Messages

Hi everyone. This is not the message I wanted to write, but here we are. I was re-capping the Janus power amp using the Vintage Vibe kit, and accidentally soldered Q2, Q4, and Q5 the wrong way. I reconnected the Molex connectors & turned it on; there was an ugly hum, a puff of smoke, and now...silence. What did I burn, and how do I fix it?

Thanks Jenzz. I was actually referring to the component kits that they each sell for around $20USD.

Hi DAtkinson - this is a long shot, but any chance you went with the clavinet.com rebuild kit for your restoration and can share any info? I just acquired a D6 in rough-to-decent shape and am hoping to fix it up.

Well, I did a dumb thing and left my suitcase amp on overnight with the 5-pin power amp cable disconnected. It might just be paranoia, but I feel like it now hums louder and the sound is 'crunchier'/more overdriven even at low volumes.

Does anyone know if this would cause damage to the amp due to not having an expected load on the input side? Am I just being paranoid?

And some references:

Long article on all things painting
https://www.chevyhardcore.com/tech-stories/paint-body/painting-101-choosing-the-basecoat-and-spraying-color/

"Roth Academy" spray can basics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlE2T7AZUyA

Example of black basecoat with Roth all-in-one spray can
https://www.reranch.com/reranch/viewtopic.php?t=59980&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Roth paint manual: how to apply rattle can
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2226/4923/files/TDS11012013002-1_Applying_Roth_Rattlebomb.pdf?16220246906189370397

Great Instagram to give you inspiration
https://www.instagram.com/jncolor/

Wet sand and polish
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQF9ZrzxkCE

Another Wet sand & polish
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/wet-sand-polish-new-paint-show-perfect-shine/

Another thread from a candy painting master, sick designs
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tech-week-step-by-step-to-lace-flake-candies-patterns-custom-paint.801167/

Two discussions about base + candy combinations
http://cs.scaleautomag.com/sca/tips_techniques/f/8/t/68985.aspx
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/candy-red.244355/

[BIG post ahead: my full step-by-step guide to painting a Mk I harp cover with metal flake & candy paint for the sparkletop look.]

BIG post ahead: my full step-by-step guide to painting a Mk I harp cover with metal flake & candy paint for the sparkletop look.
I know, I have a different thread on painting open. Call me a neat freak but I like putting the complete guide as first post so it's easier to get to.

I had an extra cover I got off Craigslist and wanted to try the sparkle top look (think early Rhodes, Rhodes bass.) I don't have the money to invest in a professional painting setup or to pay a custom auto design shop, so I had to go the DIY spray-can route.
I don't have experience doing paint jobs, so take this with a grain of salt, but I'm a decent Googler so I found all the info I possibly could (incl. this site, hot rods, model rockets, guitar painting, Youtube, etc.) Just want to pass along what I learned, including tips of how I'd do it better the 2nd time around, and consolidate info into one big thread.

Cost: It's cheaper than a professional job, but it'll still cost you around $150-250, depending on what materials & tools you already have.
Time: Before you start, know this is not a 1 weekend project! It's a lot of work and you need space set aside. Also, there's also no changing your mind once you've started...can't undo sanding.

INTRODUCTION
The project should take 3 "real" work days once you have all materials and a space to work in. However, note that there's also multiple days of drying downtime in-between.

Day 1 = Prep + Primer: sand flat all texture on the ABS plastic, cleaning, and primer.
Waiting period 1 = To be cautious, I waited 24-48 hrs after primer to make sure it was finished off-gassing; apparently, some people have had issues with bubbles cracking thru the base coat because the primer wasn't totally cured.
Day 2 = Paint: apply the base coat, metal flake, optional candy, and clear coat.
Doing it all in one day is the preferred method for many custom car painters, seems to be the way to get both chemical and mechanical adhesion btwn layers (if you wait a few days, the previous layer will have cured and you'll only get mechanical.)
Waiting period 2 = Clear coat needs to cure and harden. I've seen mixed info on how long it takes; consensus seems to be if you spray high quality 2K clear coat with a gun, it can be as fast as 24-48 hrs. With a 2K spray can, you may want to wait longer, maybe even 7-10 days.
Day 3 = Polish: wet sand with very fine grit and buff out the scratches with polishing compound. This removes the 'orange peel' effect in the clear coat and leaves a mirror-like finish.

