's nice to have a direct replacement if you can afford such investment. Also, I understand design and production of such implies costs beyond my knowledge and they have a limited market to make it profitable. Just to make clear, I'm not saying those amps are overpriced, I'm just saying I can't afford one.

So, did anyone try such DIY alternatives? I know about the "free wurli" project, but it's from years ago. Build cost estimation was 120€ then, I think nowadays we could do it cheaper, I could be wrong though.

#2
My tech just screwed up those even if I warned him about this.

I know, VV sells those, $18 is not cheap but fair... Add international shipping and we have $54 plus taxes. What would you guys use (instead)?
#3
I don't need them to be exact replacement as long as I can get them fitted to the existing holes.

I know about vintagevibe, retrolinear... They sell replacements but they're very expensive, I'm looking for cheaper alternatives or anything I can get on a local store, but then I need measures and technical details I don't have.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you.
#4
I was offered a decent one in fair condition, with a good price I think, but I already have too many pianos so I will only take this one if its a hell of a good deal. I already have a 200A which I love.

So, what price would you expect in current market value? In Europe this things are usually more expensive than overseas in the USA.

Thank you.
#5
Im plaining a major restoration of my 40 years old 200A amp, so Im here to ask you guys, wich parts are prone to failure due to their age, and which ones are mandatory to get replaced on every amp to be properly serviced?

Thanks in advance!
#6
I need those for a project, I mean frequency & gain range for each knob, did anyone here make a proper measurement and would like to share detailed info? otherwise I will have to measure myself, and I don't have the proper equipment for such task

Thank you guys!
#7
I've just turn on my suitcase and all of a sudden a channel is no longer working.

I've a peterson 4 pin. I've had problems before with the headphone jack but this time it isn't the same. It's not the preamp I guess. I have plugged my guitar to the amp and I only have input/output on left channel wile the preamp is unplugged. That nails it down to the cabinet, but thats as far as I can reach myself.

So, what are the most common reasons for a channel to die, what do I have to check/replace to fix it?
Thank you
#8
Would you guys please share your procedure for a correct voicing? I'm not asking for a step by step guide as we already have one, but some hints about what a certain note should sound like in terms of frequency spectrum.

I have no reference of what a clean unprocessed rhodes *should* sound like, I used to set up my suitcase acording to what sounds best to my ears, but when it comes to recording from plain line out it doesnt sound good, its way too bassy compared to sample libraries and I don't really know if thats a matter of voicing or eq.

I would really love to hear a clean raw recording straight from harp line out (bypassing tone controls please!) from a properly voiced rhodes, a single key from every octave would be great, so I can use it as a template for my voicing. If anyone could be so kind to contribute with such recording I'm sure it would be helpful for some of us. Thank you.

#9
Hey guys, I have some trouble with keys #27 & #30 producing less output compared to the rest of them. I know there are two options, being: a) bad tine; b) bad pickup. What I don't know is how to make sure wich one is causing the problem before ordering a replacement (because shipping cost is WAY expensive).

Of course I tried moving the pickup as close as possible, resulting in more bark but not higher output. Also I have noticed whenever I press those particular keys harder, they dont sound louder but right the opposite (choking?)

I know pickups are working but I don't know how to test if they're OK. I have a multimeter but I don't know what do I have to check (ohms?) and what are acceptable values.

Besides, notes seem to output OK while picked with my fingers, so I think this might have something to do with the tine "hot spot" (bad tine?)

Key, pedestal and hammer don't have any noticeable difference from their neighbours.

Any help is appreciated!

#10
Just wondering if this could be found locally, just I don't know what to ask for. Maybe some of you know of a generic parts provider which sells such as components. Please notice this isn't a generic stereo jack socket since it also disconnects power amp whenever something is plugged in

Mine is making a bad connection to the left channel, which may not sound eventually. Of course it only takes to insert a jack and move it around to get it back, but i'm getting tired of this not working properly

#11
Buying / I need some '76 keycaps
June 24, 2012, 10:42:49 AM
I'd like replacing some chipped keycaps on my suitcase. It came with white felts under the hammers and bare flat pedestals. I need 4-5 but I'll buy some more for future replacement. If anyone could provide please let me know. Must be shipped to Spain but they don't weight much anyway.

