Messages

1

The Fender Rhodes Electric Piano / Re: Backrail felt: how thick can you go?

« on: Today at 07:33:23 AM »

Thick back rail felt is the secret sauce I use. But you have to also mod the entire rest of the action. The results make any Rhodes play better than ever before. But you have to REALLY know your stuff to make it work. Once you crack it, there’s no going back...

I did this thinking it was a mistake at first, but I went with it. I had to use the thickest balance rail felts I could find just to get the key height back to normal (I supposed I could have shimmed the balance rail but this is a 77 stage and only has two screws holding the action down). I also had to use thick front rail felts too.

2

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: 200 Series Transistors

« on: Today at 07:28:11 AM »

Page 27 of a manual found online

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The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Identify this Wurlitzer

« on: Today at 07:23:04 AM »

It's a 720 or 720A due to only having two knobs on the left cheek block (from what I can tell). The 720B had two knobs, an audio jack and a pilot light.  The 726 had a knob and some toggle switches, and a pilot light too.

4

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Building a 200-series from scratch? 3D-modeling?

« on: November 19, 2020, 02:36:32 PM »

Hey, the 3D modeler here... I do still have the models but when I first made them, I really had no intention of giving them away or even selling them. It was all in the spirit of fun, and just seeing if I could do it.

I have used the models for many many things, including making new pedal boxes, designing a new reedbar for reeds one octave lower on the bass end, and just 3D printing parts that I need here and there. I've also printed an adapter for a Rhodes rubber hammer tip to adapt to a Wurlitzer hammer. Very metallic sound.

Anyways, I hope you understand, and I wish you luck in your endeavour.

5

Parts, Service, Maintenance & Repairs / Re: How to get more key dip? (Rhodes)

« on: September 23, 2020, 10:58:50 AM »

I am making some new shims for the aluminum harp supports as the particle board is a bit too thick on top.

That's exactly what I had to do on the first one. The next one I did I had to add shims on top of the particle board.

6

Parts, Service, Maintenance & Repairs / Re: How to get more key dip? (Rhodes)

« on: September 16, 2020, 10:20:58 AM »

replaced the back felt

How thick is this back felt? Where'd you get it? Was it thicker than what was there before? Thicker back felt reduces keydip directly.

When I replaced the back felt with a thicker felt, I had to use thicker balance rail felts to get the key fronts higher, and I had to use thinner front rail felts to get the proper key dip.

Also, what is your current key height (to the underside of the front lip)

7

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Got my first 200A this week. A couple issues & seeking some advice.

« on: August 27, 2020, 12:46:01 PM »

Is this just more mythology? Or can someone actually document dimensional differences between 200 and 200A reeds?

https://www.vintagevibe.com/blogs/news/wurlitzer-electric-piano-reeds-case-study

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The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Which Wurli model for most bark/harmonic complexity?

« on: June 12, 2020, 11:57:41 AM »

Bark = early 200
The 200’s have slightly thinner reeds than the 200A’s

9

The Fender Rhodes Electric Piano / Re: Tines steel type

« on: May 15, 2020, 05:42:06 PM »

It took Rhodes many years to work through these issues.
Look forward to hearing your progress in 2020:-)

The tine has come

10

The Fender Rhodes Electric Piano / Re: New Tine, No Sustain

« on: May 08, 2020, 06:31:46 AM »

Did you try a tone bar clip?
Is the tineblock tightened firmly?

11

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: 206 - no sound except 60 cycle hum

« on: May 01, 2020, 05:16:40 AM »

If the buzz goes away when the pickups are unplugged, turn your lights off nearby to see if it goes away. If not, check the grounding further on the reedbar.

12

The Fender Rhodes Electric Piano / Re: Bump Mod on 1977 Rhodes 73 Stage

« on: April 23, 2020, 05:36:16 AM »

That is good to hear actually, that’s kinda what I thought would happen.

13

The Fender Rhodes Electric Piano / Re: Bump Mod on 1977 Rhodes 73 Stage

« on: April 19, 2020, 08:58:01 PM »

If you play them side by side (one modded, one original) you’ll be convinced.

14

The Fender Rhodes Electric Piano / Re: Bump Mod on 1977 Rhodes 73 Stage

« on: April 19, 2020, 01:07:18 AM »

I did the bump mod on mine as well (same model, same year). It’s difficult removing the hammer cam felts but everything else is easy. An issue with your approach, though it seems it’s the same, is that you still have a wood-on-felt situation which is what the bump mod is supposed to be getting rid of. You’ll also see tiny indents in the hammer cam felt created by this “just-the-bump” condition over time which may completely negate the bump mod you just did, and it may  be even harder to play a note than it was before you had installed the bumps at all. I think if this method would have worked, Rhodes would have instituted many decades ago since it is far easier.