Painting Tips:

• How many spray cans do you need? For me, it took approx. 2-3 cans each step to get 1 tack coat and 3 medium-to-heavy coats on. 3 will give you the right amount for everything, with a tiny bit extra for mistakes.
• What color base coat? This basically affects how light or dark your final product will be. I tested metallic black and metallic silver and liked the silver more - it looks a bit too light in the sunlight, but my piano will live inside where it's dark. You can use a white base to lighten it even more, or gold to give it some warmth. If you aren't going to spray candy, match the basecoat to the flake color which helps uneven application look more even. Personal preference goes!
• Go for high quality paint, and preferably buy from the same company. I didn't follow that advice and got some weird bubbling issues with the first primer + basecoat I used that I had to sand down and restart (but it all turned out OK in the end.) If you do decide to get cheap primer and basecoat, at least pony up the cash for good flake and/or candy paint. Some nice companies are: Roth Metal Flake, Kustom Canz, DNA Paints.
• NEVER sand in-between paint coats - it's before base coat and after clear coat only.
• Better to wait too long than too short between coats IMO - heavy coats should get at least 15-20 mins instead of 5-10 (or even 30-60 mins, esp. if it's humid where you spray)
• Practice on some scratch surface to get the spray technique down. You want long strokes and uniform distance, nozzle straight 90 deg. to the surface, overlap each stroke

MATERIALS
- 3 cans of Rustoleum 2X flat white primer (Rustoleum's Filler Primer would also work, but it was sold out when I needed it)
- 3 cans of Rustoleum Metallic Silver for base coat
- 3 cans of Roth Metal Flake All-In-One (color: Why-It-Purp) - Note: in hindsight, I would have bought separate cans of Roth's base, metal flake and candy - this would be more work and $$$ but you'd be able to add more sparkle and layer different colored candy over your base & flake.
- 2 cans of SprayMax 2K Clear Glamour. This is THE clear coat standard, don't buy 1K. Get 3 cans, you'll use it: I wish I had. It's a 2-part mix; once you "crack" the can to mix in the hardener, you have 48 hours to use it.
- Optional - a spray can holder/grip. I didn't have one but it would have been nice. Plus it's reusable.

- Random orbital sander
- Sander disks: 80, 120, 150, 220-grit
- Sandpaper: wet-or-dry 1500, 2000-grit

- Soft sanding sponge
- Scotchbrite scuff pads
- Microfiber cloth
- Tack cloths - optional but DON'T get cheap ones, I did and they left sticky residue and fuzzies all over
- Bucket of water and some dish soap
- Respirator, gloves, goggles - paint and ESPECIALLY 2K clearcoat is bad news for your lungs
- Optional - painting booth (legit or janky canopy + plastic sheets)

- Dual action polisher/buffer (or rotary polisher), sorta optional - see Day 3
- Wool polishing pad
- Polishing compound - Meguiar's

PROCESS
Pre-Day 1: Area Prep
I built a crappy painting booth in the garage with a canopy and some plastic sheeting. It was definitely not airtight and I had some dust getting in, but it's better than nothing.

Day 1: Prep & Primer
This is actually the most important step! I didn't take the time to perfect my primer and regretted it during painting.

• Using the orbital sander & the coarsest grit paper, start sanding down the cover to remove all texture. Be VERY careful on the edges: it takes almost no time to flatten the curve (COVID pun intended) and screw up the profile.
• Move up the grits until 220, try to wipe off dust regularly, and get it nice and smooth.
• Clean the cover WELL with water and a few drops of soap. You can use a microfiber cloth to dry it. If the surface is super static-y afterwards and dust is sticking, I tried this trick: filled a spray bottle with 1/3 isopropyl alcohol and 2/3 water and gave it a light spritz + wipe down. Seemed to cut some of the static.
• Now the primer: spray it evenly, starting with a light tack coat. The can will tell you ideal recoat times. MAKE SURE IT'S EVEN! I cut corners here thinking my paint would cover it up, and it was a huge mistake. If you see rough patches, or crackly lines as though the texture wasn't completely removed, sand it down and restart. *sigh*. It's a huge PITA, but trust me: it cannot be fixed later.

