how to make Rhodes imitation sounds better?

[hmazura]

i have a good Rhodes imitation - Roland VR-760 - and i want to make it sound better. how?

i was thinking about getting some guitar amplifier(?) should i get some special kind? and is tube amp necessary? (i'm looking for a bit distorded sound)

or how else can I do it? some effects, preamps or what?

thanks for info! i'm kind of newbie in this...

[andi85]

First question: What's missing? What is it that leaves you not really satisfied?
Also: Before you get some new gear, have you made sure you're getting the best out of what you already have?

You mentioned a guitar amp: What do you miss with the onboard amp simulators? Are you looking for more realism, more variation, more... ?
If tweaking the COSM simulation doesn't help, you could try a Hughes & Kettner Tubeman, a tube-based recording preamp for guitar, and my favorite tool for running my Rhodes directly into the FOH. It just gives me everything I want - matched only by the Crunchmaster from the same company.
If you'd like to have more variations, a Line6 POD or a Vox Tonelab might be worth a try, too. They also come with lots of effects.

Of course you can also get a guitar amp. It doesn't have to be tube, but it might be good for an overdriven tone. I have a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe - nice amp.

[hmazura]

thanks for reply. I appreciate it.

1) my sound is too clean and too perfect. i'm looking for a sound Jeff Lorber has on the first song here:

http://www.rhodespiano.com/sound.htm

2) and i'm quite sure i tried everything i could on my instrument. there are not too many options of changing the sound.

I can apply COSM simulation mostly on the Hammond part of my Roland. Piano part is separate and has only the option of simulating close/far micking and (or) direct line out. I can't add any distortion effects and that's what I miss. I want my Rhodes to have more crunchy and dirty sound.


Maybe that Tubeman can be better, because I woludn't have to carry big guitar amp, or?

[andi85]

Alright, then I would absolutely give the Tubeman a shot. It's something like the preamp section of a guitar amp and it has an optional speaker simulation (which is pretty basic, but does the job I'd say).

Oh yes, and it's very portable (like 3 packs of cigarettes & the power adapter).

[hmazura]

...and the price of a tube guitar amp is almost twice as big!

And just on little detail - I like playing my keyboard through two amplifiers to get stereo effect. I guess Tubeman have only one input, so I'll have to play mono, right?

[andi85]

Yes. Otherwise you'd have to get two units. Depends on what you're willing to spend: The old models go for something like 100-150€ used, so you'd be looking at 200-300€. Watch out for scratchy pots and switches - otherwise they should be dependable. Changing the tube is easy and cheap.
Or - if you also want to upgrade your effects, you could go mono through one Tubeman and from there into stereo effects.

It will be hard to find anything that has two channels and is capable of some overdrive / distortion. From what I've experienced with my ART Tube MPs and what I've heard from others using different products, microphone preamps with a tube circuit won't give you that guitar amp-like overdrive.

[hmazura]

thanks! I tried it and it sounds great with tubeman.

[andi85]

Cool! Thanks for the feedback - and I'm happy you're liking your Tubeman!

[michaeltristan]

I used to use a Speakeasy Vintage rack mount tube preamp into a mixer and it sounded really nice.  It really made the Rhodes more responsive than other solid state preamps I tried.  It really added POWER to the signal, there is no other way to describe it.  With solidstate preamp, I could only describe the sound a wimpy.  Not my cut of tea.  Whats also nice about this unit is the vibrato circut.  I believe the unit is based upon the Fender Blackface preamp.  So in the end, you ALMOST have the sound of a twin reverb with this.... almost.  For what it is, I absolutely love this unit, and will never part with mine.  If you need to add some tube sound to a Rhodes or a good Rhodes imitation this would be a good choice... plus it's built like a tank.... for real.