Repair questions

[kramer]

I'm restoring my Rhodes and some questions are comming and will be comming along the way. I hope I can get some help on this thread.

Fisrt questions:
- when should the hammer tips be replaced? Mine look like this.
- how about hammer felts?

Thank you very much.

[jim]

aw i couldn't see the link.

[kramer]

Here it is:


I'm sorry for the terrible drawing, but I think you can have an idea.

[Tim Hodges]

Those hammer tips to me appear fine, you shouldn't have any need to change them right now.

As for the felts, I changed mine when they were bending out of shape and could no longer dampen the tine properly.

T

[kramer]

Thank you, that's great news. I'll finish the repair sooner, then.

[kramer]

Hi. I've finished the voicing. I had some keys that didn't produce much sound, but after voicing they're good. I also made the central octaves sound more dirty, in a Hancockish sound attempt; for now, I'm satisfied.

I had to replace a tine that was from another note (a higher one, so I had to cut a tine I had around). It works fine.

I now have two problems: two of the keys, the last G# and the last E (73 model) don't work. The G# pickups passes the screw driver test; I've also switched the tine from one next to it, adjusted the pickup position, but it doesn't work also. What can be the problem? It's the same thing with the E, but the pickup only produces noise on the front pin.

Thank you very much!

[jim]

those high notes can be very difficult sometimes.

you may have on some of your higher tonebars a little clip. If you do, try putting it on one of the failing notes and move it up and down to see if you can get it to ring.

I'd also check that the hammer tip is hitting the tine and not the mounting of the tine.

another thing to try is to unscrew the whole tine assembly with springs, and hold it by the springs and screws next to your ear, then flick the tine with your fingernail to get it to ring. This is how you can hear if the tine is a dud, if it wont ring.
But tuning can effect this also. And some tines kinda want to be a different note sometimes, you may find if you change its pitch it will ring forever.

[kramer]

Thank you for your help, Jim.

I couldn't solve the problem. I swapped the wole tine assembly of this two notes with working notes' ones, adjusted the pickup position and still got no sound; the problem can't be in the tines. I think the hammer is hitting it right, from what I see. I can hear the G# ringing, but there's no sound. The pickup makes noise on both clips, though.

In spite of these minor problems, I'm very happy with the restoring. Cleaning made it look a lot nicer, and the voicing was very satisfying. I also had like 10 keys that didn't work and do now.

[Ben Bove]

Just clarifying - the screwdriver test, you're actually tapping the Big magnet in the front of the pickup, and not the metal tabs where the wires attach, correct?  Tapping the magnet in front should yield a thump as the screwdriver is pulled into the magnet, equal in volume to its neighbors.  A poor pickup can make a little noise on the screwdriver test, just not as loud.

If the note rings acoustically and you see the hammer hitting tine / vibrating, then the only problem is either a dead pickup or wiring.

[kramer]

Thank you bjammerz, I was testing it wrong. One of they keys doesn't produce the same sound as the others. I'm going to confirm it with a multimeter, if can figure out how it works. Can I just remove the pickup, cutting the wires but leaving the piano playing like it is supposed to? The other pickup works fine, though. I can't hear that tine ring, but it's the last one, maybe the pitch is to high, I don't know.

[jim]

there's probably no need to confirm with the multimeter, if it doesn't go BANG, then it's dead.
If you remove the pickup you will need to bridge the gap with the wires.
If you unsolder the pickup be very very careful as they really love to cook.

[kramer]

Thanks, Jim, I must get a solder, then. I'll report the results.  

[kramer]

So today I found out where the double striking issues came from: the delay knob on the Micro Cube.

[Rob A]

I'm sorry, but hahahahahahah!  :lol: