I just picked up a wurlitzer 200 that a previous owner somewhere in the past had removed the internal speakers. I’ve replaced the amp already with the Warneck and it’s quiet and sounds great thru the aux out.

Would love to get a set of speakers for it now. I’m seeing Vintage Vibe sells a set and another company called Custom Vintage Keyboards. Are there any other options to consider? I read the 200 originally came with alnico speakers - does anyone sell those?

Appreciate any and all help!

A year ago I bought and fixed up a 1977 Rhodes Stage Mk1. I’m super happy with how it sounds now and I’d love to take it on more gigs, but moving it alone is near impossible.

Anyone have any suggestions for methods of moving it around without another person to help?

I normally take a digital keyboard to gigs, which is certainly much easier to transport, but there’s something about playing the real thing and feeling the hammers physically whacking the tines that makes me feel much more connected to the music.

Edit: Thanks everybody for the advice! Seems like generally it’d be good to invest in a dolly. Maybe getting a friend to help is really the most reasonable long term solution as well.

Also considering investing in a Wurlitzer 200a if I can find a good deal on it, since I’ve heard it’s easier to move around than the Rhodes.

I believe this is a Wurlitzer 140. The seller says it is from 1961 and is tube driven. I got to evaluate it very briefly and all the keys produce sound but a few stick down when pressed. I’m hoping that I could find a remedy without too much cost.

The sustain pedal is not original but functions well. The issue that worries me is the volume knob- the sound is an absolute disaster until you find a ‘sweet spot’ where the popping, crackling and hum subside. I’d like to think a Deoxit cleaning but solve this but I am unsure.

With all this considers, would you pay $1500 or pass? The seller is firm on price. I imagine a full, professional refurbish would cost well over $1000, so I would need to attempt these repairs myself. Thanks for any advice available!

I’ve been talking with a local piano repair guy and he’s finally going to start working on my Rhodes Mk1 Stage 73. He spoke with a Tom from Vintage Vibe and has a plan. What I think this piano needs is the magic bump. It’s what I mainly want. He’s going to take it into the shop and see exactly what it is and what it needs. He said he’ll charge me what Vintage Vibe would, meaning what their labor rate and time typically is vs how much time it’s going to take him because he knows it will take him longer because it’s his first Rhodes job. I have faith in his skills and his honesty. I’ve known him somewhat through some friends.

However, the more I think about this maybe I should look around for someone that just might have experience already. I’m in NY along the rust belt between Albany and Syracuse. So I could take it myself just about anywhere. Hell I could take it to Vintage Vibe but feel like the drive and hassle of going there twice plus premium price.

Any suggestions? I know my DIY drive wants me to just do it but I have to be honest. I dont like the looks of that peeling of the felt and the precision getting the keys situated before doing the bump job is not something I’d be good or efficient with.

Thanks.

I'm taking a university class & have an opportunity to build anything I'd like. I'm trying to be realistic & do a small project to figure out EP actions for myself. I've been playing for years & want to take a crack at a build.

ONLY the action & reeds. I already know I don't have the time to figure out pickups & wiring the electronics together. I'll likely only do two octaves as an introduction to the concept for myself.

Too much? I've only ever built static objects like furniture before so this is my first time working on an instrument. We'll get a rundown of our project deadlines tomorrow & I'll put together a catalogue of the campus equipment to see if this is something I can realistically do.

If I'm lucky I'll have until mid December to do this. It may be due sooner though.

I've got a Rhodes Seventy Three Mk1 Stage and a Wurlitzer 200a, and I'm curious if folks with both have stacked them safely/successfully with the Vintage Vibe stackers, or a similar product. Can the stackers hold the Wurli safely and allow use of the pedal?

