Messages

Hi everybody,

This summer I had the chance to get a rare Baldwin CW-8-S Electric Harpsichord for cheap, without strings and missing a couple of jacks.

I spend the summer try to restore it, and I was relatively successful! Ordered new strings, tried options for refurbishing the jacks and I finished redesigning then in 3d printing, based on the Hubbard concept, with metal springs and delrin plectrum.

I made a full lenght video since the information is hard to find. It include a historic, my restoration process and a tons of audio demos, some using extensively the split feature in differents contexts! The video is in french, but there's a lot of image/video that can help you understand better, translation will come but long to do!

The youtube link include a link to the 3d model (stl file) that I dropped for free to everyone to try! It's a lot of adjustment, but as you will see in the video, it works well and do the job!

https://youtu.be/KCZG6nVoNh4?si=jGXQ19GJP55tF5jg

Hope you'll enjoy some light on this obscure instrument! I also got a in depth video about the rare Columbia Elepian, and some other rare stuffs!

Téhu

Little update, just made a extensive video on my elepian, with tear down, adjustment tips, a passive modification and audio démos, if anybody is interested!
Not a lot info on these, so i wanted to put some info online!

https://youtu.be/WT9Y09Do_qs

It's in french, but very visual,

Enjoy

Hi,

I got a Elepian EP-713, and made an extensive video of it, hope this could answer some of your questions:

https://youtu.be/WT9Y09Do_qs

It's in french, but it's very visual

Xavier

Got the same stickers, same place on mine!

Yeah 88! I already seen the 3 strings model, but never played one!
I think it's another model, a Music Store recently give one out in Montreal (3 string model) but I missed it!

I'm pretty interested in, because my Yamaha CP60M only have 2 strings per note!

I already had the same model, 1 string per note!
Sounds weird, kind of electric harp on the mid-high, and weird bass for the lowest octaves. Pretty easy to tune, you got a good deal for it, i paid 100$ for mine in 2009.

I already had a Baldwin real electric piano, don't remember the model tho.
There are with 1 strings per note, and some other with 3 strings per note (Better than Yamaha CP60), but i haven't tried the 3 strings model

Great work!! I'm planning to 3D print knobs too, which material do you use?
Expecially for the fit with the pot pin?

Thanks

Hi everybody,

I've just scored a nice mini combo organ and the only information i found on the internet is that page : http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1960s-gem-italian-combo-organ-vintage-90597325

The organ itself is really minimalist in its design, no sound tabs, fixed vibrato... and the lower keys (Bass note on standard combo organ) just repeat the  upper octave. I think its stock design, because in the link I posted, the guy describe the same particularity.

I'm not familiar with Divider organ, but i just want to know how difficult could be to extend octaves down instead of repeating the higher octave? Unfortunatly, I don't have any schematics of this thing and it's not listed on ''Combo Organ Heaven''.

Here's some pictures :







Thanks a lot,

Téhu

Hi everybody,

I would like to share with you my last musical project, EP Boulevard.



I'm a big fan of Electric Piano and I actually own 4 differents models. Each track feature 1 or more differents EP.

-Rhodes Suitcase 88 1977 (w/ Peterson)
-Wurlitzer 200a 1979
-Yamaha CP60M
-Columbia Elepian
-Hohner Clavinet D6*

You can listen to the project right here : Tehu.bandcamp.com

Here's the tracklisting with the instruments used:

01-EPrélude
-Rhodes (snare, perc)
-Elepian (Bass, kick)
-Yamaha CP60M (Plucked Strings)
-Wurlitzer 200a
-Yamaha CS50

02-Tineline
-Rhodes
-Yamaha CP60M

03-Inimitable
-Yamaha CP60M (Plucked strings)
-Yamaha CS50

04-Ernst Strngs
-Clavinet D6
-Rhodes
-Roland RS101

05-Tehucaster
-Wurlitzer 200a

06-Electronic Reeding
-Wurlitzer 200a
-Yamaha CP60M
-Vox Continental

07-Entre-deux
-Columbia Elepian (!!!!!)

08-Dismantled Floop Ext.
-Rhodes

Honestly, I think the effort is worthless. I already own one, and keep it for less than 1 week (Im use to analog cheezy piano like Roland EP-10/30, Yamaha CP-10...), I know that the sound is simple and unrealist, but the Rhodes 3363 had the worst of the worst sound and feeling ever! I keep the legs/brace and sold it.

I'll try to do a demo with my Rhodes to show the sound

Hi,

The design is hidden, and even in the original packaging, no information!
Maybe try to carefully remove the black paint.

