Tine in wrong angle...

[Zaki]

Hi all,

I just got my very first Rhodes - a Stage 73 mkII.
It's in great condition only minor adjustments seems to be necessary for optimal use. One of them was the Ab-key in the fifth octave. The tonebar seems to loosen itself and touches the metal-support on the right, which makes an annoying buzz (not audible on the output, except for the sustain being shorter). I fastened the tonebar by tightening the adjustment screws, but is this the best way to do so? And why are there these adjustment screws? They only seem to affect the tonebar.

Another issue. One of the deepest tines is seated in a wrong angle. When the damper comes up it touches the tine besides the felt, and sometimes the tine appear to strike the tonebar, making an odd sound. How do I correct this? I've tried to loosen the "Tone Generator mounting screw" (as it's called in the manual), but it is stuck and I am afraid to force it. Should I loosen this screw to align the tine, or is there some other way to do it?

[jim]

hello zaki
it may be that the support is bent,rather than the tonebar workings. i had that problem on my rhodes. or maybe the screws that you tightened are bent.
or you could look straight down the tonebar and see if the tine lines up with it. if it does then you don't need to loosen the tone generator mounting screw(the tight one) but if it's crooked, a vice is useful. but yeah be careful.

those screws that you tightened are very important to the sound of the rhodes, so tightening them will change the tone or even make the note unplayable.
check out the rhodes manual which is on the super site. it will answer all your questions and more.

[Zaki]

my first thoughd was, that the Tine itself was bent, but it did not appear to be the problem. But I am not sure - I m at work now, so I cannot check it, but I am pretty sure that it was the assembly that in a wrong angle. I already had a look in the manual, but I have not had the time to check it better out, but how does these screws affect the sound? As far as I understand it, it's the tine which generates the sound and the only task of the tonebar is to resonate with the tine and thereby sustaining the note.

[axg20202]

The tone bar is attached to the tine. Adjusting the tonebar screws alters the height of the tonebar and the tine, which in turn affects the tone as well as escapement (the distance between the hammer tip and the tine when a note is played and held). These adjustments greatly affect the feel and sound of each notes. Read the manual - all will become clear.

Gently bending the support strut straight may well solve your problem.

[Zaki]

Gently bending the support strut straight may well solve your problem.

Where and what is this "support strut"?

I've managed to fix the two tines that where most out of angle. I did this by taking out the entire tonebar assembly and loosening the tine from the tonebar (it was impossible to loosen the screw, while the assembly was still in the Rhodes). However, it is almost impossible to get the angle right, when the assembly is not in the piano, but I managed to get it a little better and then I adjusted the rest by messing with the position of the entire assembly (loosened the two adjustment screws and forced the tonebar to one side, while tightening the screws again.

But how is sideways movement best avoided? (several of my tines seems to be able to easily get out of adjustment during transport)
How is it best adjusted?

[Zaki]

Gently bending the support strut straight may well solve your problem.

Where and what is this "support strut"?

I've managed to fix the two tines that where most out of angle. I did this by taking out the entire tonebar assembly and loosening the tine from the tonebar (it was impossible to loosen the screw, while the assembly was still in the Rhodes). However, it is almost impossible to get the angle right, when the assembly is not in the piano, but I managed to get it a little better and then I adjusted the rest by messing with the position of the entire assembly (loosened the two adjustment screws and forced the tonebar to one side, while tightening the screws again.

But how is sideways movement best avoided? (several of my tines seems to be able to easily get out of adjustment during transport)
How is it best adjusted?

[axg20202]

There are two struts connecting the tonebar rail to the pick-up rail to give the whole harp assembly strength. Sometimes the tone bars directly next to these can touch them and prevent the tonebar from vibrating freely. If this is the problem, the struts can be removed, carefully adjusted (straightened) and then reattached.

One possible cure for tonebars that seem to move to one side when played is new grommets (the black rubber things that isolate the tonebar screws from the tonebar.  Old grommets may be quite loose, allowing the tonebar a little sideways movement. Try changing the grommets on the affected tonebar. You may even want to consider doing a complete regrommet of all tonebars, but this may not be needed.

Andy.