Messages

Hi Bjammerz,

I just went and turned mine on, played a few notes and noticed no difference in the sound from holding the pedal down or not.  The Supersite has some info on the student model here:
http://www.fenderrhodes.com/models/student.php

I guess the left pedal is supposed to handle volume, but mine doesn't do anything it seems.

I'll ask Dave about it.

Carol

Apparently there were only 25 made.  At least that's what it says on this site.   Dave has one and I have one.  Both of which were built from the "stuff" my brother recovered from my dad's "shed" when he moved from Fullerton hills when he and Delores (wife #3 and Harold Jr's mom ) got divorced.

My brother seems to remember that before my dad met Leo Fender, he might have approached or been approched by either Hammond or Wurlitzer about his electric piano.  

Carol

Wow, I sit corrected then. Thank you.  I was completely fooled.  Sounds alot like one though.

I'm not sure about the long Let It Be.  I'm sure someone on this site would know.

Thanks for the info!
Carol

I heard a great Rhodes Riff I had forgotten about on Sunday.  Its Bloody Well Right by Supertramp.

I still like Riders On The Storm better.

Carol

Talked to Dave last night.  His computer got fried so that's why he hasn't checked in here lately.

He says he spent the entire summer after his first year at UCI (72) in a warehouse in Santa Ana, CA  refitting the wall to wall KMCs with the new Torrington tines and multiple other fixes before shipping them back to Fullerton and then on to colleges.  

My dad would come to the Santa Ana warehouse about once a week to inspect the boy's work.  Dave said my dad was pleased for the most part.  Dave was working with a kid named who was the son of one of the guys at the Fullerton plant,  I believe.  Dave thinks it might have been John Major's son. The two of them got about 20 pianos refitted a day.

Carol

Whilst cleaning out our storage area today, I found some pix of the award my dad got from NARAS.  I am going to Costco  tomorrow to get a CD made of the negs.  I'll post them when they are done if anyone wants to see them.  Just FYI let me know.

Also I spoke with my mom today to inquire more about why they went to Dell City, Tx.  She said my dad had a student who had a friend who owned a John Deere tractor store in another very small town close by Dell City Texas.  He asked if my dad wanted to run his own store and my dad said yes.  He gave up his piano students and moved to Texas.  Mom said he was fed up with sitting on a piano bench all day.  They were there for a year or so and she got pregnant with my brother.  They went back to San Fernando Valley to have my brother and then took him back to Dell City for another year and a half before returning to California.

Later all,
Carol

Hi Frederik,

How wonderful to hear from one of the founders of this site.  May I say that I have spent some time going through it and I am so very impressed with all that you have achieved here.  Plus the members are amazing!

After all that Dave and I have been through, both emotionally and legally, we both detached from who we are for a few years.  Lamenting missed opportunities etc.

But I would love to converse with you in any way you would like.  In terms of technical knowledge and many more memories, Dave is it.  Harold Jr., my half-brother, was fairly young during the critical years, so I think Dave is a great resource.

I'll e-mail you and give you my info.  Then I'll ask Dave if it's ok to give his.

Blessings,
Carol

I asked my brother about this and got so much info my eyes went crossed. But here it is from him:

Dave used to accompany my dad to the colleges to repair student models, as you call them, Jetsons. He says that as far as he knows there were no transitions in equipment, they were all made the same. When he did the repairs, Dave and dad would change out some tines (mostly midrange) from the old Raymac model to the new Torrington(sp) model from time to time.  They had to file the hammer tips to move the striking point to a different position or move the entire harp forward or backward to create a new striking point depending on the wear.  He said he could tell a student piano from a pro by the wear. (Dave said it was a major pain the the behind to do these repairs.)

He thinks the square felt tips were introduced in the late 60's or early 70's.  the new Torrington tines allowed Rhodes to manufacture the 88 note piano. The Raymac tines were phased out mid to late 70's.

