Fender Rhodes Hardware

[Tines&Reeds]

Hey people,

could it be, that all the hardware of a rhodes piano fits with the hardware of penn elcom?!

Please compare the corners of VV (http://www.vintagevibe.com/p-419-piano-corners.aspx) with the one of penn elcom 1086N (http://www.penn-elcom.com/Default.asp?MC=1104350&GC=135&GD=Elcom-Cabinet-Corners). They look like they are the same?!

Here is another one:
Vintage Vibe Hinges: http://www.vintagevibe.com/p-427-hinges.aspx
Penn Elcom Hinges: http://www.penn-elcom.com/Default.asp?MC=1108020&GC=62&GD=Hinges

I'm located in Germany and here nobody is able to get those parts, because it's US sale only. Maybe one of you could try these things out and give a short feedback?!

Thanks,
Chris

[Cormac Long]

Chris,
  look around for Fender corners.. I found a link below in the UK. The 3- and 2-hole versions are available.
http://www.buy-guitar-parts.com/index.php?/vmchk/amp-hardware/fender-amp-corner-set-of-4.html?keyword=fender

I don't know if they are exact matches but are probably close to the originals. The site doesn't explicitly say it ships outside of the UK, but the cart showed a country drop-down.. always a good sign

There's bound to be a German site offering similar spares for amplifiers etc.

Also consider Rhodes service companies in Germany such as

http://www.tasteundtechnik.de/
http://www.electric-piano-service.de

.. bound to have such parts if they service and recondition Rhodes or they might have suggestions where you can source these in Germany/EU

tschüss

[Tines&Reeds]

Hey Cormac,

well, I service and recondition rhodes as well and Jens and Tom are colleagues so to say
I asked them, but the don't have any suggestions.

Maybe you want to take a look at my page?! Than just visit:

www.rhodesserviceberlin.de

Thanks and also tschüss!

[Cormac Long]

Chris,
   are you saying that during reconditioning, especially with road worn pianos, that you don't normally replace the corners?

I have'nt touched the outer case yet on my piano.. but the corners were either replaced with black ones or painted black!.. so if and when I do approach retolexing the outer case, I will probably just opt to buy new corners or near matches if only to get a shinier appearance.

If you do find a good cheap EU source.. do share back here as I can imagine others would be interested. That UK link I posted earlier is worth checking out for overall purchase+shipping costs etc.

[Tines&Reeds]

I just bought the hardware sets of vintagevibe and of course replaced the corners. I've got some pianos in stock, which have to be serviced and reconditioned and I will replace those corners in any case. New hardware gives the piano a completely new and shiny look!

But in the end it's the decision of the customer, if he wants new hardware or not.

[Alan Lenhoff]

Chris,
  look around for Fender corners.. I found a link below in the UK. The 3- and 2-hole versions are available.
http://www.buy-guitar-parts.com/index.php?/vmchk/amp-hardware/fender-amp-corner-set-of-4.html?keyword=fender

I don't know if they are exact matches but are probably close to the originals.

Those three hole corners have a tongue (also called a lip by some retailers), which means they are NOT the correct ones for a Stage.

I got hardware very inexpensively from Mojo Music, a US retailer.  (Don't know if they ship to Europe, but the shipping info does mention customs duties.)

Cut and pasted from a post I made fairly recently:

I just replaced all the hardware on my 1979 Stage except the latches and the hinges, which are fine.  Everything looks great and fits perfectly.  Including shipping, the four corners, two handles and eight glides I ordered would have cost me $68-$70 from Vintage Vibe or Speakeasy.  I ordered from Mojotone.com, and the total cost (including shipping) was $28.33.

Two four-packs of Fender-style glides were $3.00 each, a pack of four corners was $5.25 and the handles were $5.00 each (the Mojo website lists them as $7.50 each, but they offered to do a price match with another retailer).  The order was at my home in less than three days.  Everything came with mounting hardware (screws and, in the case of the handles, t-nuts, too.)

The correct corner to order is the three-hole Fender-style with countersunk holes and no lip.  It is a very slightly different design than the original (the "U" between the top screws dips ever so slightly lower than the original).  I'd post a photo, but it looks identical to the $3.50 apiece Speakeasy corners of which Dan posted a photo earlier in this thread. The corners fit perfectly into the existing holes.  To get them aligned correctly before screwing them in, I found it useful to tap them gently into place with a rubber mallet.

The Mojotone "Fender-style" glides were a perfect match for the original. (I understand that if you buy genuine Fender Sphinx glides, they are 1/4" wider in diameter than the originals. So, the generic ones are actually a better match.)

The Mojo handles fit perfectly into the existing holes.  The ribbing in the rubber straps is very slightly different than the original, but not noticeable.  (Actually, I could have used the old straps and the new chrome end caps if I had wanted.)

Finished the job by moving the best of the old hardware, and two leftover new glides, to the case-top.

My "new" Stage now looks like it just arrived in 1979.

Alan

[Tines&Reeds]

Thanks for the nice hint.

Mojotone does offer international shipping so I will give it a try!

[Tines&Reeds]

Sad, that mojotone has not the right latches  and hinges....

[The Real MC]

Sad, that mojotone has not the right latches  and hinges....

No they are not.  I bought a pile of new hardware for my silvertop.

From Mojotone:
The corners w/o lip and glides are accurate repros.

Handles are almost close - metal finish isn't chrome.  Hard to spot from a distance.

Corners w/lip are slightly different but finish and holes are accurate.