Waiting Time 1
24-48 hours for the primer to off-gas, as explained in intro. Try, if possible, to keep it non-dusty.

Day 2: Painting
Clear the schedule, this is a long day! Ideal conditions are 70-80 deg, no direct sunlight, low humidity if possible.

• Prep: Give it a quick wipe down. Then, using the Scotch Brite pad, scuff the primer evenly so the paint can adhere properly. Finally, wipe it off again with a lint-free cloth or tack rag and make sure it's clean.
• Base: Shoot your base coat - 1 light tack coat, then 2-3 mid to heavy coats. It's desert here so I waited 7-10 mins for the tack coat, 12-15 mins between coats. Don't go too heavy! You'll get runs and/or the paint might not flash off before the next coat.
• Flake/Candy: After waiting at least a good half hour, time for flake (& optional candy.) I used an All-In-One rattle bomb from Roth Metal Flake - doing it again I might buy the flake and candy cans separately. The All-in-one instructions say 5 coats for a real deep look. 1 of the 3 cans I bought didn't work so I only got 1 light coat and 3 full coats.
  
  Note: If you're doing flake & candy separately, this step is 1. metal flake (as many coats as you like sparkles.) 2. Optional: 1-2 clear coat layers to bury the flake. If you do this, wait 24-48 hrs for the clear to cure. 3. 3-5 light-med coats candy paint. Seems candy paint is notoriously hard to spray without getting uneven 'tiger stripes.' Good news is you don't NEED to use candy if you match the base and flake colors, just shoot extra clear coat layers to bury the flake as deep as possible.
  
  
• Clear: Last is the clear coat to bury the flake and really make it glossy. Wait a good 60-90 mins after the previous step. 3-5 coats is recommended - the more the better. DON'T do a tack coat with this, each layer should be even and full (but not TOO wet or it'll run, careful on the vertical sides.) It sprays very differently from paint, so test it out on scrap first.

Waiting Period 2
Mixed comments on how long this takes...I've seen 24-48 hrs up to 1-2 weeks to make sure it's fully cured. You could call Roth Metal Flake (super helpful for other questions I had) or a custom car shop for advice.

Day 3: Polishing (optional?)
Disclaimer - I haven't done this yet, as I left on a roadtrip before I had the time. This is the step that removes the orange peel from your clear coat and leaves the surface smooth (check out my pics - it looks like the surface of an orange where the light catches it.) I say optional because after the clear coat, it's already glossy and sparkly - the only thing missing is the professional smoothness. Honestly, I may leave mine as is - I'm too afraid to sand/polish and potentially screw up the whole paint job.

• To start, get your bucket of water + drops of dish soap ready. Also, a sanding sponge, your 1500 and 2000 grit paper, and the rotary polisher.
• Start wet sanding the surface with 1500 grit - use the sponge, keep it wet, and switch up your directions. You should feel less orange peel as you go. Don't overdo it and don't do the edges: if you sand through the clear, you'll screw up your paint job.
• Move up to the 2000 grit and repeat. The lid will lose all its gloss and look dull. Don't worry, that's normal.
• Clean off the lid with plenty of water and a sponge or rag, then dry it.
• Then, using the polisher/buffer at a low RPM (~1000-2000) and plenty of buffing compound, start moving around the lid in circles, making sure to keep the pad horizontally flush with the surface, never on its edge. Don't stay on the same spot too long and don't buff the edges - you don't want to burn through your clear!

You might be able to polish by hand, but I'm not sure tbh. It would take a lot longer, that's for sure.

And that's it! If you polished enough, it should go back to being glossy and now the surface will be smooth. Your custom sparkle top Rhodes lid is done!

Wellll, I left home for a 2-3 month roadtrip and won't be back till November. Gonna be a little while!

Thanks! I went back and took some more pics with better lighting - you can really see the flake and true color a lot better in these. 

IT'S (almost) DONE!!

Clear coat is on, just haven't wet sanded or buffed & polished yet. I'll post a longer summary later but for now check it out! 

Making progress! I sanded the bubbles down and also took some of the first primer off before re-applying primer. I suspect the bubbles were either due to spraying in really hot weather or lots of static electricity attracted a ton of dust. I also had to use a new type of primer since apparently the entire US's paint supply is disrupted (thanks, COVID.)