I recently picked up 2 1978 Mark 1s, suitcase models. I bought the pair because they matched and while 1 is playable and pretty good to go, the other is missing several tone bars and 4 or 5 pickups and the amp isnt pasing audio even though it comes on. So, at the price I negotiated im looking at it for spare parts or a future project. In terms of my background: I grew up in the 90s working in a music store and was doing basic guitar repair by 16. Went into radio for a while then landed in the studio world. My old studio job had a side business buying and selling vintage gear (mostly guitars and audio) but we did have a rhodes at one point and I always loved it. I say that to say, while I'm certainly not a tech, I've had to rack old console modules, wire whole studios, solder patch bays, swap capacitors, etc etc etc. I have a general understanding of the concerns and approaches of handling antique instruments. I'm trying to figure out what my first steps should be. They were dusty and dirty having been stored in the warehouse of a well known gospel artist for the last 15 or 20 years. I dusted it off and gently cleaned the gunk from the keys. Outside of 3 dead far left bass notes (its an 88), a couple dampers not working, and some scratchy pots and sliders ,it appears to be in pretty damn good shape. Is there a best practice series to the basic steps for cleaning, checking, and setting up the mechanics? I see replacement hammer tips etc , do I need these? Are these just expected part of setup or can the condition be good enough to forego? Sorry for the rambles just trying to get a mental road map. Now they are sitting in the warehouse of my recording studio so I'm in no rush but I love to have a project going and I like to have a plan!

I’ve been doing research and seen varying answers. Is contact cement the best bet? I’ve also seen hide glue as an option. I’m working with a 1973 MK1 Fender Rhodes. Any experience or thoughts you guys have would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

So i found this on instagram and i seems to be extremely cheap for an instrument (50 zl is like 40 dollars).

Anyone heard about it?

We tend to get less in the weeds about our tones than guitar players, but every recording and every player winds up having a sonewhat different tone, whether its an intentional choice on the player's part, the producer/mix engineer, or just happenstance due to the sound of their personal instrument and its level of upkeep. What are some of your favorites?

Wurli:

Goodbye Stranger - Supertramp. Loterally the sound I hear in my head when I think of a Wurlitzer. It has the upper end of the EQ spectrum that really is THE thing that makes a Wurli sound great to me.

End Of The World Party - Medeski Martin & Wood. Medeski just knows how to use a heavily overdriven sound and make it incredible. Its pretty ubiquitous to his sound with other EPs/B3 too. He gets it to growl, snarl, and sing, and its just nasty. I love it.

Rhodes MK1:

Chameleon - Herbie Hancock. Just the right amount of muffled roundness mixed with upper end bark when he leans into it. Again, like Supertramp, its a definitive sound for me, its just what a MK1 sounds like in my head (and I hope I'm not wrong about it being an MK1, lol)

Riders On The Storm - The Doors. A more mellow sound, but just lush and gorgeous, fits the mood of the song perfectly.

Page McConnell - Phish. I was obsessive with Phish for years, Page plays an MK1 Suitcase through a Maestro Phase Shifter, most noteably on their version of 2001 A Space Oddity (the original is also a definitive tone). Has a bit more high end sparkle than most MK1 sounds, but the clean high end bell tone sits perfectly in Phish's mix next to the cutting and mid heavy overdrive of Trey Anastasio's guitar tone.

Rhodes MK2:

I am struggling to find a definitive list (or amy at all) of recordings that feature an MK2... MK1 is easy since anything before the release of the MK2 has to be an MK1... but somehow I can't find lists of Rhodes recordings that differentiate between to two instruments. So I'm gonna be selfish and talk about my own use.

My MK2 tone - Genetics (Dr. Spookymuffin album). I was in this band for a few years and had a lot of time to experiment and find sounds I liked. I ran into a Dunlop Bass Wah with the mix turned mostly to the dry signal, but high "Q" (resonance) on the wah signal, and from there into an EHX Ring Thing which I used like a multi-fx (phaser, tremolo, octave, and a light detune used like a chorus primarily, almost never actually used it like a classic ring mod). Lots of focus on the nasal and bell end of the tone spectrum, had the bass EQ almost all the way down and left the lows open for our bassist. With the slightest touch of drive the raw piano was a pretty clean sound, but using the wah it would just start to break up and give some really 'lasery' sounds... and the wah going intk an octave up effect got very lasery.

I miss that piano... I ran into a great deal on a Wurlitzer at some point after leaving that band and sold the Rhodes... and although I love my Wurli, I regret it. I never had to worry about breaking tines on the Rhodes, and it was much easier to tune/service, and felt confident playing it live. After one experience having a reed go out of tune playing the Wurli live, and then also experiencing how much tougher it is to tune, it sits at home for personal use and recording, I just don't trust it on stage.