Bourniplus,

Yeah, i spoted this in Quebec 2-3 months ago (I'm in montreal, it was in my favorite on the Kijiji apps) and now i can't find it! I was hesitating of buying, but it seemed very in good shape, almost like mine! But it wasn't categorized with any ''piano electrique'' or ''Elepian'', it was actually ''piano pour débutant''
For the weight, it's a little more than a 88 Rhodes, and fit in an ''hatchback'' car.

If you end up buying it, let me know, i could help you adjusting to obtain a good sound. Mine sounded like crap when i bought it, but with little tweak, you can have a real nice sound!

On the mechanical side, the Wurly comes with ''homemade'' reeds (pretty bad, not the same thickness). I also find 5 nice NOS wurlitzer reeds (in original bags) to replace the broken ones. So i tuned it, also learn how to make the good shape with the lead. And now, it sound so well, extremely low noise, great for recording!



Here how it sound (Thru analog stereo Chorus, EQ and little analog delay)

https://youtu.be/nQqogmlEqEM

So I give the electrical aspect to a friend of mine who is really good with vintage stuffs, collector of good old components. He recap 90% of the capacitor/resistance on the amp board and the preamp. He put better spec components than the original design, and he really studied the thing (it was his first, and already made a clone of the preamp/vibrato section). He also remade the wiring more logically, put distance between power and audio wiring.

Hi!

I just wan't to share with you this Wurlitzer 200a revival, and i'm so happy with it!

I got this piano for 50$, non working condition (very dangerous i must say), missing 6 reeds. I was my first time working on the mecanical part of a Wurlitzer 200 (a), but I had already own a nice blond 200 ten years ago.

All fuses was blown, the one on the ''electrical terminal'' near the knobs was removed, shorted with kind of lead wire...and actually there was only half of the current going to the pickup bars/amp (weird wiring)

Dampers sticking the pickups? Or maybe too bend so they come too close to the pickup?

I don't see this mod as reversible.
You'll have to cut the pickup reed bar a along the piano to allow ''longer'' reeds.
And i think there's no longer reeds than the actual lowest (except on the Columbia Elepian)

Thanks to Cinnamon for sending me is 3D model of the Hum Shield, i was able to do a 1:1 unfold print, get a 1/16" sheet metal for free.
next step is to cut it, then bend it. I will also sandblast and maybe zinc or chrome plate or spray some kind of anti corrosion paint.

For now, i'm at 0$ spent ;P

Wow thanks!

I just send you a PM before seeing your reply! ;P

Hi,

I'm restoring my 50$ wurlitzer 200A, not so bad shape. But it miss the Upper hum shield..

I'm wondering if there's someone with generosity that could give me the overall dimensions and thickness of the Hum shield on the Wurlitzer 200A, i'm trying to do it DIY.

Thanks,

Xavier

Thanks for the replies!
I also love the sound, really happy with the setting!
(Simple to do btw, 2 screws for adjusting)

I've already done a multisampled soundbank for Ableton live, but I'll have to redo it, i didn't capture the high note dynamic well. But I already did 2 Wurlitzer (200A and 112), 4 Rhodes, 3 Clavinet, 2 Pianet.. with very good results!

Btw, there's a nice Elepian at 300$ in Québec City (Canada) right now
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-piano-synthetiseur-clavier/ville-de-quebec/piano/1129219862?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

The Elepian thru The Rhodie preamp:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2juT0DX4dtU&feature=youtu.be

Video of the Elepian, little improvisation using the MPC2500.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2juT0DX4dtU&feature=youtu.be

I started a thread about my elepian, with pictures, sounds demo.. tips for adjusting not long time ago, it didn't get much enthusiasm!

My friend is in process of recaping/rewiring my Wurlitzer 200A (paid 50 bucks) and he needs an information about the power transformer, here's the question:

I would need some info on the power transformer of an original Wurlitzer 200a, late version.
It has 4 primary wires (white, black, white-black and red-black.
The piano was found in Canada (120v) but the primaries of the transformer seems wired in series. Which according to the slim info i found on the net, should be for 240v.
The primary should be in paralel for 120v. It has a 3 prong grounded iec power connector (us).
Also, Vintage vibes replacement transformer is wired in series for 240v and paralell for 120v. 
On the tag strip,  the white-black wire from the transfo goes to neutral, the red-black and white wire from the transfo are connected togheter on the tag strip and the black wire from the transfo is connected to the fuse post on/off switch.