The first primer I tried was Rustoleum's Filler Primer, but now the only one I could find was Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover in Flat White. I applied a couple coats, probably went too thick on the second so I waited a good 2-3 days to make sure it was fully dry/cured.

Finished by wet sanding with 400-grit, next comes the base coat.

Yep, but unfortunately the update is I ran into some trouble with the primer. I sprayed on 2 cans, and after the second can noticed some strange little bubbles forming (finger for scale). I'm trying to find out what could have caused this. Will be sanding it off and re-spraying.

Well that was a lot of sanding. Big tip: take care on the edges to not change or flatten the curvature of the cover. Move quickly and change angles a lot.

Interesting note, looks like someone had repaired that differently colored edge in the past? I'm not sure but it seems to be a different material than the rest of the cover.

Hi everyone, long time lurker here. I'm finally getting around to a project thanks to COVID time...I bought a spare harp cover a few yrs ago from a guy that tried to paint it and did a terrible job, then never got around to fixing it. Here's a picture of the starting product.

Tips appreciated, but I've been reading the threads on here about painting already so I feel pretty set to get started. I'll post updates here (and it'll keep me honest and on track )

My process idea:

• Sand off existing paint & texture (80, 150, 220 grits)
• Primer
• Wet sand (400 or 800 grit)
• Base coat
• All-in-one flake/candy paint
• 2K Clear coat
• Wet sand (1500, 2000 grits)
• Polish & buff with some polishing compound

Fingers crossed!

Are you absolutely set on the flat top or would you consider a rounded Mark I top?

I actually just picked one up a few days ago. Has the Seventy Three script logo on it. Some chump gave it a hack paint job with silver spray paint (god knows why) so I had the idea to repaint or get a local artist to make a custom design on it. Picture attached. Would consider shipping it, but it probably won't be cheap to get it across the pond...

Let me know what you think!

Aha! I gotcha, thanks for clearing that up. Good to know I can still plug in. So the preamp outputs are basically the Send jack on a guitar amp.
The guy in the shop selling it (local guitar store, they don't know much about Rhodes) called VV and they set him up with the power supply, when I went to look at it he had already ordered the part and he wanted to sell it together.

Do I need the amp + speakers? Wellll...that's a borderline philosophical question right there  You're right, I can now already plug in to anything and power the preamp.
But, I only own one PA speaker, and my desktop studio monitors aren't doing justice to the sound with their stingy bass response. I guess I can go straight into the two inputs on the PA, but I do love me some wide stereo vibe. It's also less than half the price of another PA speaker, he's selling it for $200. It might have resale value, just judging by seeing a few amps up on ebay for ~3-400. The internal debate rages on...
Now of course, that's assuming it is in good shape internally and I can reattach the 5-pin connector.

I'll maybe surf the forum for that, I'm sure I can't be the first person asking about replacement 5-pins. Thanks for the help!

[missing the cab]

There's a guy offering me the Janus I amp with two separated 12" speaker enclosures. I like the idea of stereo separation instead of having it all in the vertical cab. I'm about to finally purchase my first Rhodes (suitcase, w Janus preamp, missing the cab so this makes perfect sense).

BUT- it seems someone replaced the 5-pin preamp cable and pre-amp output with RCA jacks. (see picture attached)

I'm getting the Vintage Vibe 5-pin power supply with stereo outs, so I was wondering: can I plug these 1/4" outs into the A+B "Power Amp Input"?
Or are they supposed to go into the "Pre Amp Output" that has now been cut out?


Looking at other amp pics, I'm having trouble figuring out what was supposed to go where. Got a bit more confused when I saw what seems like two amp models out there - the FR7710, and whatever I'm buying which I also found on ebay here:
http://www.ebay.it/itm/262019623255

Vs. these two FR7710
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Rhodes-Janus-1-Amplifier-100W-2-channel-FR7710-Serviced-Cables-/142060413599?hash=item211375e29f
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Rhodes-Janus-Amp-Serviced-/252476381636?hash=item3ac8c3d9c4:g:xjsAAOSwAPlXhHGu

Is the only difference adding the master/slave output options? Sorry for multiple questions in one thread. They just kept coming