To each their own, but this method will definitely cause some head scratching down the road (maybe even yours too!).

15

Buying / Re: New to the site, looking for some help tracking down a Wurli 106p project

« on: April 16, 2020, 09:00:31 PM »

Oh man they are nearly *impossible* to find in unrestored condition.

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The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Wurli 140B vs 200A worth their price?

« on: April 07, 2020, 07:29:39 PM »

Steveo I’ll post a picture shortly.

17

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Wurli 140B vs 200A worth their price?

« on: April 03, 2020, 06:55:06 PM »

Steveo, the keysticks are longer in the 720 consoles than the portables. Other than that, identical.

18

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Wurlitzer 200A - 3D model

« on: March 23, 2020, 06:17:25 PM »

Oh sorry I’ll look for the message.

19

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Lubricating Action on 200

« on: March 08, 2020, 06:48:35 AM »

That’s odd that some felts are affected while others are not. If I saw that, I’d still lube everything for good measure. The acid test is to release the damper on a note and then play it. If it doesn’t return after a soft keystroke and soft release, then the action centers will need lubed.

20

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Lubricating Action on 200

« on: March 06, 2020, 04:25:47 PM »

Yes I’m referring to lubing the action centers. The hardest part about removing the action are the damper arm grommets. Doing this makes everything much more accessible.

21

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Lubricating Action on 200

« on: March 04, 2020, 10:49:05 PM »

I use those needle medical syringes like the ones used for giving shots. Pin point accuracy and reduced waste. I take the dampers off, harps off, then the rest of the action off in one piece (5 screws fasten it to the base and two screws hold it to the bracket in the back. From there it’s easy peezy.

22

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: 200 Speaker Glue?

« on: February 23, 2020, 08:43:55 AM »

I would

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The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: 200 Speaker Glue?

« on: February 21, 2020, 04:39:35 PM »

Two bolts hold the speaker to the rail. They used silicone to dampen vibration in between the speaker and the mounting plates. . Is this what you mean?

24

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: 200 Speakers - How to silence

« on: February 06, 2020, 08:56:40 PM »

You can 100% plug a dummy plug into the headphone jack to safely disable the speakers with nothing on the other end. Just put an 1/8” female to 1/4” male adapter plug in there. There’s an 8 ohm 5 watt resistor that becomes “in-circuit” when anything is plugged in. Check if that resistor is still there though. I have seen it removed on rare rare occasions. It will look like a rectangular block almost an inch long.

25

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Dating a Wurlitzer

« on: January 21, 2020, 05:31:32 PM »

I think therein lies the confusion. You should have received some narrower damper felts for the higher notes. The website states Mid Felt: Keys 1-46, Treble Felt: Keys 47-55

What did you receive (or not receive) exactly?

26

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Wurlitzer 200 Dull Reed issue SOLVED!

« on: January 06, 2020, 03:24:32 AM »

Great details, but I think you’ve mistaken what you were actually doing (no offense!). You’ve basically “un-torqued” the reedbar. Though this does change the height of the reed bar, more importantly you’ve relieved any stress the screws/brackets put on the reedbar. It’s one of the hardest things to track down. Usually you fix certain notes, only to have another area become plagued with dullness.

27

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Vibrato Knob

« on: January 06, 2020, 03:09:02 AM »

It should control the depth, but gradually. Sounds like you have the wrong taper pot in there with the Warneck amp.

28

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: 206a - no sound

« on: October 21, 2019, 10:47:27 PM »

Check if you have signal through the aux out first. That signal is tapped before the power amp section (where you’re hearing the whoofing noise). Also, does the noise get louder and softer with the volume knob?

29

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Wurli sustain pedal issue

« on: October 18, 2019, 09:02:47 AM »

Do you have a grounding wire that connects the damper mechanism to the reedbar? It snakes through the middle.

30

The Wurlitzer Electric Piano / Re: Wurlitzer Jack Springs and Front Rail Pins

« on: October 11, 2019, 10:17:10 AM »

How cool is that polisher! I wonder how it does on the oblong front rail pins.  Seems like they would tear it up?

As for reporting to VV, I have not. It states on their website that they are 1" springs. I bought these a year or two ago and don't know what the description said at the time. I know 1" springs will fit and have some coming today actually. I just don't know if they will buckle due to being too long.