Is it worth keeping my Rhodes these days?

[Gary75]

So I have had this Rhodes for a couple of years, it's had a fair bit of work done to it. New tips, grommets, suitcase preamp, cheek block supply. But still I'm having niggling problems with it. Lack of sustain mainly.

 

So anyway, im sat in my over-warm small room trying yet again to iron out things, and getting generally pissed off because I can't see much these days and the whole thing gets very tedious, and then I thought.....maybe I should just sell it because it's taking the joy out of owning one.

 

I know some older guys hated the things first time round and would never go back to them. And with the advent of Rhodes libraries being so detailed now, only the player knows the difference on a track. Part of me still wants to own one, but I'd have to have one that was bang on, and that's difficult to do - it's not like back in the day when you could try many in a shop and puck the one you liked best. Maybe I will look for another one and chance it again, but maybe I'll not bother. I'll never gig one again, and my project studio would not suffer that much if I had to use Scarbee or Neo Suitcase libraries. At least they are taken from guaranteed well maintained examples.

 

Is it time to move on? Have you Rhodes guys just had one and thought 'no, don't like it, I'll find another one' or 'just don't need it anymore'

 

Maybe it's time to view this old gear in a less romanticized way.

 

 

[Al Coda]

 

Is it time to move on? Have you Rhodes guys just had one and thought 'no, don't like it, I'll find another one' or 'just don't need it anymore'

 

Maybe it's time to view this old gear in a less romanticized way.

 

 

When I sold my 2 Rhodes,- a mk I from 1972 which was my main axe for 14 years, I missed it so much I buyed another mk II for cheap, modded and built it into a flight case.

Because the original case was exchanged by the flightcase, it was much more lightweight, but I never connected to the 2nd Rhodes than I was connected to my 1st mk I.

That was the decision, I sold it too.

 

The 2nd one collected dust already in my former studio because of new technology available, but it was an eye catcher.

 

IMO that what it is today if it´s only in the home or studio, an eye catcher you occasionally use to play for fun.

You don´t really need it for work, except you play in a band where a original Rhodes is urgently needed by whatever reasons.

 

If I´d get Chick Corea´s midified mk V as a gift,- I´d take it for sure, but I wouldn´t buy any used Rhodes for the actual europaen prices.

 

When the new mk 7 AM came out, I thought about buying one,- my Rhodes love isn´t gone, but I didn´t like the form factor too much and I was also sure, it would stay at home as an eye catcher and for my personal fun, like an expensive hobby,- so I passed.

 

The new electric piano libraries for Kontakt are good and work in any recording IMO.

The physical modelling of electromagnetic gear isn´t at it´s end,- there´s more to come soon.

 

A.C.

[The Real MC]

I never thought I would buy another Rhodes after selling mine in 1983. After bouncing from sample set to sample set, I never found anything that sounded like the real thing. In 2007 I started looking again and finally found a sparkletop rhodes that I am very happy with.

 

My P-90 suffices for gigging (shoulda got a P-120), the sparkletop stays home for recording.

[zoooombiex]

I've been going back and forth on this very issue. I regularly gig with a Rhodes 54 and a NE2. (I gigged a 73 before but with my back issues it was just too heavy....) I tinker with my rhodes and so they are in pretty good shape tone-wise and action-wise.

 

During shows, I play about 60% on the Rhodes and the rest split between b3 and clav on the Nord. I'll occasionally jump up to the rhodes settings on the NE2 during a show to compare, and I have to say it sometimes makes me wonder about hauling the Rhodes around. The sound is very close, and probably most people listening wouldn't know or care the difference. The nord also has the option of being able to jump between two or three rhodes patches, which is nice on occasion.

 

Of course, they feel quite different to play, and so far that has kept me bringing out the rhodes. the dynamics on the rhodes just feel more natural, in terms of going from a soft bell to a fat bark and clank.

 

If I used a rhodes sound more sparingly like I do the clav or organ, I'd probably just use the Nord. But since I spend most of the night on it, I think I'm going to stick with it for a while.

 

So I guess that's where I'd come down for a recommendation. If you are really focused on rhodes, and particularly playing rhodes in a live application, that's where you'll probably get the most mileage out of it. if it's just for occasional use (live or studio), you can probably tweak a clone and get something that will work fine.