Thank you.
#12
From Spain tour 2012, just taken a couple hours ago


http://db.tt/ZTjyNSVA

73 peterson mkI suitcase (with wrong fender logo btw), yamaha CP70, custom black hammond b3 & matching leslie, minimoog voyager??

Nice setup, but sadly you can hardly hear this keyboards cut tru the mix
#13
http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/products/wurlitzer-v/intro.html

I don't like the demos, so I'll be downloading this and trying myself
#14
there are no samples available for this one on their website, and I don't really like that $425 variable vibrato... I like the original tone better, and I wonder how the bulb could affect the sound... too many options, too little info...

Im interested in how the vibrato and tone compares to the original one, could anyone make a recording for all of us to hear?
#15
Every time I use the pedal I can hear a click, its not noticeable unless you use headphones but you can hear this at recordings. I need some info about proper ground wiring to the damper bar/pedal. Thank you.
#16
The Fender Rhodes Electric Piano / grounding issues
April 18, 2012, 03:32:05 PM
My rhodes has a grounding noise while recording from the front panel jacks. This happens just sometimes, and it suddenly stops after a few minutes playing, coming back randomly. This is hardly noticeable unless I raise highs on my setup, but it sounds pretty clean when this noise stops and I'd love to have such clean sound always.

I'm sure it has to do something with grounding as whenever I touch the harp assembly/supports, this affects somewhat reducing/increasing such noise

It seems all cables are in place, every pickup screw is tightened, every soldering joint seems ok, I don't know what else to check
Any help?
#17
I Jus't accidentally discovered this site, I thought any of you might find those useful







I have no clue how good/accurate they are, but hey, they're free:

http://www.martinic.com/combov/

(Please notice that I'm not related to this site in any way)


#18
I just rushed to set a bid on ebay for a pianet t in not working condition (at £230=275€=$335 plus shipping), and I'm not sure if It's really worth that price. Being in europe shipping costs would be lower, but its not working and I don't really know how expensive would be to get this repaired.

So I'm asking for your knowledge again. What would you recommend? Are those expensive to fix (as they seem to have a pretty straightforward design)? All I know is that it doesn't output to amp.

thank you.

#19
Mine is missing, so there's only a hole behind the keyboard for the pedal rod to come in. There's supposed to be anything there, I've seek tru vv but there's something like this only for the STAGE model (http://www.vintagevibe.com/p-112-stage-sustain-guide-cup.aspx). They have to be different because of different sized pedal rods, so I don't know.

Sure its useless since I can match rod height with that screw and sure it wont make a difference because it would keep unsight, but anyway, I'd like to know what that looks like.

Also, there's supposed to be felt on the bottom of the wooden block that raises the damper, right? there's only felt on the upside but I dont know in the bottom because I don't know how the missing part looks.
#20
As I'm having some trouble with playability, and loosen uneven chipped keys on my '76 suitcase, could I just replace the whole assembly from the stage to the suitcase crate??

This would also provide nice older plastic/wood hammers and wooden harp supports. Any help is really appreciated, before I make an investment (Shipping costs to europe are always HIGH)
#21
The Fender Rhodes Electric Piano / 2nd strike quality
November 29, 2011, 08:39:00 PM
I have noticed whenever I strike any key that's already sounding, it needs to be pressed harder to make it sound right and consistent, otherwise it would sound dull and "muted" with close to no attack.

I know this isn't new for any of us but I found this issue to be over exagerated on my keyboard. Action is OK but this 2nd strike issue makes this piano unconfortable to play. Some notes doesn't trigger as expected and that's something that you can get used to and just accomodate your playing accordingly, but definitely it's not what it's supposed to work like.