I measured the resistance of the coil and i get 60 ohm from the white-black wire   to the black wire. I get 30 ohm between either and the two wires connected togheter, which tells me, it is a center tap and the primary is wired in serie.
Also, the neon lamp was connected from the black wire to the "center tap" to get 120v at the neon in a 240v circuit?
Can anybody confirm if they have a piano wired this way for 120v or is it wired for 240v?

Thanks!

Since I have a suitcase with Peterson Preamp, i don't find it very usefull for me on my Rhodes, but it give a good boost on the sound of my passive Elepian.

Also, the design is hided, everything colored in black, plastic plate on the other side.

This weed-end, i've been lucky to find out a still sealed, brand new ''The Rhodie'' preanmp for sale in Montreal. I bought it and paid 50$ for it.
Since i'm planing to use it, I unpack it very carefully.
Here are picture of the packaging and of the unit unpacked.

Hey!
Same internal mecanism than the Columbia Elepian, except for the pickups!
I listen to your audio demo, you can really improve the sound! When i receive mine, the tone was similar to yours, I ajusted the pickup closer to the tine, and i get that ''wulryish'' sound, that I found more interesting!

Listen here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e8kvx84wdrpvanw/TEST%20ELEPIAN%202015-12-02.mp3?dl=0

When you set the pickups like that, you get a really nice dynamic and your able to bark it a lot!

Here's a audio demo of this Elepian,
As i said, I ajusted it to have more ''bark'' (Reeds closest to the pickups) So the sound is very ''dirty''. But i love that sound, so wurlyish. Preamp bypassed, so passive like a Rhodes stage.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e8kvx84wdrpvanw/TEST%20ELEPIAN%202015-12-02.mp3?dl=0

Thru a Ibanez UE-405 (Stereo Chorus, Analog slapback delay and compression)

I'm not a really good keyboard player, this demo is for demonstrating the expression of the instrument.

Thanks

I'll post a video demo soon,
The sound is very interesting! For now i adjusted it in a ''dirty'' way (Pickup as close as possible to the reeds) to be able to have a certain ''drive'' when playing hard.
Really close to a Wurly, but a bit different!

Here's the hammer system




And yesterday I was able to take a passive signal out of the ''pickups harp'' to bypass the awfull preamp. So my goal is to be able to switch from passive to active.


The output signal is a little bit less than a Rhodes, but not too much. And i get just a little ground noise. I've also been able to set the middle/high register to sound almost like a Wurly, more test to come!

Then I cleaned all the keys and keybed. The keys system is very simple, no need to remember where you placed the key originally.

Look a the control


First thing, I adjusted the ''timbre'' because it was almost just overtone. I regain a nice bassy ''rhodish'' tone. It's fun to see the ''hybrid'' system of Reeds/pickups (Wurly Reeds with Rhodes style pickups). So i'm not too lost for the adjustment.


The fist screw on top is for pickups distance, the one just below is for ''timbre'' adjustment (overtone or fondamental). Its really easy and fast to set, I found it more easy than the Rhodes.

Hi,
I just been lucky and find out a nice Columbia Elepian in the Montreal area. Traded against a barely playable, but complete Rhodes Mark II 1981 (Hell rusty, if you see my topics 2 or 3 months ago)
I decided to put some pictures here since there are barely no information on the net.

First of all, here's the Rhodes (Dressed like a Mark I)


Now here's the Elepian when it arrive

fota : Do you have felt on the bottom of your hammer?
My 77 isn't moded, no felt on keys, but on the bottom of the hammer!

Nice eighty eight! I got a similar one, with the preamp!
I see a MPC1000, do you produce hiphop?

Hi, just to keep you posted.
The restoration is still happening, here what I did last week :

-Finished blasting all the tines/tonebars
-Changed all the wood screw/washer that hold the tonebars
-Changed all the grommets (Mcmaster style)
-Revoicing/tuning
-Remake the Electronic
-Sustain pedal test (work great, very smooth and easy)

I'm very surprised with the sound, its pretty good!
Now, i have less than 10 tines that still had problems (vibrating strangely, less sustain..)

next step, as soon as i receive them, i'll change all hammer tips, the majority of the mid/upper register is very badly damaged. I also make a custom faceplate sticker that will be printed soon, to replace imitate the ''MARK II'' design, but more personal.

I play it trough my suitcase preamp (early 1977) then trough a Ibanez UE-405 (the stereo chorus is just amazing)

Wow, that exactly what the tine do, and i got some that touch the other too!
Thanks a lot for your video

Xavier

Thanks!

I'm also surprised about the sound of the tines, do you see the position of the tuning spring across the tine? Weird positionning, because in the original position, i was getting almost 2-3 semi-tone lower the target note

That's exactly what i'm gonna do, play it until tine breaks! I have to find a crazy deal on tines, i don't have big budget for this piano!

