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A new Fender Rhodes!?
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elektro80
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 11:25 pm    Post subject: A new Fender Rhodes!? Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

http://www.fenderrhodes.org/rhodes/supersite/



Quote:
ew Rhodes Pianos
11/24/03: Big news from Rhodes Music Corporation founder Joseph A. Brandstetter:


I have aquired the world wide trade mark for the Rhodes electric piano and musical instruments. Spread the word that I intend to build the greatest electric piano and would love everybody's input. They can talk with me personally by e-mailing atbrandstetterajoseph@msn.com. Brad, thanks for all your years of support for Harold, even though not always the right story got out. Hope to hear from you soon. Maybe you would like an interview for your web site.
Joseph A. Brandstetter

To answer questions that will inevitably flood our mailboxes:

When will the new Rhodes pianos be available? We don't know.
Will they be an exact reproduction of the Mark I? Mark II? Mark V? or will this be the Mark VI? We don't know.
How much will they cost? We don't know.
Watch this space for the interview of the millenium. Hopefully we'll have more concrete answers to these questions and more in the near future.

James Garfield <rhodes@badrat.com>
Webmaster, Rhodes Super Site

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

WOW
the WOW factor is high Exclamation
I was once the owner of a Rhodes 73 keys (heavy like hell). it was cool but, as far as I can remember, the keyboard was very heavy.
I would not buy something like that today.

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elektro80
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yeah.. the 73 was really heavy. A nice little device though. I really liked it, but I mainly used it in combination with lotsa filters and spaceechos and shit. I guess it did have a nice sound.. Very Happy
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Well, I expect to get my Clavia Nord Modular G2 in a few weeks. I also expect that this will be the last hardware synthesizer I'll ever buy. It seems to me most of the new developments in synthesis will be made in software synths because:

1) Cheaper to develop and to buy

2) The computer screen makes better user interfaces

3) Interconnect and control is inherently better with software

4) Hardware is old fashioned and out-of-style.
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elektro80
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 9:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

The same argument can of course be used on politicians.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 11:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I assume it will be more affordable that buying an original model, I love the sound of these things, only ever played one once in a studio and I instantly fell in love, I was also impressed with emagics attempt. MIDI control would be a big plus as well
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elektro80
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

This one might be yet another retro stunt of the "minimoog" kind. A pretty decent Fender Rhodes device can be had for small sum these days. Repairs can still be done. Making a new one true to the original design will expensive. I am not sure a new one will be a hit. He might sell a few thousand of these.. and he may not.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

If I remember right, all of these has little metal tines that were hit with hammers. Not only heavy, but these required maintenance and tuning from time to time. Except for nostalgia value, I can't see this being popular these days.
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elektro80
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yup:

Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

The sound of this instrument is pretty unique. I imagine a new design based on the oriinal will have a big potential in jazz. Apart from that.. not much. Most rock these days will do well with a Kurzweil or any decent sampler.

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

http://www.fenderrhodes.org/rhodes/supersite/technotes/keybed.html



Quote:
About the Keybed


by Steve Woodyard <swoodyard@aol.com>


The keybed consists of the frame and the keys. Over the life of the Rhodes, the keybeds were supplied by two companies, Pratt Reed and Wurlitzer. The earlier models were Pratt Reed and the later models were Wurlitzer. One generation, late 70's to early 80's, was made out of aluminum and plastic and used the cabinet as its base, so it had no frame. Although the materials were different, the basic concepts were the same.


The frame is the side rails, back rail, balance rail and guide rail, made of maple and attached together in a rectangular shape.


The side rails hold the back rail, balance rail and guide rail in position and have holes for mounting the harp support blocks and a cleat for mounting the plastic cheek blocks.


The back rail has the red felt to cushion the key return and it has holes to correctly mount the action rail.


The balance rail is the center rail and it is positioned, raised and angled to properly balance or pivot the keys. It has round pins inserted or molded, in two rows. One row is for the natural notes and one row is for the sharp/flat notes. The total pin general spacing is just slightly over _ inch, pin to adjacent pin or note to note. The balance rail has one round felt washer on each pin and a combination of cardboard and paper washers or balance rail punchings added to each pin. They are manually placed, after the action rail with hammers are installed, to lift the front of each key to a determined level height. The felt and paper washers were standard piano supply parts.