He caveats all of this by saying his memory is as flawed as anyone's but Steve Woodyard, who in Dave's words was and is a mini Harold Rhodes, would know way better than Dave.

Any questions ask Dave or Steve Woodyard.

Carol

Thanks Kitchen.

Wow Stranger, I'm not sure I can even identify a favorite.  I love certain riffs inside certain songs, but, strangely enough, sometimes the song itself is a ho hum for me even though the Rhodes riff gives me chills.  Chuck Mangione has a few, The Crusaders have a few, The Doors have a couple.  My taste is rather varied.

My dad really liked anything Bob James.  The reason I know is he gave me two of the same cassette (yes cassette) of Bob James playing the Rhodes.

Dave told me a couple of little known facts last night.  The first is my dad used to transcribe songs for Ray Charles and the second is during the period in my dad's history that is left off on this site (the part when he goes to Texas) he moved my mom to Dell City, Tx and he became a John Deere tractor implement salesman. (I knew all of this.)   Dave says he tried to alter (read that invent new ones) the implements to improve the farmer's yield and make their job easier.  This is so in keeping with my dad's personality.  My brother Dave was almost born in a plane as they were leaving Dell City.  Instead he was born in the San Fernando Valley.

Sorry for the tangent...
Carol

Hey thanks Spookyman,  Keysandslots, Jim, Taco, The Stranger & Dan.  You are all great people.  Now that my big bro is on the forum, he'll be able to answer your questions on what my dad might have thought was good or questions on the piano itself.  I'm guessing my dad loved everything he heard a musician play, but the instrument never sounded perfect enough.  That was his way.  I suppose that's where Dave and I get our perfectionism from.  I have really relaxed over the years, but Dave's business almost requires something close to perfection.  I have witnessed him being AR about boulder placement.  (Dave is a Landscape Architect with his own business.)

In terms of true Rhodes sound, Randy, I prefer a lighter softer more angelic-type touch like the beginning of Riders On The Storm.  I don't appreciate as much the banging sound I hear on a few tunes.  I think the Rhodes sound is a matter of preference for each one individually however.  In terms of favorites, I like The Doors, The Crusaders, Chuck Mangione, anything Michael McDonald, Steely Dan, even Billy Preston played a Rhodes now and again, Styx, Kansas...the list goes on and on for me.

Dave can tell you what sound he likes and he would also know what sound my dad liked.  My dad was a traditional 60's dad.  Us girls, myself and my younger sister Jan, didn't get to experience the business side of my dad.  Just the "dad" side.  Dave got to go repair pianos and actually work with my dad.  I would have loved that.  Also, my dad was vehement about not allowing us to work at the "plant."  He didn't want any hint of nepotism among his staff.

Ok here's my Rhodes stuff:

My baseball jacket:

My poster:


Carol

Wow you guys, amazing responses from keysandslots, Dan and the elusive Stranger, thank you one and all.  You guys make me believe again in the purity of my dad's genius and the popularity of his creation.

I spoke to my big brother Dave tonight.  I convinced him to come to this site and participate in this forum.  He has so much in his head.  When it comes to true knowledge to Rhodes pianos, it is my brother who knows.  Steve Woodyard taught him a great deal in the old days and my dad took him on a few Rhodes repair field trips where Dave was the repairer and my dad was the "field supervisor."  But I will let him tell you about those.  He will be joining this site and thread hopefully tonight if he can figure his stinking computer out!

Ok here's my Rhodes home model my brother built me.


And here's my baseball jacket:


And here's the poster with Joe and many others:


Whew!

Thanks Peter and Ben.  Ben you are right, some things are best left in the past.

I've been trying to think of all the great rock songs that have a Rhodes solo I like.  I'm a 60's kid, raised on Rock & Roll, so that's my first love.  I do like Jazz too though.  I know most Rhodes players will cringe because the Rhodes is synonymous with jazz.  But there are quite a few rock songs that feature a Rhodes that warm my heart.  I have some software that can create ringtones, but I'm not sure how to make it louder.  

