Keys: Pratt Read v. Wurlitzer

[Student Rhodes]

I'd love to hear members' preferences for the type of keys on their Rhodes...

I used to veer away from the Pratt Read keys.  I have them on my first Rhodes, a '68 Student Model, and always thought the felt kind of flimsy.  I preferred the solid feel and sharp look of the post '74 solid flat top keys, which I believe I've read were made by Wurlitzer. 

However, the solid keys on my '75 Suitcase (as seen in my avatar) are perhaps too "sharp".  The sides of the black keys are molded without the softer edge as found on the PR keys.  Also, the black key cap doesn't extend very far down over the wooden key upon which it's glued. As a result, the plastic edge at the bottom of the cap tends to dig into the sides of my fingers and after some time leaves them sore, bordering on raw.  Anyone else have this problem?

Oddly, my '74 Eighty-Eight Suitcase has similar solid key tops, but doesn't have the sharp edges and feel of the '75.  I know the kind of plastic Fender used changed over the years, and for example a '76 has a much different feel from what's on my '74.  In general, I'd say the '76 - '78 key tops feel as though they're made with slightly thicker plastic.  They also seem MUCH slicker and "plastic-y" than my '74.  It's as if in '74 they were trying to achieve something that felt closer to the texture and stickiness of ivory.

On the other hand, I've really come to love the feel of my '72 Stage Model with Pratt Read keys.  For some reason they just feel more solid and "there" than what's on my Student Models.  Perhaps this is a function of subtle changes in the action -- pedestal design? balance rail location?

The reason I bring this up is because I'm making a custom 73 Suitcase out of a couple different Rhodes pianos, and I can't decide which feel I like more.  It's going to have felt-tipped hybrid hammers and Raymacs, so it almost feels like it should have Pratt Reed keys, but the solid feel of the Wurli-styled keys might be really nice.  Feels more Cadillac, ya know?

So which do you prefer:  PR or Wurli?  Do you like the curved top over the flat top? 

Sound off...

Ray 

[Max Brink]

I'm with you. The Wurli caps feel better most of the time but the pratt style is inseparable from some of the my favorite Rhodes out there so they have their charm.

On another note the thin '75 caps are much less forgiving when leveling the keys which always drives me crazy.


Sounds like a fun franken-rhodes! I'd cast my vote for the Wurli style.



[Clarification: After Tim points out below that Wurli only made the caps on a single year of production I would like to point out what I intended to compare were the skirted Pratt caps with the latter caps that are fitted like an acoustic piano.]

[Ben Bove]

Definitely an opinion thread but here's my initial thoughts...

I've always thought that the 60s-early 70s rounded white Pratt Reed keys were sort of strange - they have a really great vintage look but why would you want to push down on a rounded surface, your fingers don't always hit in the middle of the keys.  I've also thought the sharper angled black keys can be difficult to deal with.  The beveled edges are supposed to allow for your fingers to move around more freely without getting hung up or being able to slide around when you're moving up or down from the black keys.

My favorite key caps and action really are the more standardized types of keys found on acoustic pianos - the ones on Rhodes mid 1978 through Mark II.  They have the best designed action in my opinion with the engineered factory wood bump, key caps that don't crack or yellow as readily, and dimensionally feel great.

60s-73 rounded white pratts feel like they need some getting used to
74-75 key caps tend to yellow, sharper black edges
76-77 keycaps tend to crack badly

[The Real MC]

I've owned four Rhodes (not all at the same time) and three had the P-R keys with the rounded tops.  The PR keys are uncomfortable on a piano with spongy and/or loose action, but feel fine on my sparkletop with pedestal bump.

I've played (regrettably not owned) some Rhodes with stellar action, they may had been the Wurlitzer keysets with flat tops.  Interesting that Rhodes pianos were made with a keyset supplied by their #1 competitor.

[Student Rhodes]

My favorite key caps and action really are the more standardized types of keys found on acoustic pianos - the ones on Rhodes mid 1978 through Mark II.  They have the best designed action in my opinion with the engineered factory wood bump, key caps that don't crack or yellow as readily, and dimensionally feel great.

74-75 key caps tend to yellow, sharper black edges
76-77 keycaps tend to crack badly

I'm with you on the 78 keys.  I hooked a friend up with a Stage Model that was a '78 shell and action, with a '76 harp.  Probably the best playing Rhodes I've ever fingered.  Kind of the best of both worlds -- sweet action, and Torringtons. 

It did have a thicker plastic key tops, but they didn't break on the front edge like the 76/77 keys are prone to.  Although someone once told me the keys were breaking from coming into contact with the front tolexed edge of the shell, which was apparently slightly taller for that period.

[Tim W]

Actually I am pretty sure Wurlitzer only made keybeds for Rhodes for about a year or so in 1976.

Pratt-Read resumed production thereafter.  You can tell by the style of the number stampings in the keys, the keytops, and cuts in the keysticks themselves.  Wurlitzer keys had square cuts with hard 90 deg. corners, Pratt-Read had rounded corners.

This is also why the 1976 keytops have a tendency to hairline crack-- so do Wurly 200 keys!

The easiest thing to spot about the Wurlitzer keys is that there is a black plastic tab on the back of the sharps.  Pratt Read sharps from about 1974 onward don't have the tab.  The key is instead painted black on top behind the plastic keytop.

Despite the different keycaps- Early 70s round tops, mid 70's flat that 'yellow' on front, and late 70s, those keybeds are all by Pratt-Read.

Tim