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Thank you very much for great answer, Sean.

Seems like it might be one of those things. i'll check my piano over the weekend...

Hi everyone,

I have new rhodes that I am just about to restore. Main thing that bothers me is feeling of keys. When I press one, I can't really say when it hit the bottom (the bushing). It's like there is a bubble gum under the key. The touch is soft (accurate), but it feels like I am striking something very soft with a hammer. Not something hard.

The touch is not concerte.  I get a feeling of some cheap, wobbling keyboard. I don't really know how to describe it... On my other rhodes (restored) I can feel exactly when the key hit the bottom/front rail. It's a feeling like on a real grand. The sound might be horrible, but you get a feeling of well-working action.

Hope anyone gets what I am trying to describe...

Might this be because of worn out key shims?

Thank you.

I use EBS Bass Compressor effect. Bit expensive, but works great. Very low noise, solid construction.

I can actually play a solo in a higher register so that people can hear it. It helps you to hear yourself in a band, the sound is much stronger. Plus sound engineers would love you. (Rhodes usually has a very low output and this would change it.) With compressor I also feel like producing a tone is even an easier thing to do.

never thought about this option! sounds intresting... i think i would at least try it at some gig.

thanks

wow! thanks for info! is it really that heavy??? that's great because if i change the case, my rhodes can be much lighter!

i've been told here at the forum that changing of the case wouldn't cause any problems nor it would affect the sound.

i was thinking about having made some custom hard-case with removable keyboard cover. i have one big and massive hard case for my another keyboard and it has 16kg. if this custom hard case for rhodes is about the same weight, i would still save 6 kg, which is quite a lot.

one guy from my school inspired me to do that. look at his picture here: http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=308873660&albumID=455363&imageID=1490992

or some similar pic i found:
http://www.piano-rhodes.com/objets/CIMG2746.2004102320114.jpg


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anybody knows a weight of just the wooden case, in which the whole piano mechanism is set? i'm thinking about puting the inside of the piano into something lighter.

or any idea where i can find this information?

thanks!

i've always listened to pure jazz, but bought rhodes just recently and would like to learn some classic funky runs, licks, tricks and other cliches

can you reccomened some paticular albums (Herbie's perhaps?) or songs?

thanks

thanks, i missed these topics...

any experiences with this product?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Rhodes-Modification-Kit-for-vintage-Rhodes_W0QQitemZ200378659912QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2ea77fb448&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

that point about noise is intresting. i really didn't think about this. thanks.

i might use some foam inside - may help. or can play only very loud concerts, so that i don't hear in hammer and strike noise

it always takes me a long time too..

i'm probably going to get Mark 54 soon and thinking about  removing it from its heavy wooden case and putting it into something lighter (like custom-built keyboard hard-case) to make it more "gigable".

i'm not sure, though, how much is the wood important for the sound or not? i've been told it might affect it...

anybody tried something like that? is it a good idea or are there some disadvantages i don't know about?


thanks for tips!

any idea what is the cheapest and the most reliable company for shipping rhodes from the UK to the czech republic (or simply across europe) I think I only know about DHL.

thanks for your comment.

i've just heard that 54 models are quite hard to find, hence the price should be high. and this one is in a good condition and has wooden keys (which is strange beeing it mark II model), but 2250 Euros seems bit too much anyway...

thanks for you comment

however, i've just seen it and the keys are wooden isn't it strange? and they say there hasn't been any repairs or modifications done on it. are they wrong? i thought mark II pianos, no matter what size, always have plastic keys. the piano is from 11th week of 1980.

is this survey still running? i'd like to submit my rhodes' data!

has anyone seen Mark II 54 somwhere for sale? for how much? no matter whether in US or in Europe.

I got an offer to buy one, but 2250 Euros seems to be bit too much to me, or??? I know it's quite rare, but it's still just a Mark II model...

[54]

i'm thinking about buying one Mark II 54. looks like a great choice for live gigs and the range seems to be sufficient enough. any negative experiences with this model? are plastic keys really that bad as some people say? i only have mark I with wooden keys...


and is it true, that only 500 of these have been made?

thanks for your comments!

watch the last video here:
http://www.rhodespiano.com/

they're using some nice black rubber

yeah, as i said - my Roland sounds horrible in mono too. But I'm thinking about buying a real Rhodes. In that case it doesn't matter whether I have one or two amps ( = mono or stereo), right?

how is it possible, that my Roland VR-760 (great rhodes simulation) sounds good only when playing in stereo (two amps - with one amp it sounds really bad), even though original Rhodes sounds amazing when played through mono amp??? Or do people use two amps to get stereo effects, such as tremolo (on the orginal instruments)

thanks for info!

thanks! I tried it and it sounds great with tubeman.

...and the price of a tube guitar amp is almost twice as big!

And just on little detail - I like playing my keyboard through two amplifiers to get stereo effect. I guess Tubeman have only one input, so I'll have to play mono, right?

thanks for reply. I appreciate it.

1) my sound is too clean and too perfect. i'm looking for a sound Jeff Lorber has on the first song here:

http://www.rhodespiano.com/sound.htm

2) and i'm quite sure i tried everything i could on my instrument. there are not too many options of changing the sound.

I can apply COSM simulation mostly on the Hammond part of my Roland. Piano part is separate and has only the option of simulating close/far micking and (or) direct line out. I can't add any distortion effects and that's what I miss. I want my Rhodes to have more crunchy and dirty sound.


Maybe that Tubeman can be better, because I woludn't have to carry big guitar amp, or?

i have a good Rhodes imitation - Roland VR-760 - and i want to make it sound better. how?

i was thinking about getting some guitar amplifier(?) should i get some special kind? and is tube amp necessary? (i'm looking for a bit distorded sound)

or how else can I do it? some effects, preamps or what?

thanks for info! i'm kind of newbie in this...