Any suggestions for stacking a 2nd keyboard on rounded top?

[dtrenz]

Hey there, I want to put another keybord on top of the rhodes but my rhodes has a rounded top.  does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with this?  thanks

[jeff da rhode]

Search for the "dyno" case mod.  Essentially cut the hard case top in 1/2 just behind the keys.  Leaves a nice hard top you can use.

I did this for one, but actually just built a new top rather that cut one.

There are pics on this forum somewhere.

[Ben Bove]

If you're in a serious bind short notice, 2 towels folded on both ends helps a bit haha.  But yes best to do the case mod.

[pianotuner steveo]

2 suggestions: Velcro strips, or what I did back in the 80's was to mount a thin strip of wood (painted black) towards the front of the top, so that my second keyboard could not slide forward and off. I mounted it by drilling pilot holes and the screws came up from the bottom side.

Vecro strips work pretty well,though.

[andi85]

Or just put it up there - I never had too much trouble with sliding keyboards on my round top. Just make sure the other keyboard doesn't have any protruding screws or sharp edges that might scratch your harp cover.

[keysandslots]

I made a wedge-shaped stand for the Oberheim.  I found the synth was starting to deform the plastic Rhodes top, so I took a 2x4, screwed it to a piece of plywood that was a bit deeper than the width of the Rhodes top, and sat it on top of the wood back of the Rhodes.  

It was easy, it tilted the upper keyboard slightly, which made it easier on my wrists, and it took most of the weight off of the plastic top.

Randy

[Jenzz]

Hi .-)

Check out this:

http://www.tasteundtechnik.de/bilder/MK1aufsatz.jpg

I've made this for myself, based on water piping...



regards, Jenzz

[Kbjazzman]

Is that better to let your Rhodes be a star on her own space than share her space with another synth? If I were you I'll not let anything on top her lid

[kineticturtle]

Some of my keyboards sit on the rounded top just fine because they have large feet. The curve of the rhodes top is not really all that extreme; if you find larger screw-on feet with good grip for your other board, it may sit on top just fine.

[keysandslots]

Jenzz, that's cool!

Randy

[modorange]

I've got some heavy gear on top of my round-top Rhodes 73. There was a similar topic earlier somewhere. I think the round top can handle an amount of weight, but the round top will start to sink in the middle if there is very much weight on it. The problem with that is that the top will touch the tone bars and cause notes to clank.

But if you don't have too much weight on it, I'm with Kineticturtle on this--the round top isn't too extreme. The top will hold about anything relatively flat. Just use common sense.

If you did want to place a great deal of weight on it, it might make sense to find a place in the middle of the top that doesn't touch the tone bars and put a verticle support inside. I have thought about doing this myself; but I've put a fairly heavy 9 space rack, a Minimoog D, and an MPC 3000 on the top all at once. It just makes sense to be careful about it because the top does sink under the weight, and the tone bars are under there. So in the middle, some type of support may make sense. Another approach might be to look under the top and try to put some type of support underneath.. I don't know how well that would work.

A very simple solution would be to get a small flat board and place it across the round-top. Then you could even create a frame that goes over the top and rests on the tolex wood framework sticking up.

[Jenzz]

Hi .-)

The pic is from some years ago... I have a different setup now, using a DW-8000 and a Prophet 600 on the same 'rig'. DW-8000 + P600 are roundabout 20 kilos, but there is only a small amout of bending of the top lid.

regards, Jenzz

[LiquiChime73]

A panel of rubbery, textured drawer and/or cupboard liner might give you a sufficiently-grippy surface. I've got a Mark I with a rounded. top. I bought a roll of black liner at a dollar store and cut a piece as long as my synth is wide. It works.

[hmazura]

watch the last video here:
http://www.rhodespiano.com/

they're using some nice black rubber

[The Real MC]

This is a pic of my stage rig in 1979 when I was 16, a wee smart aleck brat.  Before Dyno was around, I made a stack by flipping the top of the case lid around and made a pair of wood "adapters" to hold it in place and give me a flat top.

[Rob A]

I just have to ask, did you set the xmas tree up at every gig?








:twisted:

[The Real MC]

That was on a high school stage, it was already there  :lol:

[shmuelyosef]

Just using a real keyboard stand is probably the easiest.
http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/OnStage-Stands-Folding-HeavyDuty-DualTier-Z-Stand?sku=450389

[gunnar]

A panel of rubbery, textured drawer and/or cupboard liner might give you a sufficiently-grippy surface. I've got a Mark I with a rounded. top. I bought a roll of black liner at a dollar store and cut a piece as long as my synth is wide. It works.

That's what I use too, I've got my whole home studio on top of my Rhodes and everything just sticks to it.

[modorange]

I like what the industrious young Jan Hammer did with his early-70s suitcase: He put a Minimoog on top.

[garagebandking41]

A red towel. folded. hot dog style. yes

[Rhythmicons]

Put a Moog on top of it and youll be in combo heaven. Stuff a magazine under it like I do.

Rhythmicons

[woostybrains]

Agree with using the rubber shelf liner. But sandwiching a wire shelf (like the kind used in closets) between the rubber liners distributes the weight evenly to the front and back sides, keeping the rounded top untouched.

[yorgatron]

[ImNotDedYet]

The rounded top isn't really that rounded on my MKI, so I always have one or two synths/controllers on it.  What they are depends on the moment, but I've not had any issues putting things on top.

[voltergeist]

This may be stating the obvious, but I don't see it mentioned on this thread.  Ken Rich's Straddlers:

http://kenrichsounds.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6

[Max Brink]

Those Ken Rich Straddlers are bullet proof. I've put Yamaha 88 key keyboards on top without any stability issues. Built like a tank and they fold up to fit in the Rhodes' case.

Ken also has them for Wurli's and Hammond Organs.

[voltergeist]

Yeah, I'll second Max on that.  I have a set that my band uses to put a Yamaha weighted 88 on top and they work great.  Playing position is good, too, imo.  They also fold up compactly.

[tomogradymusic]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU4KDJIjgPA&feature=youtu.be

Here are the Ken Rich straddlers in action during a gig - they fold away easily and I put them with the 4-pin and power cables in the case. The playing position is fantastic and a weighted 88-key Nord Stage 2 easily sits on top of my suitcase with no movement.
Thanks,
Tom