My question is, what should I look for to get this fixed??

Would the "miracle mod" make any improvement? I dont think action is that bad so I never really considered that option...

Maybe hammer tips are grooved or over-stiff due to age? I don't find those much worn but I don't really know...

Could I just adjust the "strike line" to a better spot? if this is the case, any directions would be really appreciated. It's been raised a little for voicing and escapement adjustments. It sounds great that way but I don't know how this could affect to the consistence of the strike. It was already set up that way when i got it.

My rhodes is a 1976 peterson suitcase with all plastic hammers. Setup is factory default with little work on it besides a poorly engineered backcheck system.

Thank you guys for the time to read!
#22
The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Dating a Wurlitzer?
November 18, 2011, 10:11:47 AM
I though 200-A were produced just around 1980-1981 but lately I found out they came out earlier. Then I would like to find out the production date of mine, but I don't really know where to spot. All I can see is that my faceplate is the later one, brushed and "not-mirror-like" looking. Any help? I don't really *need* to know, I'm just curious about it... Anyway some directions in such topic would make a great sticky to this forum.
#23
Being the fact that they're not being produced anymore... how much will be worth paying for a good looking one? I have spotted a 200 one on ebay but it seems a little pricey at $250, what do you guys think?

My 200-A black top has some scratches and an annoying cigar burn, so that I want to get it replaced. Any of you happen to have a spare one? I would prefer a 200 rather than 200-A one because I don't really like the speaker screws...

Also, shipping to europe would be an option? I mean, would it be a reasonable price to ship this? if any of you have already done this before I'd like to know about

thank you
#24
I had a channel which didn't work eventually... now it appears to be definitely gone. I'll check the fuses but I don't think this is a fuse problem as long as this would eventually come back to work like it did before. I have isolated the problem to the main amp. I made sure pre-amp, cable & two power amps are OK.

You know when you plug phones in, the speakers still make sound, don't you? The weird thing is, whenever I plug those, the missing channel is back, not just on the headphones but the speakers also. Any ideas?
#25
Ok this is driving me crazy...

I have a weird high freq distortion on both speakers & phone jack, while line out is just smooth.
I'll post some example clips later, meanwhile imagine this as that lo-fi 8 bit distortion on your nintendo... It sounds like a high frequency sawtooth harmonic decaying slower than the reeds vibration, so you couldnt notice at attack but it goes obvious at note decay. Its ugly for a single note but even worse, on a chord its a complete mess...

My tech is like 60 years young so his ears couldnt probably hear what I'm talking about. He also insisted that every part on this amp measures right values and nothing needs to be replaced. Even he feeded this amp with a tone generator and output was a clean sine wave on the oscilloscope...

So I just don't know how to proceed. What are the symphtoms of a recap being needed? would capacitors measure right values even when they're worn?

once again, thank you!
#26
My 1976 suitcase '73  had a lot of modifications... all the keys were replaced from an 88, maybe later model. So I have bare plastic hammers and white felts on pedestals (not really felt but that spongy treatment that hammers used to have). Then I noticed some kind of a bump, right at the end of pedestals. Taking a closer look at the pedestals and felts you can notice there's a slim piece of felt in-between, making quite a bump, a really small one. May this be factory (to the keys)?



Now another question is, may I get some improvement installing the so called "miracle" mod? I was comfortable with action on this piano, but recently I bought myself a wurlitzer and now I feel those a little over-wheighted. If so, May I replace the whole felts and put the red ones along with the plastic bumps? or else should I only get the little felt bumps replaced by plastic ones and let the white felts covering them as they are right now?