 

On another note, as light as the Rhodes 54 is, I'm lusting for one of the Vintage Vibe pianos. Only 60 lbs for a 73 key (!) And it comes to you with everything perfectly set up.

[Gary75]

I probably would want one again, even to play in the house, but I would definitely this time i would have to go to a dealer who sells a few, and does them up very well. Being in the UK that's easier said than done. To be fair, I did get it for nothing so recouping the few hundred I spent on refurbishments shouldn't be a problem.

 

I think the time and effort it will take to get a no problems Rhodes will probably be bigger than what I'm prepared to go for what essentially will be an 'eye catcher' in the corner of my tiny music room.

 

I might take a look at the Mk7 and VV pianos, see if they turn me on. Having something that needs no work done would be great.

[mate stubb]

I know some older guys hated the things first time round and would never go back to them.

 

 

Some people claim you can whip any rhodes into shape. I have not found that to be the case. I modded and modded mine in an endless attempt to make it play and sound good. Never could do it.

 

I would never consider buying a rhodes unless it already played and sounded great.

[Meisenhower]

I've got a good one and I keep it in nice shape. It never leaves the studio and I'd NEVER consider gigging with it.

 

That said, if I didn't already own a beautiful example of a rhodes that plays well and sounds great, I wouldn't start the quest to find one.

 

 

 

[Analogaddict]

Even though it's possible to keep a vintage Rhodes in shape, it takes some time and money... I've been considering selling my Rhodes pianos (mkI 88 from 1971 and mkI 73 from 1977) to finance a new Rhodes. I think the mkVII:s are very good, more responsive than either of my vintage pianos and easier to maintain...

[HammondDave]

Don't sell it! You may regret it later. Instruments I regret selling:

 

1956 Hammond C3 and Leslie 122

Farfisa Combo Compact

Mini-Moog

Clavinet D6

Rhodes Stage Piano 73

Wurlitzer 200

 

Oiy!

[ITGITC]

 

It comes down to two things:

 

1. Do you have space for it?

2. Do you plan to record with it?

 

For gigs, the Nord Electro 3 HP is lighter, sounds great, and has weighted hammer action. It's pretty close to the top of the lists over at Sweetwater these days. KLONK

 

But for recording, you have to ask yourself if only the real thing will do.

 

That's how I see it.

 

I also see a cold beer in my future.

 

Tom

 

 

[Gary75]

The thing is, for me, it's only so much as about 10 or so keys with sustain loss, the rest is great, but it's a fruitless and tiring effort trying to remedy stuff. I could probably buy the necessary tine/tonebars/tonebar clips and finish it off. It's been a very hot week in the UK this week, maybe I'll just leave it before I make any rash decisions.

 

But, as mate_stubb says, sometimes you can work on one and never get it sounding the way you want.

 

 

[frogmonkey]

I love my Mark 1. I gig with it. I record with it. I'm sick of tinkering with it and carrying it, but it gets me excited like no digital emulation ever has. And it brings the gritty unpredictability to the music, which is something I crave these days. I have some weak notes, and I've reached the end of my tinkering expertise-- I may hire a tech, though I hate to spend the money.

 

When you mention that you have trouble seeing, it makes me think that working on the Rhodes must be extra difficult. I suspect that tinkering is a necessary part of playing a vintage Rhodes, unless you have money to spend hiring someone. It's probably not worth it-- especially if you are happy with digital emulations. Personally, if I'm going to record, I'd like it to be the real thing. That's just my taste at the moment, but I'm feeling it strongly.

 

If I were you I would NOT buy a different vintage Rhodes. If I were looking at European prices, I'd buy a Mark 7 first, or a Vintage Vibe. Ooooh but on the other hand that's a lot of money. Sorry, I'm no help.

 

Moe has a good point about finding a Rhodes that sounds good to begin with. When I found mine, I knew it was the one.

[ChrisE]

Hi b3. IMO 'Old Is Good' ! Keep the thing if you have the space, as they don't make them like that anymore. A bud of mine recently sold his ole Rhodes 73 w. built in speaker cabinet and I told him not to. He offered it to me a while back, but I had no more space for it . I have only plunked on a few of these Fender EPs and all seemed to have their own sound, feel, smell and character .