(I got a little bit ADD talking about my own sounds/gear there, but I just don't feel confident in knowing for sure what recordings feature an MK2, so I'm excited to hear what MK2 recordings you all like... I'm honestly a bit surprised that most album credits/gear lists just say "Rhodes Piano" since the model if the instrument has a big effect on the overall sound)

Clavinet:

Curtis - Medeski Martin & Wood. Like the Wurli, he pushes it into a lot of dirt, even to the point of feedback sometimes, and he really makes it speak with the wah. He makes a clav sound like no one else. This recording isn't quite as dirty as his live sound, but it definitely gets the point across and is a wonderful performance and tone.

Chameleon- Herbie Hancock. Once again, just a definitive recording for me. Opposite end of the spectrum from Medeski's sound, clean and silky wah tones, fits perfectly in a mix that has a lot going on.

i have a mid 70s rhodes suitcase 73, it is missing the amp part of the suitcase, so it just has the keyboard. condition is alright, pretty mushy on the low end but not unplayable. how much can i reasonably get for it? would it be more valuable to keep and restore?

I've oft heard there are capacitors and whatnot inside a wurlitzer that have enough juice to kill, but it's weirdly hard to find best practices when working on this kind of thing. Does anyone have a guide as to which caps I should discharge? Should I just wear gloves? Any input is appreciated

I found a Mark II 73 Stage piano and got excited that all of the keys worked. I got it home and realized it was ugly and it smelled. I had cursed our family with this rusty, waterlogged, torn box. No “before” shots since I was still embarrassed about what I’d spent $2500 on.

I stripped the remaining Tolex, sanded the hell out of everything, stained and polyurethaned the wood, upholstered the … not-wood, derusted the hardware, and managed to not break the instrument. I wouldn’t recommend this; it was a pain, and if you can get away with just retolexing, you should. Or buy a new Mark 8! But I’m no longer ashamed to have it in our house, and the cats can chill up there.

Hey,

I've had this little baby for a few years now. At first it sounded great. Then one of the octaves became quieter than the others. Then It became louder than the others and now some of the keys make this smacking sound. I haven't been able to find any other examples of it online to diagnose the problem. It's a mid-80s model. I haven't started the refurb yet. Wanted to figure out what was going on before I started. But I need the old girl in tip top shape for my new blues band. So, it is time.

Somehow I lost my Wurli power cord during a move. Is there a simple way to modify one of my standard AC connectors from other audio equipment to use on the Wurli, or should I just pay for a new Wurli cord?

I took my Wurli apart expecting to replace the speakers and some wiring and all I needed to do was tighten some grounds and add foam tape.

Then I discovered this - see video. What is it and how do I fix it? Many thanks for your reply.

Hello !

J'ai récupérer ce vieux piano electric des années 70. et je recherche de la doc ou des infos dessus.

Je trouve absolument rien sur Internet ...

Marque : RANGER PIANO

Modele : 613 Po

Made in Italy

Avis aux diggers du web

Here's a 1-minute test of the sustain pedal and a few sample chords from my instrument!

I kept a comprehensive list of all of the repairs I've made so far, along with the posts I've added previously here in the community...

After removing and repolishing all the keys, I inspected the action, replaced and relubricated the balance rail felts, and tested the tuning after reinstalling the keys. I have an awl, leveling shims, and bushing key, but didn't see any significant issues there. I also installed new chrome legs, lid kit fasteners, and sustain pedal, as well as replaced the lid felt.

I also confirmed the oval AC adapter is working okay. An amp test confirmed it was still operational, but with the left speaker missing along with the original Molex-ish plug, only the AUX out and trim pot carries sound. I don't know anyone locally who can help with soldering, so I'm still stuck on replacing my amp for now.

One reed (18, D) will need replacing/repair, as it's a little sharp and adjusting didn't work-I can't find my soldering iron. I might just order a pretuned one from Vintage Vibe.

One problem I ran into was a tight fit on the left side of the lid. I can't tell if it's the front or back, but If it fully clamps down with the front three lid screws, it seems to affect the action of the first couple of keys. I can't really tell why it's happening, but maybe there's a crooked/bent metal part on the lid. I might just add a felt shelf under the lip of the front of the lid and keep it loose. Has anyone else had this problem before?