Now, my backchecks... wich doesnt make any improvement at all, they even catched the keys making them sticky, I have loosen them all till I figure out how to improve them or else I will remove them and order vintagevibe's



Im just posting this as a curiousity, this could also help clearing the unknown past of this piano...
again, thank you!
#27
My wurlitzer has all the keys seriously yellowed so Im considering a re-cap, what do you guys think? are those generic keycaps same quality standard as originals? is it hard to replace them? May I sand those instead? as they're in good shape, just yellowed

I've read an older post about sanding them but I couldn't find none of the recommended products, nor I know how getting those back shining after sanded...

My rhodes would also benefit of new keycaps since I have two chipped keys... but believe me those wurlie keys are that yellow that I need fixing those before.

(I'm currently unemployed so I have spare time for such a task)
#28
Just curious, whats this button used for? I have this on mine but still I don't know. I've already checked the whole service manual, but it only covers servicing things not using them...

I stole borrowed this pic from someone here in the forum, just in case someone doesn't know what i'm talking about

thank you!

#29
thats my problem right now, please help me out troubleshooting this... what may I change on the first place?

thank you!
#30
The Fender Rhodes Electric Piano / eBay BEWARE!!
September 27, 2011, 08:41:15 PM
Hey guys I just want to get you adviced... 2 or 3 days ago I was surprised by -which seemed to be- a great deal on ebay. Someone was selling a brand new black MK7s with matching cabinet, no reserve, buy it now at USD $1300.00 (Please notice its not the red one we all have spotted lately, but a black one instead)

Description seemed fair, seller reputation was 99% positive feedback from thousands of deals, pictures looked great, price was sooo damn low that it made me suspect... seller asked to contact directly before buying, probably just trying to arrange a prank out of ebay security. It looked by far so great deal to be true, so I just let it go. This just vanished few hours later.

Later the very same day, this item appeared back... same pictures and same story, different seller this time. 100% positive feedback from around a thousand transactions. Hours later it was gone again.

Today same story upto 3 times with different sellers, similar feedback all of them.

I always trusted ebay until now, even I bought my wurlitzer recently from an ebay seller and everything was just fine... but this kind of things would make me think twice next time

It looks like someone is stealing ebay accounts and trying to scam you people, so please be aware!







#31
The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / reed wheight right position
September 21, 2011, 12:32:35 AM
I have noticed that first 20 reeds from the left have wheights downside, all the other upwards, is this normal? what would be the correct setup? is this random or would this affect voicing somewhat? should I...? According to my ears this is sounding great that way right now... but now that Im about to disassembly the whole thing again, its the moment for fixing everything as needed

again, thank you
#32
I have one speaker sounding crackle on the left, the other one is fine. Im told recone will affect sound and I don't want those sounding different from each other, so Im asking your knowledge again to decide what to do. Replacing both of those with generic ones would be cheap, so I don't know if this is worth fixing...

Also, if anyone have a spare one around we could make a deal...
#33
Buying / wurlitzer 200-A speakers
September 20, 2011, 11:58:23 PM
If anyone happen to have a spare 200-A speaker around please let me know, I need one of these, thanks
#34
Ok first the whole story... this piano sounded low and distorted so I found the fuses were short, so I got those jumped and this was working right again, while I was looking for a replacement. Then I was focusing in action, but this morning, after fixing some keys I put the whole thing back and it was sounding distorted again... then I turned it off, watch for the fuse jumpers being right (I did those so they could be easy to remove) and watched all over the keyboard for any contact could be accidentally done, found nothing so I turned it on again, this time didn't make any sound so I turned it back off, then I saw that smoke out of the mainboard... now it doesn't even turn on anymore...

I dont know much about electronics and Ill probably be taking this to anyone qualified for repair, but anyway I'd like to diagnose before, just in case I could do it myself...

So, any idea on what I've done?? maybe its just the power suply by any chance? what's the procedure so I can find out what's broken and what's not? thank you

Also, gear was disconnected all over when I got this delivered, so I fixed this green cable to the big metal piece resting over the keys and it was working right that way... this may be the reason also as I don't know where this was originally attached

thank you
#35
Would you share any hints on this subject? wich oil to use, which parts to be lubricated... its noisy all the way... thank you
#36
The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Fixing 200-A bad action
September 08, 2011, 08:12:10 PM
Ok Now I have to fix keyboard action which is far away from perfect... I have to admit, action is shitty... compared to my suitcase I don't like it, keys are not deeper enough and they almost don't weight anything... anyway, some regulation would make them better...

On some keys (to read most of them) you have to hit them really hard so that the hammer actually beats the reed. Hammer felts seem to be in good condition so it might be a matter of... lubrication maybe? I have noticed the "fly" lets the hammer falling down before it strikes the reed. I wont call it sluggish action, I don't know...

Also I've read the capstan nut is factory regulated and often is needed to be reset, so it wont be the problem because I'm talking about most of the keys. If anybody happened to be fixing this problem and would like to share some hints I'll be glad, as Im newbie to wurlies and I don't know where to start! service manual is great and detailed, but it doesn't describe this particular issue...

thank you thank you thank you!!
#37
I just got my quite not "new" toy just to find out it doesn't work... so there's an amp which hardly outputs some signal at max volume, sounding heavily distorted.

The volume knob doesn't work as it was supposed, it doesn't affect volume, you turn it on and the led glows but you can't hear any sound until 3 o'clock, once you got there there's no volume increase... just on-off

My knowledge on electronics are very basic, even if the circuit board doesn't seem complicate for someone with proper skills... At first newbie sight nothing seems to have been replaced... I only noticed green ground cable close to transformer was disconnected. Also, one of these grey somewhat long horizontal things (we have 3 of them on the right, pictures to be uploaded later) seems to have dropped out some silicon-like waste, I don't know how relevant this might be...

Any help appreciated, I would like fixing it myself better than taking this to a tech, as this is part of the fun (and cheaper!)

Thank you!
#38
I would like to print something to put in the wall upside my suitcase, just to get in the mood while playing... Im sure any of you would help, and also it would be a documentation effort which Im sure everybody around this forum would enjoy. Please take into account I need a large print so a reasonable quality is mandatory

I promise posting pictures showing final results

thanks in advance! I hope there would be anyone so kind to contribute
#39
I just bought a 200-A but seller refused shipping outside the US. Then we shipped to florida where my cousin lives so he can do this for me. But I've never shipped something that big and I'm facing some trouble.

First of all I need to know wheight and size of a packaged wurlitzer including legs and pedal, If anyone could be so kind to answer

Also I need to know a cheap carrier for international, I was planning USPS but it seems package will exceed size and wheight for domestic service

I know DHL/UPS/FEDEX would be a problem with customs clearance so I wanted to go with USPS

Please any thoughts or recommendations on this subject?

thanx in advance!
#40
The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Red top wurlitzer...?
August 01, 2011, 09:06:51 AM
I've seen those from time to time... where they originally released with red top or else they are custom painted? Is there any chance of buying a red top case for my 200-A?
#41
I need -at least- one of these, If any of you have those for sale please let me know, thank you
#42
Ok this is my first post. I've been around for a while reading your posts and comments and I've finally decided to take part of this. While registering process was a mess, staff people was kind enhough to help me out, so now, finally, Im a proud active member to this community.

Ok thats enhough... I own a 1976 Suitcase MKI 73, I'll post some pics later, with some issues I'd like to comment here, just hoping any of you to share your knowledge in the matter. Rhodes are really uncommon here in Spain so I couldnt find any tech around. So that fixing stuff myself is the only option. I have managed to work out some things myself, but sometimes I got stucked... my biggest problem right now is that Im getting different gain from each output channel, being the  trem...err.."vibrato" on or not. It might be around 2db+ from left to right channel of the amp. I wonder if the problem comes from the amp or else from the pre-amp. Its hardly noticeable while playing but it becomes obvious when recording. Any hints for fixing this?

thank you!