The guide rail is the front rail and it is flat or stepped depending on the model. It also had two rows of pins in the same pattern as the balance rail. The guide rail pins are oval shaped (except the plastic version). As the wood behind the key guide bushings collapses due to wear, the guide pins can be turned to compensate and help keep the key action from getting sloppy. There is one large felt washer (later, a long felt strip instead of the washers) on every guide bushing. It is there for over throw protection. If the key can be forcibly pushed too far down, it could be broken. The washers are not in play during normal down stroke only come into play at an excessive down stroke. Note: The plastic version did not have the wood-collapsing problem and used a felt strip instead of washers.


The keys usually made of a soft wood such as sugar pine or bass wood (or plastic foam), are cut to shape to represent the appropriate note, are positioned on each set of balance and guide rail pins and when sufficiently depressed throw the hammer up into the tine setting it into vibration and creating a sound. The keys consist of the pedestal section, the balance section the guide section and the key cap.


The pedestal section is raised and is the portion of the key that comes in contact with the hammer. The distance from the end of the pedestal section to the balance pin hole is shorter then the distance from the balance pin hole to the guide pin hole. This provides leverage to help lift the hammer. The pedestal has had a curved surface, a flat surface and a surface with a small raised area or bump on the front section of the pedestal. It has been lined with red woven felt, white pressed felt or was just bare wood. The plastic keys also had a stop bump at the back of the pedestal.


The balance rail section has a small hole in the bottom of the key that opens up into an oval or oblong hole after about 1/8th inch. The top sides of the oblong hole are lined with two small rectangles of woven felt called bushings (not needed on the plastic version). They provide for a close fit to the balance pin without restricting the key rocking motion. If they spread and become loose, usually caused by the crushing of the wood behind them, they can be tightened by the use of a piano tech's tool called a key bushing tightner. If they become to tight, they can be spread by inserting a #1 Phillips screwdriver down through the bushings and into the pin hole and the wiggling the screwdriver front to back and slightly side to side to open up the bushing. Shaving the bushing is not recommended. Lubricating them with silicone is a good idea.


The guide bushings are slightly larger then the balance bushings but, otherwise are treated the same as the balance bushings (not needed on the plastic version). Because they take slightly more wear and usually spread first, using a key bushing tightner has more of an improvement effect on making the key action feel less sloppy. Also, moisture absorption of the wood can cause the key to swell and become tight around the guide pin causing the keys to stick. Inserting a flat blade screwdriver into the bushing and wiggling it side to side to slightly compress the wood behind the bushing and open up the bushing will alleviate the sticking. It is also a good idea to lubricate them with an acceptable silicone spray.


The key cap is a plastic material glued to the top of the end of the key to offer a comfortable playable surface to the player. There are two types, the black sharp/flat caps and the white natural caps that are cut to the appropriate key shape. The caps can be damaged but they also can be replaced by a qualified technician. There are some variations, over the years, in the actual white color. So correct cap selection is important. The earlier Pratt Reed keys had fully molded caps that were glued to standard key shapes. This was later duplicated with the plastic keys. Otherwise, the caps only covered the top of the key and was cut and shaped as the key was made.

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

This is a review of a sample CD with Rhodes sounds. It is quite informative and interesting.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar03/articles/samp_rsp.htm

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

THere is actually some Fender Rhodes.. suitcase model.. in the last few minutes of my song Blinded By Memory.. with some Space echo and a touch autopan unit and other stuff. I love the Fender Rhodes pianos, but.. it is a heavy bastard.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 3:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

mosc wrote:
If I remember right, all of these has little metal tines that were hit with hammers. Not only heavy, but these required maintenance and tuning from time to time. Except for nostalgia value, I can't see this being popular these days.

once I tuned my Rhodes piano with the help of an electronic tuner and a lot of patience. it took me hours to feel satisfied but I did it Very Happy
RHODES PIANO service manual see chapter 5: TUNING THE RHODES PIANO
Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 3:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

My god! Shocked Very Happy
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I had a Hohner Pianet T which really was a mess. Sigh. Hmm.. I wonder. Perhaps i still have it?
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 8:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yes, that's a lot of good information about these old beasts.

I used to tune pianos. That was before electronic tuners. It takes a special kind of patience.
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