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Messages - Jimmbo

#1
spave, wow, great, plenty of useful adjustments in that diagram.

The pickups on my piano don't seem to be the shape as depicted in the manual. Can you please tell me if I'm on the right track, per photo below?

#2
That was a surprisingly difficult extraction, requiring a small Allen wrench (i.e. its 90 degree crook) to push the pin back into the track so I could flip the goddam damper bar to its rightful position. It's not like there's leverage to PULL the pin from the other side in the track.

But it is done. Abundant thanks to all. Please sing along with me from page 98 in the hymnbook, "O God, Do Thou Sustain Me".

Sole remaining problem: one single loud note (not just on the attack...it's just LOUD, period). Any chance it's something easy?
#3
Kill me now.
Time for an adult beverage.
Continue later.
#4
Wide shot, just to determine whether other massively stupid things might be happening on my end:

#5
PROGRESS IS PROGRESSING.

Hitting sustain pedal no longer produces clunking sound. All notes sustain perfectly.

Problem: when I release the sustain pedal, all notes remain sustained. I've tried slightly raising and lowering the telescoping rod that connects pedal to piano, with no effect. This photo shows the thingee directly moved by that rod (in case it helps):


#6
Oh, yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah (porno moans).

If the damper thingee is upside down, the channels become available for tinkering. Ok, I'm going in. Will report back.
#7
Exciting news! I'm near completion on my bumbling effort to trick out my Rhodes Stage 73 with the advanced ability to sustain, which I've heard is much-prized by elite performers!

A new sustain damper rail pin has flown to me all the way from the country of England, and it fits beautifully. I've installed it - without your help! - as seen here:

Now all I need to do is seat those pins in their respective holes.

The right pin went in like a champ! But then there's the left pin. Doh!



Please don't tell me I need to massively disassemble the innards to complete this. Please tell me there's a simple trick.

Danka, all
#8
Gacki - good point! It's not like it evaporated! However, the pin is definitely not in the rail, nor anywhere easily accessible in the case. I'm obviously bad at this, so I'll buy a new one rather than take the whole thing apart looking for it.

And I'll buy two pins. I will not tolerate atrocity!

Any tips for addressing the overall rust? Here are two panoramic shots:


I've learned from reading the forum that the white dust is a natural outcome from the zinc coating and not a problem.

I really can't thank you (all of you!) enough!
#9
Yep, thanks, I see I've simply been raising the harp wrong. Thanks everyone!

Ok, almost done, I think.



In the photo, the good side is left, and the bad side is right. It does looks like I'm missing a sustain rail damper pin. And Vintage Vibe is out of them. Is paying shipping UK->USA from electrickeys.co.uk my sole resort?

Also, I read elsewhere in this forum that it should be two screws locking in those pins. But I only see room for one screw here. Any idea what's up with that?

Vintage Vibe does have the bushing in stock. Does it look like I need it? I think my bushing situation is ok, but I'm obviously not super-confident here.

And should I leave that chewed-up felt alone? Vintage Vibe sells felt, but I don't want to get into a whole project...
#10
Also, I guess this is unrelated, but the harp scrapes the left railing as it hinges up, ripping up the felt. VintageVibe sells name rail felt, key pedestal felt, back rail felt, and damper rail felt (not sure what this is; I don't see it in the manual).

Do you share my impression that it's not urgent to figure out why it's dragging (only) on the left?

#11
Lukevintage, I really appreciate your help. Grazie miliardo!

I'm now able to lift the harp. But I see that it's not necessary for diagnosis. See photos.

In left photo, you see that the bar controlled by the sustain rod (I'm not sure what it's called) moves freely frontward/backward when pushed on the left side of the keyboard. There's no such movement on the right side of the keyboard.  So I guess whatever holds this bar in place on the left is broken or non-existent.

Are we close to an answer? :)

#12
Thanks, will do! But I'm still struggling with the simple task of hinging up the harp.

The screws on left side came out fine. The screw on the right side easily came 99% out, but I can't remove. I've tried pinching it with pliers, but nothing. Also tried exerting gentle pressure by unhinging the harp upward (to try to push screw out).

Sorry to be so needy! I'm not sure why this is so hard!
#13
I think I've identified the screws to be removed to hinge up the harp, and it looks like one of them is missing (same on other side).

1. Have I identified the right screw(s)?

2. Should I buy two more screws?



#14
Thanks, spave, I'm going to boldly go on the offense! I've seen scattered manual  diagrams, always tantalizingly below the resolution quality necessary for intelligibility. The diagrams at that link are an iota above that threshold. A triumph!

If I figure it all out, perhaps I'll create the Internet's first video of raising the darned harp. So the four other interested geezers who haven't yet figured out this 1970s technology can find some satisfaction before they shuffle off this mortal coil.
#15
Hi, all.

1978 Rhodes Stage 73. Sustain pedal doesn't work for low notes. Also, it makes a thudding sound when engaged. See this very short video. A non-tech at Vintage Vibe suggested:

Quoteit might be the push rod hitting bare wood on the sustain dowel or maybe the side of the dowel that makes contact with the damper rail is missing the felt on that part. Also: make sure the damper pins installed on each end allow the damper rail to move up and down.

But...I've never raised the harp. And can't find a single video showing how to hinge it up. I'm not sure what's securing it, but if I'm supposed to just swing it right up, uh...no, it ain't going...

Any illumination for any of this? Or should I bring it in to Vintage Vibe? Or, given that they're an hour away and booked solid, should I try to find a closer tech to take a look? I'm in lower Hudson Valley.