Your advice please

[yossarian]

Am considering purchasing via eBay in the UK,

Any advice spring to mind on first seeing this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-RHODES-Stage-73-Mk-1-Vintage-ELECTRIC-PIANO_W0QQitemZ140277708235QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item140277708235&_trkparms=72%3A1298%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Many thanks in advance,

Yossarian.

[Ben Bove]

Hi!  This piano is from 1975, a good vintage.  It is also good that the action is said to be reworked as that is usually the biggest detraction from this era.

One concern might be if the tines/pickups are rusted.  In the bottom right corner picture I can see the harp frame appears somewhat corroded, and heavily corroded tines have a tendency to break more easily.

Otherwise appears to be a clean and complete unit best of luck!

[yossarian]

Thanks very much, you're a gentleman.

[Spaceduck]

Looks good to me too, and I agree '75 was a great year. The only thing that confuses me is it seems to have a wooden frame in pics 3 & 6. Shouldn't a '75 Rhodes have an aluminum frame?

[yossarian]

Thanks for the reply SpaceDuck,

Can anyone shed any light on this frame issue?

Many thanks,

Yossarian

[Mark II]

As far as I understood Bjammerz, Mr. Super Site's Rhodes Production specialist, the introduction of aluminium woodblocks (harp support) goes hand in hand with switching from hybrid hammers (half wood/ half plastic) to all plastic hammers.
That being said this Rhodes should have the earlier hammer type - which cant really distinguished on picture #3.

in this thread

2) Hybrid wood hammers are in a 2375 Rhodes, meaning the all plastic hammer transition was closer to Mid year 1975, around June.

my advice:
dont hesitate, go for it.

Mark II

[Ben Bove]

Yes it's correct that around September 1975, going along with the all-plastic hammer switch, was when they started using aluminum Harp Supports and Rail in the back.

So really, for 9 months of 1975 they had the old wood hammers and wooden blocks.

[yossarian]

My most humble thanks to you learned scholars.

Yos

[Quatschmacher]

I happen to know that the guy paid £400 quid for this a month or two back as a buy-it-now on ebay - I still track all the ebay UK auctions. Not that that makes any difference to what people will bid now for it. I'd get him to post you some photos of the innards as I remember that this one had a fair amount of corrosion on the tonebars (might be worth finding out whether the tines are corroded).

[geyster]

I happen to know that the guy paid £400 quid for this a month or two back as a buy-it-now on ebay - I still track all the ebay UK auctions. Not that that makes any difference to what people will bid now for it. I'd get him to post you some photos of the innards as I remember that this one had a fair amount of corrosion on the tonebars (might be worth finding out whether the tines are corroded).

Is it the one?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110286248606

[Quatschmacher]

[
Is it the one?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110286248606

Yep, that's the one!

[yossarian]

Guys, thank you both for the info, much appreciated.

Yos.