Name Rail Modifications

[4kinga]

I wonder, if most prefer running a direct signal off the harp on a Stage Rhodes, why are we not drilling a direct output on the name rail and installing a shunted 1/4" output?  Maintaining stock aesthetics of the original name rail?

With the all of the talk of the Bass or Tone control knob excessively coloring the signal in negative ways, a non-invasive, easily revertible option might be removal of the knob and installing a shunted 1/4" there? (Obviously with washers due to hole size.)

edit: I hadn't seen sean's post here https://ep-forum.com/smf/index.php?topic=9793.msg54382#msg54382.  I really like the drop-in replacement faceplates!

[sean]

I made the Mark II drop-in control plates for the 2017 reboot of my split-mod project.

Buried in https://ep-forum.com/smf/index.php?topic=4730.msg51195#msg51195, there is a brief description of what I did:

2.  I still refuse to drill into the original Mark II control plate, but I have decided that the little box hanging off the name rail is goofy.  My solution is to simply get an aluminum panel to replace the original control plate.  I went to my local Metal Supermarkets (I s**t you not, there is such a place), and got a few panels (1.969" x 16.250") for ten bucks (14-guage (1/16" thick) 5052 or 6061 aluminum).  There are Metal Supermarkets in 75 spots the US and Canada, see www.metalsupermarkets.com (not www.metalsupermarket.com).  Looks like MetalsDepot would also be a good source, www.metalsdepot.com; or even OnlineMetals.com.  Anyway, my intention is to drill it, paint it black, and mount it on the namerail using the original screws.

...and...

4.  I don't have a good way to label the panel.  No silkscreen or stencil, and tape labels won't cut it.  So I decided to get Fender 72 Telecaster guitar knobs (two volume, two tone), make sure the knobs match your potentiometer.  I got knobs with a setscrew.  I will put the volume knobs, well duh, you know where; and I will put a knob marked "tone" on the Bass Boost control.  I got the knobs at the online tropical jungle as well.

...and...

So I drilled another panel, and painted it with self-etching primer and then a matte black top coat.  It came out looking beautiful.  It matches the name rail, and it looks right at home with the whole piano.  So don't use glossy, appliance enamel, satin, or flat black paint.  Buy matte black spray paint.

The mounting holes at the corners of the control panel didn't match up very well with my namerail.  If I do it again, I will try to transfer the hole locations from the namerail directly onto the sheet metal for the control panel (instead of trying to measure and mark).

The Telecaster knobs worked out perfectly.  They look great, and they look period-realistic for a 1970s or 1980s piece of gear.  It isn't obvious in the photos attached, but it is very clear to the player which ones are volume and which one is bass boost (the knob marked "tone").


The drawing for drilling the control panel was attached to the final directions, here:
https://ep-forum.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=4730.0;attach=4366


Sean

[sean]

The slickest way to get the vintage controls and also direct-off-the-harp output in a Mark I piano faceplate would be to have a DPDT switch on the Bass Boost or Volume knob.  Pull on the knob and it would switch the hot and ground wires directly to the 1/4" jack.

However, I can't find anybody who sells the appropriate potentiometer in small quantities.

This would be ideal if I didn't have to buy $2500 of them: https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/bourns-inc/PDB183-GTR01-103A2/PDB183-GTR01-103A2-ND/3780723

Sean

[The Real MC]

When I bought my sparkletop Rhodes the original speakers, power amp, and preamp were missing (they sounded like sh!t anyway).  I just put a 1/4" jack in the nameplate and wired it straight to the harp.  I prefer this anyway.

[adcbicycle]

The slickest way to get the vintage controls and also direct-off-the-harp output in a Mark I piano faceplate would be to have a DPDT switch on the Bass Boost or Volume knob.  Pull on the knob and it would switch the hot and ground wires directly to the 1/4" jack.

However, I can't find anybody who sells the appropriate potentiometer in small quantities.

This would be ideal if I didn't have to buy $2500 of them: https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/bourns-inc/PDB183-GTR01-103A2/PDB183-GTR01-103A2-ND/3780723

Sean

great idea.

If I can't find something on digikey, I can usually find it on ebay, here's some, not super cheap, but not $2500: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/ALPHA-MINI-POTENZIOMETRO-10K-W-TAPER-PUSH-TIRARE-DPDT-SHORT-SHAFT/282897001090?hash=item41ddf9aa82:g:kw0AAOxyNmZTkeeR