Messages

Would this help?
https://www.vintagevibe.com/products/wurlitzer-140-200-series-hammer-tips

Also a possibility too.

Cheers!

Thank you for your reply pianotuner steveo! Yes we will locate the source of the squeak and the rest. The sound seems to originate from the lower end of the pedal mechanism, so that would rule out the aluminum damper bar inside of the piano. When I'm next over there, we'll take a look. I'll look into greases if we can't fix the problem there.

Thanks!

Patrick

Happy New Year all on the forum!

My friend has owned a 1975 73 suitcase for about 9 months now. It's been basically untouched since 1975 with the lack of a bump mod, all original workings, et cetera. Ever since he has owned it (and who knows for how long) there's been a squeak emanating from the player's side of the sustain pedal. My question to you all is: is this a simple fix with some lubricant, or would this require a professional's attention? The problem isn't dire, just really obnoxious to the both of us.

Thanks!

Patrick

That's a genius idea! Thanks Dan

Hello all on the forum!

I've been noticing that the two cheek blocks on my Rhodes are uneven. The right cheek block (by the treble keys) is at normal but the left cheek block which is  a Vintage Vibe cheek block power supply is abnormally high. I removed the left block and noticed that the "J" hooks underneath the 1/4 jacks did push the cheek block up a bit.

Is there any remedy too this? It's not a terrible problem, but is annoying cosmetically.

Thanks!

Patrick

Thank you Mr. Bove! I will check that out.

Thank you so much! I did however pack my Rhodes away in a corner now to take it to Vintage Keyboard Repair in SF (the guy is really good). I appreciate the wealth of your knowledge! But I will just leave Rhodes work to the guys who know what they're doing... (I'll do the playing!)

BTW how would you use an alligator clip to test for a break? I have some but don't know how to use them yet.

 Whew that's rough! So the pickups themselves unwound? I'll try some alligator clips, and then some eventual but near pickup replacement...

Thanks!

Hello all on the forum!
I hate to bother you for such a small problem (I think) but my harp suddenly went silent. I ruled out the preamp, and I plugged in an RCA-1/4 adapter directly into the harp but no audible sound (except for some pickup clicking). I saw no visible breaks in the natural way the pickups were wired.
I think the problem exists because I was replacing escapement screw grommets; so that might have fouled up the pickups...
Is there a good way to remedy this? I'll be more careful (promise!)

Thanks

Patrick

Very true and THANK YOU FOR THE WARNING!!! Will not attempt...

After some research (and imagination), I was now intrigued by the Fender Rhodes Piano Bass, as it was a keyboard for producing only bass sounds. The Piano Bass has a very cool tone, but it doesn't sound close enough to a bass guitar for me.

So, and this could be by a long shot, has anyone attempted to make a bass range piano with strings, tuning pegs, grand piano (tear drop) hammer tips and an EQ filter?

If not, I will set out to make a new instrument...

I totally understand that one couldn't pitch bend, slide, slap or whatever bass players normally do to color their playing; but a warm electromechanical bass keyboard seems like OK proposition...

Thoughts?

Thanks!
-Patrick

Would anyone on here happen to have any recordings or songs with (potentially) a 1969-1970 suitcase Rhodes with felt cube hammer tips? I (probably won't but) want to find one some day and want to explore some tonal possibilities.
Thanks
-Patrick

https://youtu.be/MXOwOI5SmM8

1977 with makeshift (not the best) felt hammer tips through an active preamp. Voiced to be very sine-heavy and mellow sounding.

Glad it found a new home! 

Mr. Bove, will you eventually add this piano to your Retro Rentals Rhodes collection?

@sean perfect for sawing it in half and destroying it

That thread gave a lot of good points. Thanks @squarebubble

Hello all,

I've been thinking about starting up a Rhodes repair business.
I was wondering, what are some typical tools used for repairing Rhodes pianos?

Thanks!

Thank you everyone! Sean you gave me a real laugh 

Hello all,

I just cut a tine for the second lowest c on my 1977 73 (and managed to get the tuning spring on there {double ugh}) but I am not able to get the original tine separated from the tone bar. I put all of my force into my 5/16 nut driver and no luck, no budge. What would be a good method of separation?

Thanks!

 Rats.

Thank you sean and The Real MC!

If I ever do acquire a Sparkle Top sometime in my life (not too likely) it is nice to know that I can still retain the pretty sound!

And yes, earlier pianos are definitely set up differently. 

Just out curiosity,
For those who own Sparkle Tops, how would they sound if later tines were put in, say 1976?

