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Price of 200A When New?

Started by Doctor Robert, December 14, 2018, 03:58:06 PM

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Doctor Robert

Howdy,

I received my first Wurly 200A during the Fall of 1977 while I was a freshman in high school. I think I know what my dad paid for it, but does anyone know for sure what these instruments cost when new? Any historical price lists out there? I'd love to know what they sold for new and then use an inflation calculator to see what it would cost in today's dollars. Thanks!
1977 Wurlitzer 200A
1956 Hammond C-3
1956 Leslie 145
1963 Hammond D-152
Motion Sound Pro 3
Motion Sound Low Pro
1958 Hammond M-3
C.Bechstein D282 9'3" Concert Grand
Korg N1
Alesis Synthesizer
And... 2004 Gibson Custom Shop 1959 Les Paul; 2013 PRS Private Stock Custom 24; 1963 Fender Stratocaster in Sonic Blue w/ matching headstock; 1958 Fender Telecaster; 1964 Rickenbacker 12-String; 1962 Hofner Beatle Bass; PRS 50th Anniversary handwired 50 watt amp w/ 2x12 cab; 1959 Ampeg Jet; 1939 Martin D-45, and... etc.

pianotuner steveo

A friend of mine worked in a music store when they were still made and seems to remember them being $599 MSRP towards the end.
Can anyone else verify this?
1960 Wurlitzer model 700 EP
1968 Gibson G101 Combo organ
1975 Rhodes Piano Bass
1979 Wurlitzer 206A EP
1980 Wurlitzer 270 Butterfly Grand
2009 73A Rhodes Mark 7
2009 Korg SV-1 73
2017 Yamaha P255
2020 Kawai CA99
....and a few guitars...

Doctor Robert

#2
 I'm pretty sure my dad paid at least $1000 for mine which didn't include tax and didn't include the case that I got at the same time. I do remember they weren't cheap! Here are the prices of various Fender Rhodes pianos in 1978. Judging by how expensive they were, I think my memory is probably accurate in regards to the 200A, although they may have been as much is $1200. Seems to me it was in that range. If it was $1000 in 1977 (which I'm 90 percent it was), adjusted for inflation, the 200A would cost $4159(!!) in today's dollars.

1978
Rhodes Keyboard Instruments
Suggested Retail Price List Effective December 17, 1977

Keyboards

$1595 Suitcase Piano Set, 88 Key
$1425 Suitcase Piano Set, 73 Key
$1145 Mark I Stage Piano, 88 Key
$975 Mark I Stage Piano, 73 Key
$550 Piano Bass, 32 Key
1977 Wurlitzer 200A
1956 Hammond C-3
1956 Leslie 145
1963 Hammond D-152
Motion Sound Pro 3
Motion Sound Low Pro
1958 Hammond M-3
C.Bechstein D282 9'3" Concert Grand
Korg N1
Alesis Synthesizer
And... 2004 Gibson Custom Shop 1959 Les Paul; 2013 PRS Private Stock Custom 24; 1963 Fender Stratocaster in Sonic Blue w/ matching headstock; 1958 Fender Telecaster; 1964 Rickenbacker 12-String; 1962 Hofner Beatle Bass; PRS 50th Anniversary handwired 50 watt amp w/ 2x12 cab; 1959 Ampeg Jet; 1939 Martin D-45, and... etc.

pianotuner steveo

Do you remember what year he bought yours, Doc?
Something tells me $1000 included the case.
Unless the $599 was in the early 70's...

Wow, keyboards were expensive then! I think I made around $2/hr in 1978 !
That explains why I only had my first model 700 then, bought at a used furniture store for $80.
That was a 40 hour paycheck!!

1960 Wurlitzer model 700 EP
1968 Gibson G101 Combo organ
1975 Rhodes Piano Bass
1979 Wurlitzer 206A EP
1980 Wurlitzer 270 Butterfly Grand
2009 73A Rhodes Mark 7
2009 Korg SV-1 73
2017 Yamaha P255
2020 Kawai CA99
....and a few guitars...

Doctor Robert

It is quite possible that the thousand dollars did include the case. It was in the fall of 1977 that my dad bought it for me.
1977 Wurlitzer 200A
1956 Hammond C-3
1956 Leslie 145
1963 Hammond D-152
Motion Sound Pro 3
Motion Sound Low Pro
1958 Hammond M-3
C.Bechstein D282 9'3" Concert Grand
Korg N1
Alesis Synthesizer
And... 2004 Gibson Custom Shop 1959 Les Paul; 2013 PRS Private Stock Custom 24; 1963 Fender Stratocaster in Sonic Blue w/ matching headstock; 1958 Fender Telecaster; 1964 Rickenbacker 12-String; 1962 Hofner Beatle Bass; PRS 50th Anniversary handwired 50 watt amp w/ 2x12 cab; 1959 Ampeg Jet; 1939 Martin D-45, and... etc.

pianotuner steveo

That sounds right to me. I'm pretty sure just the piano didn't go above or much above $600.
1960 Wurlitzer model 700 EP
1968 Gibson G101 Combo organ
1975 Rhodes Piano Bass
1979 Wurlitzer 206A EP
1980 Wurlitzer 270 Butterfly Grand
2009 73A Rhodes Mark 7
2009 Korg SV-1 73
2017 Yamaha P255
2020 Kawai CA99
....and a few guitars...

dnarkosis

#6
FWIW back in 2006, I responded to a similar thread here about Rhodes prices:

On April 16, 1979 (still have the receipt), I bought a Suitcase 73 in Atlanta (with the silverface slider preamp):

$985.00 + $39.40 tax
$1024.40 total
1979 Suitcase 73
1980 Stage 54

Tonewheel

Very interesting thread. I bought my 200A a few months ago for $!750, because it was an estate item that had been well cared for, cosmetically and mechanically. I am certain that many here have paid a much better price. But a vintage, iconic instrument like this, with such a beautiful action, was worth it to me.

It's nice to know that the original price was up there.
1955 B3, Leslie 21H and 147. Hammond 100 with weird Leslie 205. 1976 Rhodes. Wurlitzer 200A. Yamaha DX7/TX7. Korg M1. Yamaha C3 grand, 67 Tele blond neck, Les Paul Standard, PRS 24, Gibson classical electric, Breedlove acoustic electric, Strat, P Bass, Rogers drum kit, Roland TD 12 digital drums, Apollo quad, older blackfaced Fender Twin, other amps, mics and bits and pieces cluttering up the "studio."

Electrickey

#8
I bought my 200A in 2013 for $600. Bostonian moving to Las Vegas did not want to bring it with.

Had a flight case made for it.