No sustain pedal

[Pugulis]

I've got a quick question.  My Rhodes has no sustain pedal and I don't have the cash to get a new one.  Could I use a sustain pedal for an electric guitar to get the same effect.  Or will it adversely effect the sound?

[Kbjazzman]

Rhodes use mechanic movement part not electric current like synth or another keyboard. What 's Rhodes model you got?

[Pugulis]

I've got a MK I 88 stage piano.  I know It's got no current going through it.  That's why I thought a sustain pedal from an electric guitar might work.  You can get them very cheep (less than 30 bucks) as opposed to over 100 for the real pedal.

[Guesty1988]

It wouldn't work I don't think; the sustain on the Rhodes works by moving all of the damper felts away from the tines to allow them to vibrate freely. Without the sustain pedal, the notes on your Rhodes will stop playing as soon as you release the key whether you have a guitar sustain pedal or not. What a guitar sustain pedal would do would be to change the compression so that the note increases in volume as it decays, it wouldn't be able to make the note sound after the key is released.

[John Brevik]

If you poke around the forum, you'll find a couple of threads about extremely cheap and not-too-difficult DIY solutions for sustain pedals.

[michaeltristan]

I would not waste $30 bucks on some sort of band-aid for what you really want.  Sustain is part of what is so special about a Rhodes.  Could the guitar pedal work? Possible.... Is it a replacement for the real thing?  not a chance.  

i would suggest you watch e-bay like a hawk, and try to pick one up that way.  With patience and diligence, you could find a real pedal that will fit your budget.  Good luck....