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wood cheek blocks

Started by Peacefrog35, June 24, 2010, 09:14:28 PM

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Peacefrog35

Do any of you know what type of wood was used and what type of stain was used to finish them?  I'm receiving a goldtop piano bass,but it has black cheek blocks. I"m going to strip them and stain them,but I want them to be the accurate color.   I've done this before,but I want to be certain the stain I use will be as close as possible to what was commonly used for the gold top and fiesta red piano basses.

Thanks in advance!
current gear:
1965 Fender Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass
1965 Fender Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass
1962 Fender Rhodes white top piano bass
1966 Fender Rhodessilver sparkle piano bass
1968 Gibson G101 organ
1966 Vox 301H wood key conitnental
1968 Vox 301E Continental
1967 RMI 300A Electra-piano and Harpsichord

Peacefrog35

Wow..40 views and no one knows?
current gear:
1965 Fender Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass
1965 Fender Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass
1962 Fender Rhodes white top piano bass
1966 Fender Rhodessilver sparkle piano bass
1968 Gibson G101 organ
1966 Vox 301H wood key conitnental
1968 Vox 301E Continental
1967 RMI 300A Electra-piano and Harpsichord

Fred

When you strip the cheekblocks, try not to go down to raw wood. Instead, try removing the paint while leaving the stained surface intact. Re-coat with Zinsser "3lb Orange" shellac.
Head Designer of the Vintage Vibe Tine Piano
Collector
Electric Piano Technician in New Haven, Ct.
(203) 824-1528

Peacefrog35

Thanks Fred.  Are you saying that the wood is stained under the black paint and that the orange shellac will finish it to look like how the fiesta red and gold sparkle cheek blocks look?  

I'm excited to do this.  The gold piano bass looks great,but I feel they look better with stained blocks as opposed to the painted ones.  I'm going to get started as soon as it arrives this week.
current gear:
1965 Fender Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass
1965 Fender Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass
1962 Fender Rhodes white top piano bass
1966 Fender Rhodessilver sparkle piano bass
1968 Gibson G101 organ
1966 Vox 301H wood key conitnental
1968 Vox 301E Continental
1967 RMI 300A Electra-piano and Harpsichord

pianotuner steveo

I've never seen a Rhodes with wooden cheek blocks, only black plastic.
When did they stop using wood?
1960 Wurlitzer model 700 EP
1968 Gibson G101 Combo organ
1975 Rhodes Piano Bass
1979 Wurlitzer 206A EP
1980 Wurlitzer 270 Butterfly Grand
2009 73A Rhodes Mark 7
2009 Korg SV-1 73
2017 Yamaha P255
2020 Kawai CA99
....and a few guitars...

Peacefrog35

Hey Steve,

Most of the 60s Fender Rhodes had wood cheek blocks.  For example any authentic silvertop suitcase has wood blocks though they are painted black.  The piano basses in the early to mid 60s would often have stained wood check blocks instead of painted wood. These were most often found on the fiest red piano basses and the gold sparkle basses.  It was a nice combo with basses with beige or brown tolex.   Of course in the 70s they were all black plastic.
current gear:
1965 Fender Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass
1965 Fender Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass
1962 Fender Rhodes white top piano bass
1966 Fender Rhodessilver sparkle piano bass
1968 Gibson G101 organ
1966 Vox 301H wood key conitnental
1968 Vox 301E Continental
1967 RMI 300A Electra-piano and Harpsichord

Peacefrog35

Ok, I'm done with the cheek blocks and the original gold sparkle piano bass is looking good.  I'll post some pics later.
current gear:
1965 Fender Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass
1965 Fender Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass
1962 Fender Rhodes white top piano bass
1966 Fender Rhodessilver sparkle piano bass
1968 Gibson G101 organ
1966 Vox 301H wood key conitnental
1968 Vox 301E Continental
1967 RMI 300A Electra-piano and Harpsichord