"For serious collectors only"

[Alan Lenhoff]

Check out this ebay listing:

<http://cgi.ebay.com/Rhodes-Stage-Piano-88-From-Stateville-prison_W0QQitemZ140328641108QQcmdZViewItemQQssPageNameZRSS:B:SRCH:US:101>

Someone is trying to sell a Rhodes 88 for megabucks ($2,700 starting price, but with a higher reserve) as a "collector's item."  

This banged-up, legless  Rhodes' claim to fame? It was in Stateville prison near Joliet, Ill, which the seller implies was the prison used in the Blues Brothers movie. "This piano truly has a history and a story unmatched by others in its category," the seller says.

Lest anyone assume this was the Rhodes that Ray Charles played in that movie, the Rhodes is clearly a 1983 model (built three years after the movie was made).  And, by the way, it was the OTHER prison in Joliet, the Joliet Correctional Center, that was used in the movie.

Still, I'm certain this piano is worth whatever premium someone is willing to pay.  ;-)

[MikeMalone]

I thought the same thing when i saw the listing...RIDICULOUS!!!!!!

[bru]

I emailed the guy to link him to this page, and got a pretty nasty response  :roll:

[andi85]

Well... although that's not very nice, it was not exactly a surprise either, huh?

[billulsund]

After reading this I just had to check it out and the listing still implies that it was used in the movie. I was not surprised to see that there is only 4 hours left on the auction and 0 bids. If I had almost $3,000 to spend on a Rhodes I would just spend a little extra and get a new one.