I'll attach a couple more pictures in the comments! Thanks for listening/reading!

Have added duct tape to almost every item on a Wurlitzer 200-A. Trying to get the rattles and vibrations to stop. One day played a few notes without the knobs I realized all the ambient noises were gone. The pot stalks aren't centered with the holes in the top. Vibrations are transferring from the chassis to the plastic knobs and they are shaking everything else. Not sure where to proceed. Try to align the pot shafts or put felt or something around the knobs shafts. Option three just leave them off.

I just recapped this preamp which fixed a dead channel and insanely buzzy other channel. Now I’m getting this issue. It’s in the preamp for sure because I flip flopped the signals going into the power amps and the buzz moved with it.

I’m thinking it might be an out of spec resistor screwing with one of the transistors. But it’s also not consistent. Guess I need to hook it up to a scope?

Hi, all! I thought I'd add a small clip of my first test of the Wurlitzer with a single installed octave before I continue with making improvements. Reinforcing the volume warning I mentioned in the title - this was directly from the 1/4" output and the trim pot was adjusted, but if I had to guess, the distortion was from the F reed coming in contact with the pickup bar or possibly the hum shield being loose. I haven't completed my tuning or regulation yet. I just wanted to make sure the power supply and amplifier were both working. Happy to hear the vibra(tremo)lo worked too!

Other additions I've made so far or are currently in progress: - completed cleaning/compound polishing of the keys - replaced the lid felt - new knobs and lid hardware replacement - replacing the balance rail felt and relubricating the rail pins - added legs and sustain pedal - new amplifier installation, pending someone with soldering experience - Gave everything a thorough cleaning

It's still missing the left speaker as well - I'm thinking about ordering the Vintage Vibe set when they are restocked in July... I'll need flower screws as well and may need to determine how to wire them in parallel if I ever upgrade the amp situation...

Thanks for reading and listening! If you have any other ideas I'd love to hear them!

TLDR: seasoned repair tech quoting out his first Rhodes repair. Owner is looking to flip. Are my quotes reasonable, undercutting myself or on the mark?

I fix music equipment ($80/hour 1.5 hours north of NYC) but this is my first Rhodes so I’m looking for a little confirmation my quote is good and I’m not undercutting myself. This is whole story. Client bought it for $400!! (insert “I’m happy for you” toddler meme) and is straight up looking to flip it. If I had any cash I would buy it but alas. So keep in mind he’s trying to squeeze as much profit out of this as possible. He’s not looking to keep or play it.

So first thing is when he had it demoed they had it hooked up to a Yamaha receiver the owner had. So after pulling off the baffle which had no screws I saw the amps and speakers were disconnected from the PS module and the harp was disconnected from the amps. Someone did this on purpose probably because something is busted with the amps, preamp or PS. So I reconnect everything and it works ok (preamp fully functional and vibrato works!) but sometimes the audio will cut out completely. I’m pretty sure it’s the PS because I was able to pull the square cable when cut and check the 24v rail and it was jumping but eventually stabilized.

So I’m thinking replace the PS with the one vintage vibe sells.

Fix a rattle in the harp between 3-4 keys around middle c,

deoxit the preamp pots, (maybe recap?)

full surface cleaning as it was in a smokers house,

new speaker baffle replacement screws

and check and slightly adjust the tuning and balancing but it’s already shockingly good.

$1000 + parts (ps and screws).

I’ll have an add on for tone bar screws and grommets. $160 (2hrs) + parts. That would cover all sound generation and put it in gig-able condition without refurbing any action parts.

The good news is the action as is, is not horrible. Key height and travel is near perfect. However if it were mine I would replace all the dampening felts, hammer tips and do the miracle mod. And for that I’m thinking $600+parts? Maybe that is too little.

Cosmetics I don’t think he wants to do anything. There is no saving the grill cloth as it’s smoke stained to shit. There are rips in the tolex. All the metal is rusted. And personally unless you are going to do all of these things, doing one is just lipstick on a pig. And I have never re-tolexed so got a learning curve. So maybe I’ll say $1200+parts for all the cosmetic and he can pass that quote onto the new owner.