Ray Mac tines seem hard to come by, and I am aware that hammer tips (and many other factors) affect a Rhodes tonality. Being with teardrop felt hammer tips, would a later tines fit right in at all?

Later tines appear to have a longer decay life, so that aspect would be weird on a Sparkle Top. Would later tines keep the Sparkle Top charm? Or would they sound unnatural?

Thank you!

Wow! I will take a look...

I enjoy the sound of felt tips as well, but yes they groove quickly and soon become unusable. And suitcases are hefty too. I've never owned a suitcase (and heck, I've barely owned a Rhodes) but it seems that the amp cabinet is twice the weight as the piano. Convenient for immediate amplification but not convenient for moving.

I just wanted to say amazing write up! It was a fabulous read. I would have quit at putting in a Peterson side ways and doing the wire for wire knob thing to the face plate! But I can see it was worth it in the end...

No problem. Wow. If it was at least part way restored, I'd bet it sounded beautiful!

Interesting. I guess the dark age of the Peterson?

I will give that a look! Thanks!

Here is a 1969 transition mark 1 with a stereo tremolo Peterson preamp http://ep-forum.com/smf/index.php?topic=8758.msg47080#msg47080

Wow. Thank you The Real MC!

I've experimented with the whammy in GB and it was based on a Digitech Whammy! I could buy myself a whammy pedal...

Yes! I've always wanted a Ring Mod pedal

Just for curiosity sake, I was wondering what model of Fender Rhodes was on this recording? Since this was recorded in 1973, it is plausible that it is an early Fender Rhodes Mark 1, but this piano has a sparkle top vibe. I swear hearing stereo vibrato so possible a 1969 Sparkle Top??? Would anyone on here be able to give some ideas? Thank you! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KgXCpD8xtjA

Amazing write up Sean!

I have read information from the supersite before, but not Freddan's (and his entries are very interesting!) And thank you Mr. Bove for the album! I guess as a new decade rolled around, a new piano showed up as well.

Mark II s definitely came out in 1979. 1979-1982/3 I believe?

When the Fender Rhodes Mark I series is described, the dates are referred to as 1969-1974. But I've never seen a black top 1969 Rhodes Suitcase. Do Black tops go back this far and if so does anyone have any photos of a 1969 Mark I Suitcase?
Also what was the first year that the Super Satellite mod first came around? 1970 because the first stage models were available then?

Thank you for whatever information you might have!

Wow. And with an expression pedal I could bend the pitch and hold it there?

That's an idea. An outboard effects processor might have this feature as well. I'm going to look into that. Thanks pianotuner steveo!

There ya go. I am soon to buy an audio interface and so I'm sure there is something like that word n a program.

Thanks bourniplus

Like a pitch joystick/wheel that doesn't spring back to its original position. Almost as the "fine tune" knob on the Minimoog.

There are many pitch shifting pedals out there (like the Digitech Whammy and the EHX Pitch Fork) but they all go by by semitones.

I personally like an off tune Rhodes because it brings extra warmth to the sound.
Is there a pedal that has a microtonal tuning slide like this one on this Kurzweil? Or is there a way in which I could build one (and attach it to the name rail of my Rhodes) ?

Is there also a manual way of adjusting the rate parameters on the Peterson as well?

Thanks for that wonderful explanation pnoboy! I do see how the farther away you are from the piano, the amount of different cycles and amp nuances that can occur.

The Peterson (as I can see now) has a much faster starting rate than the Janus (which is a whole other topic) as Mr. Bove pointed out. Robert Glasper could have been using a Nord Electro or something like that where the vibrato was freely adjustable.

Thank you for the many replies!

I have a little question, just out of curiosity.
What is the lowest stereo tremolo on the Peterson? I have a VV Stereo Vibe and that is similar in rates but there is a function that cuts the vibrato speed in half. recording: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvang_1Vshg This sounds like an 88 suitcase or an 88 stage with a Peterson, but the rate is much slower than the original Peterson's slowest rate.

Would anyone be able to send an MP3 of the Peterson at its lowest rate?

Thank you!

My friend has KeyScape and the only thing I don't like about it is that you really cannot adjust the treble and bass boost on the Rhodes accurately. I feel as if they recorded a high treble Rhodes, then implemented bass and treble boost afterwards. I have to use a band eq pedal to get the sound I want.

But other than that I'd say it's really expansive for what it is.

I agree with bourniplus. I'll just keep my namesake the way it is.

Yes! I found it. Thank you!

There ya go, simple solution!