I was sorting through some closets bringing out the winter jackets and found my old "Rhodes Keyboard Instruments USA" satin baseball jacket.  I had forgotten I had it.  Wow talk about going back in time...

Carol

I have a poster called "Rhodes Scholars Speak Out" that has Joe Zawinul's picture and a nice comment about how much he likes his Rhodes Piano.  I might be mistaken but I believe he was at the Grammy award presentation they had for my dad way back in 1990 something. It was held at his Rehab Cebter because he was too sick to travel anywhere.  It was so much fun having all these piano guys come and tell us stories about my dad's humility and generosity.

Wow, love those samples BJT3.  Thank you.  I know I'll find at least one I love among them.

It's interesting the different playing styles of the players, some have that heavy touch, some are softer.  All are very good.

C

Wow, I didn't realize he tried to shut down this site BJT3.  I'm sure it's the same dude.  I'm glad he failed though.  

There is so much that nobody knows about that whole situation.  It would really make all Rhodes lovers angry to know what he did to my 89 year old dad.  My comfort is in knowing there is one judge that he will have to answer to ultimately.  I don't think God allows lawyer mouthpieces however.  

I'll ask Dave about what he might still have in the way of parts.  He's a successful landscape architect in Sacramento now, so he may have given all that stuff to my younger half-brother, Harold.  

Later,
Carol

Forgot to tell you Kitchen, yes, when we moved my dad out of his home in Fullerton Hills, we found a shed full of Rhodes parts including tines. My brother Dave would know more. I'll ask him.

Dave built my Rhodes home model from some of the stuff he found in the shed.

Pretty cool, huh?

Carol

Yes Swang, my brothers built that plexi Rhodes for Prince. Pretty interesting project really.  I won't go into the gory details. I still haven't seen him play the thing on TV or anywhere. Have you?

But I believe my brothers also got a call from Ray Manzerek. He wanted a custom built Rhodes. Not sure if they did it or not.  I think it was right around the time we were sued to prevent us from going into the piano business.  Anyway, water under the bridge.

Great Pyrenees are absolutely gentle giants Kitchen.  Our male, Elijah, is such a sweet dog. When I feed them raw chicken he takes his piece so gently from my hands you would think it was an animal he was protecting.

Carol

I have a poster that was made millions of years ago as a promo for the Rhodes piano.  It's called "Rhodes Scholars Speak Out"  and it's a great illustration of those who believe that the Rhodes piano is the gold-standard of keyboard instruments.  Joe was one of the photos and classic comments on the poster.

God rest his soul.

Carol Rhodes-Rice

Hello,

Thanks for all of your well-wishes.  Yes, each us kids have a Rhodes of some type or another.  Mine is a home model Rhodes in a wood cabinet.  My oldest brother, Dave, also has a home model and my younger brother, Harold,  has several stage types.  My brothers build Rhodes pianos from misc. Rhodes parts on occasion when they get requests from celebs.

My cell phone is a Verizon LG VX8700.

I downloaded some ringtone creator software and made a ringtone from the beginning of Riders on the Storm.  It's beautiful, but it's just so quiet I can hardly hear it when it plays.

I'll try to recall some good stories when I get a moment.  My hubby and I are currently cleaning out the barn getting ready for puppies.  We raise Great Pyrenees dogs and our sweet little Ruthie is in a family way.  The dad is our huge 175lb male named Elijah.  Check out our website if interested at:
www.agape-ranch.com

Carol

Hello, I am Carol Rhodes-Rice.  I am Harold Rhodes' daughter.  I am so grateful that my dad's work and love of piano has lived on on this site.  I just want to know if anyone has an amazing Rhodes Riff that I can use as a ringtone for my cell phone.  It is one of those unique things that differentiate us Rhodes sound lovers from any others.

Thanks!