Preamps/Tolex/Badges

[garagebandking41]

I'm confused on the names of the preamps for each model rhodes. Can some one clarify this?

There's the sparkle top (mono?), the Mark I  (4pin) 71-74? and (5-pin) 1975-79? and then Mark II. I think.

Are there two types of Mark II Preamps? Also I've seen Mark 1 suitcases with the black grill cloth, the slider preamp, and a Rhodes badge. And the 4 pin 3 knob Mark 1 with a Rhodes badge and the brown? tolex, but also with a Fender Rhodes Badge.

To my understanding there is no slider preamp suitcase with brown tolex. Right?

There should be more nerdy detail like this in the model section, because i can't use this forums search function for the life of me. Thanks for the help all.

[Ben Bove]

There are no brown tolex Rhodes, except for Piano Basses before 1965 and possible prototypes.  Same goes for Fender amps I believe, everything after 1965 was covered in Black tolex.

1965-1968  
Silvertop with Mono Amp (by Jordan electronics company) Mono tremolo.  Fender Badge.

1969            
Silvertop with 4pin stereo amp by Peterson strobe tuners, nicknamed Peterson amp.  Silver grill, 3 knob.  Fender Badge.

1970-mid 1973 (mark I is actually the name of stage piano not overall vintage)
Suitcase piano with 4 pin square-end stereo Peterson amp. Silver grill, 3 knob. Fender Badge.

1973-mid1977
Same Peterson stereo amp but with 4pin round connector. Silver grill, 3 knob. It should also be noted there are about 3 different phases/configurations of updates on the peterson amp from 69-1977. Fender badge up until beginning of 1975, Rhodes badge for 1975-1984.

Mid 1977-1979
5 Pin stereo amp designed by Bob Haigler at Fender, nicknamed "Haigler" amp.  "Janus" refers only to satellite system.  Black grill with EQ slider preamp.  Silver faceplate for preamp looks like Mark 1.

late 1979-1982
Same 5 pin Haigler amp, but with black faceplate to match Mark II stage piano.

1982/1983
Same 5pin Haigler amp, but with updated preamp with all knobs and no encasement for preamp.

Basically, all 4pin amps have silver grill with 3 knob preamp, and 5 pin amps have black grill with EQ sliders.  Anything else is a modification or a changeout / replacement.

[Tim W]

Almost right, bjammerz...    

As far as I know right now, the following is correct:

1965-1968
Silvertop with Mono Amp (by Jordan electronics company) Mono tremolo. Fender Badge.

1969
Silvertop with 4pin stereo amp by Peterson strobe tuners, nicknamed Peterson amp. Silver grill, 3 knob. Fender Badge.

1970-mid 1973 (mark I is actually the name of stage piano not overall vintage)
Suitcase piano with 4 pin square-end stereo Peterson amp. Silver grill, 3 knob. Fender Badge.

1973-mid1977
Same Peterson stereo amp but with 4pin round connector. Silver grill, 3 knob. It should also be noted there are about 3 different phases/configurations of updates on the peterson amp from 69-1977. Fender badge up until beginning of 1975, Rhodes badge for 1975-1984.

1977
"1st version" 5-pin stereo Haigler Preamp with EQ sliders as printed in the Service Manual.  Black grille cloth.  Apparently very few were made.

See schematic here:
http://www.fenderrhodes.org/ch11/fig11-1.jpg

Late 1977-1979
"2nd version" 5 Pin stereo amp designed by Bob Haigler at Fender, nicknamed "Haigler" amp. "Janus" refers only to satellite system. Black grill with EQ slider preamp. Silver faceplate for preamp looks like Mark 1.

See schematic here:
http://www.fenderrhodes.com/pdf/late-mark1-suitcase-janus1.pdf

late 1979-1982
"2nd version" 5 pin Haigler amp, but with black faceplate to match Mark II stage piano.

Same schematic as above:
http://www.fenderrhodes.com/pdf/late-mark1-suitcase-janus1.pdf

1982/1983
"Low Noise" Preamp designed by Paul Gagon with rotary controls and pushbutton for vibrato on/off.   It is indeed a lower noise design than the Haigler, but the vibrato circuit is different yet again...

See schematic here:
http://www.fenderrhodes.com/pdf/late-mark2-suitcase.pdf


I have seen and repaired all of these preamps, so I know they exist and the schematics are correct.  I originally thought the "1st version" Haigler did not really exist since I had never seen one.  I finally saw one in a '77 though.   It has a few design bugs (it works, but the stereo vibrato effect has too much overlap in the transitions from channel to channel due to the oscillator design and LDR config). .  The vibrato sounded so bad that I modified the circuit to match the "2nd version" schematic.  I have asked James to update my explanations on the service manual pages to reflect this, but he hasn't gotten to it yet.

Tim

[Ben Bove]

Almost right indeed.

Thanks for schematics

[garagebandking41]

Damn good form, You got it though. I didn't mean tolex. I meant grill cloth. I don't know what I was thinking. The grill gloth...not tolex. You can get a rhodes in any color you want, as long as its black.

Thanks, this is great stuff.