Xavier

Here's a little video to show you how it sounds! (Don't look at my playing, i'm not a really good keyboard player)
You can hear some of the bass oscillating!

I just had it ajusted pretty quick, still works to do!

yes, its not the miracle mod, its factory bump on key pedestals!

Personnally, i really like the feel, and strangly its very different from my first Rhodes i had 6 years ago (MKI from 1980, maybe MKII with MKI hardware) that has the bump, but the feeling was heavy!

Thanks David,

originally, this Rhodes had two springs on lower tonebars, I didn't put double back, but if you tells me that could help out the tine oscillation, i'll try it for shure! Thanks!!

My hammer tips are badly worn on the middle/upper register, i'm sure changing them will help. I got a set in order right now!

This restoration makes me want to add the miracle mod on my Suitcase 88 from 1977, i really like the light touch of the later piano!

Thanks a lot for this help!

Yesterday I installed the 30 last tonebars/tines, tuned them and I finally could play this thing!
It sound better than expected, but had a lot of issues.. this will increase my skills level for shure!

Here some issues I have, and I know that the problem is probably 95% due to the bad corrosion on the tines
-5 or 6 bass tines are oscillating (kind of tremolo), I tried to adjust the distance between the tine and the pickups to minimize as possible the trouble
-Tines sound more dull on the middle/upper register
-Less substain on higher notes (I always struggle on these)

The middle register is pretty good, but the overall keyboard have a lack of sustain compared to my other Rhodes. 2 dead pickups, 1 broken tine.. its not bad!
Btw, i didn't removed the rust on the pickup, it will be my next step.

Do you think that rust on pickup affect the sound?

Luckily, the majority of the pickups works, maybe 1 or 2 with less volumes
I don't know why everybody say that the ''White tape'' pickups have tendency of breaking more often then the other (clear tape), its my second Rhodes with white tape, never had trouble with them.

This is a particular exemple of really rusty hardware, but i don't know why, the pickups wires don't seems so affected by the overall rust, i must say that they are pretty clean (pickup wire), but the pickup tips are so corroded, non-sens!

Thanks for the reply!

I perfectly aware that the tines gonna break one time or another, but i take this as a test bench, to test different setting. Parting out isn't an option, in Montreal there's not a big demand for part, this one stay on craigslist for months whitout any big interrest, and parts are sold really cheap! I think people are watching for full working piano.. and Ebay, i don't want to ship anything.

Thanks for the info for the harp bracket, I blasted them and reinstalled.

I'll continu with my process, yesterday I installed half of the tonebars/tines with new hardware, I've been able to ''derust'' the tuning springs, then I kind of ''tune it'' and it play! Some bass note are oscillating very strangly as mentionned, its was foreseeable. I'm surprised that this piano is ''playable'' without any big part remplacement! Here some picture of the weird tuning, spring are waaaay to far across the tine and it make less substain (I was expecting that)







Now i'm thinking about shifting the tines 1 or 2 semi-tone lower, to be able to raise the spring a little bit.
As i say, I'm not working on a ''working Rhodes'', i'm bench testing things!

Thanks!

Thanks for your replies!!

I don't want to invest that much cash on this, but I have time and good motivation!
Parting out this Rhodes isn't an option for me, i don't wan't to do that, this is a very complete piano and I don't wan't to make money over it, i'm just a Rhodes lover i think!

I'll continu my process, last week end I cleaned the bottom case, scrubbed the guide pins (That was badly rusted), changed the tine/tonebars hardware, cleaned all the keys. This week i'll be blasting all the tines/tonebars (It's free, I make this a my job) and after that, this will be the ultimate test.

My only concern is that the tuning springs can't move, I have to find a product that could remove the rust between the tine and tuning spring.

Thanks also for the ebay link, but i'm in canada and I can't see the auction.

Last question, is there a structural utility of the ''Crossbrace'' on the harp between the tines/tonebars and pickup section? I remove the 2, and I don't see any structural weakness. Maybe this is when we move the piano?

Here's picture of the process :

Before and after glass shot :

Thanks for the reply, i'll try to Glass shot every tines/tonebars, and yes, i'll post audio demo.
I know these tines will be fragile, but i'm not an heavy player, in 7 years, I only broke 1 tine on the 4 pianos I owned.

Right now, almost every tines is like that, except the extreme bass. All the pickups works (Lucky me) and with the rust, its waaay out of tune, and the harmonics are detunes too.

The touch is light and the wood is OK.