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Tone straight from the harp

Started by jbowers, June 07, 2010, 10:11:31 PM

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jbowers

Hey,

Recently I've been running my rhodes straight from the harp output rather than from the output on the faceplate. I vastly prefer the tone that this gives.

Basically I was wondering if there was a way to achieve this same tone, but still plug a jack in to the normal input. I would assume that you would have to bypass the bass boost circuitry, but I would very much like to keep the volume know active, as that would be my main reason for not just running out from the harp itself. Is this possible or does the volume knob affect the tone?

Cheers,
James

Wavedude

Is this a suitcase model or stage model? Different models vary in circuitry.
Fender Rhodes 88 key - Suitcase Model

jbowers

It's a stage model. MkII from late 1980 I believe.

BenH

I think you could just cut the connection to the bass tone pot and solder it straight onto the volume pot

Mark II

yup.



or jump wire the tone pot in parallel with the capacitor which leads to the same result: harp output connected with the volume pot only

kind regards
Mark II
Rhodes Stage 73 Mark II 1980 / modified Peterson Suitcase Preamp

sean

Jump wiring or shorting the "Bass Boost" pot would be exactly the same as turning the knob fully clockwise.  Just turn the knob clockwise, and forget about it.


If you really have some heartache about the controls on the name rail, then you should probably get an amp or preamp with higher input impedance.   (That will probably make your complaints go away.)

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If you like the sound that comes from the harp directly, but DON'T like the sound with the name rail controls inserted:  is this because you didn't realize that the "straight from the harp" sound is essentially "bass boost" and "volume" set on 10 or fully clockwise?  When you plug into the name rail, what settings do you use?

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On the Rhodes pianos that I have, I still get great tone EVEN when I plug two or three into a simple voltage-divider mixer made with 10K resistors (which would put 20K in parallel with the volume control, and increase whatever imagined suckage would be created by having the volume pot before my amplifier).

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I have never been able to prove to myself that the "straight form the harp" sound was any better than plugging into the name rail, and I have done the A/B comparison many times on lots of Stage pianos.  However, changing amps, preamps, or speaker location in the room makes a huge difference for me.

Sean