Also got large rubber feet for the bottom cabinet.  Now it stays in place on a wood floor and doesn't scratch the floor.

Vintage Vibe:The large latches from Vintage Vibe are excellent.

Markertek:
I ordered large Penn-Elcom take-apart hinges from Markertek.  Not same as original late Rhodes hinges but they work.

[Chris Carroll]

The Vintage Vibe Hardware is now all reproductions of the original Fender Rhodes parts- handles, corners, hinges and latches- You will not find these parts anywhere else- We have also lowered the prices-

[Abraham]

I think vintagevibe prices are OK for the service they provide, and the risk they take in such development justifies paying little more inmho. Buying stuff from them I feel like Im somewhat contributing to guarantee the availability of the parts I would eventually need in the future.

Also, the love and care they put on their products is remarkable. No one but them would care to design and produce such an old parts nowadays for such a reduced target market, and I'd like to express my gratitude as they're providing not just parts but a whole service to our community.

Being that said, the only reason I don't usually order from them is the shipping policy. First you have to order a minimum amount... so what if you just need a single cheap item?? Thats annoying since its you who pays for the shipment anyway. Shipment options aren't any cheap either, besides you still have to pay for the customs STEAL... c'mon shipping a little bag of screws overseas doesn't take 40 bucks + taxes. I think you have to improve this before lowering any prices. I mean I feel great buying stuff from vv, as much as I DONT paying more for FedEX + taxes than I do for the actual goods I'm ordering.

I hope someday we can work it out for all of us european customers, Im not the only one asking as you can read in this topic

[David Aubke]

You understand that Vintage Vibe has no control over the customs and duties fees, right?

[spradders]

I bought a load of stuff from VV, including their hardware kit.  The hardware kit is a bargain, it looks so amazingly good and I think it was cheap for everything you get (including screws).  Postage was quite a lot (to UK), but customs was OK - and there's no way I could have got all of the various random things I needed any other way.

[Alan Lenhoff]

The Vintage Vibe Hardware is now all reproductions of the original Fender Rhodes parts- handles, corners, hinges and latches- You will not find these parts anywhere else- We have also lowered the prices-

In reference to my earlier post about buying Rhodes hardware from Mojotone (and how much cheaper it was than Vintage Vibe):

The new Vintage Vibe pricing ($50 for  a complete hardware set for a Stage), is a really nice deal.  If you  need everything  (corners, glides, handles, hinges, latches -- for the piano and the top) this would be really hard to beat.

Alan

[Abraham]

sure vv got no control over taxes, as they still have over minimum purchase limit and shipping options. I usually buy stuff from the USA so I know cheaper shipment is possible, and that is what Im talking about. Shipment cost is added to retail price for calculating custom duties, so very little we could save here would make a big difference. Also, packages under a certain value are tax-free, and this could only be done if no minimum purchase limit is set

[Cormac Long]

Their shipment page does mention that they will use other shipping methods etc. I ordered stuff from them in the past and used standard airmail to Ireland. Helps avoid the Customs having a field day.

[David Aubke]

Developing a shipping price schedule is a tricky thing. In addition to the actual postage cost, there is overhead involved in preparing the order to be shipped. This overhead decreases proportionally as the order size increases. It's much easier to process one thousand-dollar order than ten hundred-dollar orders. International shipping adds more overhead for dealing with customs declarations and such.

Then there's the time involved in dealing with issues such as lost or delayed packages or re-routs for incorrect shipping addresses. A seller may disclaim responsibility for such things but it's never that simple in the real world.

Free shipping: It's never free. The cost is worked into the price of the products. Although this results in a price that closely reflects the actual cost of shipping, customers placing large orders must effectively pay extra to make up for the overhead of the small orders.

Price-tiered: Customers pay an amount that's roughly proportional to the actual postage and handling costs for their particular order. Customers placing large orders get the benefit of the reduced overhead costs but orders for small and/or expensive items may result in a ship price that's skewed high.

Weight-tiered: In conjuction with a flat handling fee to cover overhead, this results in the most accurate ship prices but introduces enormous complications when dealing with orders placed through channels other than the internet.

Although it's certainly fair to compare one vendor's shipping rates with that of another, just be sure to consider all of the factors including the less tangible ones such as responsive service when things go wrong.

[Abraham]

My cheapest shipping option: Priority Mail International $45.70, while package weights close to nothing and fits into a cigar box...

that for two tines, a wurlitzer logo and headphone jack retailing $65 (no complaints about pricing)

I would happily pay $15-$20 for shipping, USPS economy. $70 wouldn't pay any taxes... btw customs doesn't even bother to check tiny USPS packages. 

BUT 65+45.70=110,70 * 3% customs * 21% VAT=$137,97=more than twice the retail price, see my problem?

[David Aubke]

I do understand. I'm not suggesting it's not a real issue for you. Yours is a valid comment on doing business overseas. I'm only pointing out that dealing with shipping, particularly international shipping is a very complex issue. Every country has their own set of rules regarding duties and taxes and it's a herculean task trying to develop a shipping policy that is as equitable as possible.

[Dote]

I think the best would be if VV had a European retailer. Shipping would then be via container in bulk, customs would only have to be paid once and be divided up to all, then the retailer would of course add a little so he gets his share and voila.

This retailer would then supply all european techs and have a direct shop for end customers. This retailer could of course also sell the VV Pianos!!!

I know that EP-Service in NL does offer most of the VV stock, but their prices are quite something. The VV hardware kit costs more than 100 EUR (129 US$) as opposed to 50 US.

Dote