Rhodes Bright Kit for suitcase

[The Music Lab]

Hi folks,

I am seriously considering to order Speakeasy's "Rhodes Bright Kit" in order to make my suitcase 73 sound less muddy. Any of you out there that have experience with this? Check out http://www.speakeasyvintagemusic.com/rhodesstore.html
Thanks!

Frank

[Vintage Keyboard Services]

Have you had the piano serviced?  There are many other things that you could do before you would need to add a "Bright Kit"  I would add the "Bright Kit" only after every other method failed and I still could not get the desired tone.  Normally, when I service a piano, I do it in this order:

1. Replace all hammer tips with indentations and severe wear.
(Greatly Improves Tone and eliminates what I call over-ring or strange harmonics)

2.  Align Harp to 3/8th inch on tonebar screw closest to keyboard and adjust front tonebar screw in relation to the pickup so that the keyboard is uniform throughout. (If you don't understand what I'm talking about, there are several articles on this website concerning this.)  This makes a huge difference and is probably the most bang for your buck so to speak.

3.  Replace all of the electrolytics in the power supply related to the preamp and signal.  This is probably best suited for a competent technician, but again, this will make a huge differnce and clear up plenty of "mudd."  You could also replace the signal caps in the preamplifier with new polypropylene or polystyrene caps.  This will also make a big difference in tone and transparency.

4.  Replace transistors and OP amps in signal path in preamp, also a job for a competent technician.  This also makes a large difference comparable to changing the electrolytics and signal caps.  You will usually get more gain and your lows and higs will sound extended.  You could also replace the 4558's with 1458's if your piano has 4558's in it for a little bit more treble. (There are a few variations out there that have 4558's instead of 1458's)

5.  Clean the tines with WD40 and light steel wool.  This can also make a big difference and bring back some high end harmonics that have been lost from corosion.  Some people like the rust on the tines because it definately has its own tone; kind of like broken in guitar strings.

Most of this stuff is standard here at Vintage Keyboard Services even though it is very time consuming.  I guarantee you will agree that it is worth it though if you follow this advice though.  There is a reason that Vintage Keyboard Services is the biggest Rhodes Service Center in Chicago.

-Mike

[suitcase'81]

Hi there,

Mr. Vintage Keyboard Service said:

2. Align Harp to      3/8th inch       on tonebar screw closest to keyboard and adjust front tonebar screw in relation to the pickup so that the keyboard is uniform throughout. (If you don't understand what I'm talking about, there are several articles on this website concerning this.) This makes a huge difference and is probably the most bang for your buck so to speak.

Where do you measure the 3/8" inch (=9.525mm?)..
I mean the tonebar itself is somewhat mm thick.
so,

 _____      <--- "top" of tonebar  
 _____                                              
   ||          <---"bottom" of tonebar
   ||            
   ||        

             
               (hope this "drawing" makes sense?)


So should the top of the tonebar to the wood be 3/8"
Or should the bottom of the tone bar to the wood be 3/8"
or maybe even the center of the tone bar....

Hope you know what I mean??

I couldn't find the articles on the website concerning this..

[BackRoomSounds]

Its to the underside of the Tone bar

I have a 10inch long section of 3/8ths square brass stock which I can slide in under 15 or so Tone bars at once then adjust all the screw to get a nice even setting on them all.


Its on Page 4 of the manual thats online

[suitcase'81]

Ok,

Thank you very much...!
I'm glad you understood what I meant..

Thanks again!!