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Messages - james

#1
The grooved felts always looked like extracted molars to me. I think they were too tall.
#3
The chart with the list of measurements and spring colors was never on the Super Site. I'm glad you were able to share the photo of yours!
#4
Right, that's the visual chart that came with the replacement tine kits. I was talking about the chart in the photo, which gives the specific measurements and mounting spring colors.
#5
Where did the original chart come from?
#6
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.
#7
The basic problem is that the replacement caps I bought have a 2" L head, as opposed to 1-7/8". I was looking at other options here:

http://www.pianosupply.com/keytops/
#8
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?
#9
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?
#10
On a related note, does anybody know a good way to polish the white keys?  I have a handful in the midrange that are slightly cracked but really just need to be recolored.
#11
Does anybody have a remedy for this one aside from removing the harp bracket?
#12
Is the R28 mod the one I want?

http://stinkfoot.se/archives/975
#13
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...
#14
Parts, Service, Maintenance & Repairs / key pedestal lube
December 29, 2014, 03:55:45 PM
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.
#15
So 35 years later, is there a less flammable alternative to naphtha?
#16
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?
#17
A closer look at the key in question...
#18
Thanks, I will try adjusting the damper next.  The bridal strap is OK, the pickup isn't dead and adjusting the escapement didn't help the situation.  It's looking like there are many tines throughout the harp that were replaced along the way and cut too long, all of which have the tuning spring in the middle to compensate.  I will snipping those to a more proper length as I go, but the clang of this one note seems to be the death toll for the tine.  I've got the full Vintage Vibe restoration kit on the way, so we'll see what the new grommets do for it.
#19
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?
#20
5/16" is what I use. Maybe I need to get a better socket for my wrench.
#21
So what size socket do you use?  I've been wondering if I'm off by 1/32" or something...
#22
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?
#23
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...
#24
Can anybody explain what the extra wiring is at the end of the pickup rail?
#25
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:
#26
The quick answer is that the plastic keys have modular plastic guide pins that are too big to fit the wood keys. So no, you can't just get a set of wood keys and swap them in there.
#27
It's in the issue that just showed up in the mail this week.  I don't know when it will be on sale to the public, and since their website is still showing the May cover there are no links yet.  It'll be interesting to see what sort of online content they have to offer for the Alicia Keys article.
#28
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:
#29
FAQ / How Many Fender Rhodes Pianos Were Built?
May 15, 2010, 01:44:41 AM
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.
#30
Buying / Mk V Instruction Manual on ebay.
February 25, 2010, 01:21:34 AM
I was the second highest bidder on that one. Whoever got it can kiss my ass.
#31
The Fender Rhodes Electric Piano / how many rhodes built?
February 25, 2010, 01:15:32 AM
Harold's estimate was 250,000. I think that's good enough to go by.
#32
The red sheet/page markers are using your login cookie to track which messages you've read during the session that were posted since your last visit and are considered "new" for you.  If there is a problem, it is with the browser and how it is managing your cookies.  Firefox 2 was annoying for me in the past as well because it wasn't consistent in maintaining my login, so I guess v.3.5 hasn't exactly improved that much.  If you decide to try Google Chrome or another browser, please let me know if that is the fix.
#33
Did she only like musicians for friends? And did she drive a Fillmore?
#34
Buying / Asking prices for Rhodes out of control?
September 25, 2009, 07:18:29 PM
I thought it was pretty ironic that they finally pulled the thing out of the box, as you may have seen if you check Ebay daily like some of us do. :shock: BTW, I'm compiling all of my price lists into one big page for anybody who's curious...the Mark V originally listed at $1095!!!

http://ep-forum.com/smf/index.php?topic=5694
#35
The Fender Rhodes Electric Piano / atlanta craigslist
September 25, 2009, 06:43:07 PM
Eww. I owned one of those things for a few years before buying my '78 Suitcase in college. I'm pretty sure $300 is how much I sold it for, too. BTW, WTF?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330362933010
#36
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 :D
$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.
#37
I also thought that it could track stats on how many times you hit each key along with the MIDI velocity and "wear out" tines, reeds & strings for you. There would be samples of parts breaking built-in, plus the sound of dead keys, and the only way to get a note working again would be to pay Korg $10 per key for "service" via the USB port....
#38
You know, it's almost like they took the press photo of the Mark IV from this site and visualized the look of the thing from it. Stranger things have happened (the Fiesta Red piano in "Ray" was a mockup built from the catalog photo a guy found here without us knowing it). And in the last shot you can even see a 4-leg stand that's probably optional, maybe one that hooks into the underside. In any case, it really does seem like a big ripoff of the Nord Stage Piano (not the Electro) with the B3 simulator dumped so you'll be forced to use the CX3 with it. I'm completely conflicted because I'm both a long-time Korg user and a Nord fan, but I guess it's for the musicians to decide.

I also thought that in addition to the backlight for the tube, there should be a little speaker behind it to make lightsaber sounds indicating to the player when it's turning on & off, plus maintaining a hum while it's on. You know, just soft enough that only you can hear it while you're not playing. And with no volume control so it starts making you crazy after a while.
#39
As they say, seeing is believing...
#40
I've wondered the same thing. You'd hope that Mike Peterson has it safely guarded in his home somewhere...
#42
Has anybody noticed that the two left-hand knobs on the new Roland V-Piano look a little like the Mark V's? not to mention the overall raised profile?
#43
I got the scans of the brochures. Someday soon they will appear on the site...someday....
#44
Buying / Original 1969 Stage Piano Service Manual
July 27, 2009, 12:37:21 AM
THANK YOU JESUS...I'm glad that after all that, it still wound up in the family!!! If you can scan the pages at a good printable resolution like 300 dpi or higher, that would be great (i.e. I'll be printing them and adding it all to my binder). It doesn't matter how big the PDF is, so long as it looks good. And congrats to you on picking this one up!
#45
Buying / Original 1969 Stage Piano Service Manual
July 16, 2009, 12:49:31 PM
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!!!
#46
FAQ / "Fender Rhodes" vs. "Rhodes"
June 04, 2009, 07:16:36 PM
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!
#47
The seller sent me photos of the box & docs for the site...but did anybody here actually win that thing???
#48
Buying / 1967 Fender Price List
May 13, 2009, 02:58:02 PM
What's also interesting is that it gives us a point of reference for the "Piano Celeste" shown in the Models section (i.e. it's real!!!):

#49
Buying / 1967 Fender Price List
May 11, 2009, 03:08:46 PM
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
#50
Buying / Bidding on this
April 28, 2009, 03:06:02 PM
OK, I want a 60's ad...I'm bidding on the other one! BTW, it looks like you've got some competition already....