[danimuschi]

i gig with my suitcase 4-8 times in a jazzy/loungy band a month and i couldn't imagine using something else... It sounds WWWWWAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY better than any fake one out there and i has that vibe to it. I also own loads of modern equipment that I love, but nothing beats the real thing... + I'll bet you that a roadworn, but working Rhodes will be worth more in 10 years than a Roland/Yamaha/Korg/Clavia or whatever piano will...

[David Loving]

doesn't the sustain pedal work? Do not sell it! you will always regret it. If you want to buy a better one, just do that without selling your old one.

[Gary75]

Yeah, it's the actual decay time of some of the tines, it could be when I discarded some of the double springs on the tonebars during re-grommeting thinking that isn't right when in fact double springing was sometimes used to heighten decay time at the factory as I researched recently. An amateurish mistake, and one I won't bore you all with when there's a dedicated webpage for maintenance.

 

It would be a shame to sell it given the amount of time I spent on it, I just find it frustrating at times given my physical compromise.

 

I'll probably buy a spares kit and some bits and pieces and go from there. Trying to fix things without spares is bad times.

 

[Dave Pierce]

Hi b3boy,

 

No, it's definitely not worth keeping these days. In fact, just having it in your studio is creating negative vibes for you. But your Keyboard Corner brothers are here to help, mayne. I'll be over straight-away to get that old albatross out of your way.

 

No charge for the service!

 

--Dave

 

[Delaware Dave]

I sold my D6, Mark 1, B3/122 and 200A many years ago because I didn't understand (at the time) what I had. All those instruments are a piece of music history. We all clamor in these forums about how the new digital instruments compare in sound, quality and feel. We do this because we now appreciate those vintage instruments. I repurchased another B3/122 three years ago because I found one in living room condition on the cheap. I hope to someday replace all of those vintage instruments that I stupidly sold.

[Steveaudio]

I sold my D6, Mark 1, B3/122 and 200A many years ago because I didn't understand (at the time) what I had. All those instruments are a piece of music history.

 

I have similar stories: sold all my vintage stuff: Wurlitzer EP, Rhodes Stage 73, Fender Twin, D6, etc. The D6 is the only one I held out for good $$ on, the rest I sold in the '70's or '80's for whatever they brought then. Oh, & an original Mini-Moog, but the oscillators wouldn't stay in tune. Of all of those, besides romanticizing them, I mainly kick myself for selling some too cheaply.

 

The ones I would really want back, to play in my house, would be the Wurlitzer & the Fender Twin amp. The Wurlie you could play solo & enjoy, the Rhodes, not so much. Don't get me wrong, I gigged for 20 years with my Rhodes, love the sound (& have the chiropractor bills & back x-rays to prove it).

 

For B3boy: "Maybe it's time to view this old gear in a less romanticized way." It sounds like you're ready to "cut one loose from the herd". You're not "feelin' the love". If you can get a good price for it, pass it on to someone who just has to have one....& move on....

 

 

[David Loving]

I bought an old Baldwin Acrosonic spinet - the kind I learned on when I was a little kid. Just feels better having it around - definite positive mojo.

[ksoper]

I don't regret selling my Rhodes when I did as I was never in love with it. My experiences matched Mate/Moe's almost identically. But as other have said, if you have the space and don't need the money, keep it.

 

Hernan Baldi not only makes replacement parts for Minimoogs, but also for Rhodes. He may have things you need, and he's also a great guy. CLONK

 

Good luck.

 

K.

[JeffLearman]

I'm keeping mine. It's in my attic, but (knock on wood) I'll be moving soon and will have a room I can leave it set up in.

 

I won't gig with it any more. I sampled it and corrected in the samples all the things that annoyed me about using the real deal. Not perfectly, and admittedly those samples capture one kind of Rhodes sound I used but not all faces of the beast.

 

Regarding emulations, whether samples or whatever, none of them captures all Rhodes because there are so many different Rhodes sounds, due to setup and historical differences (e.g., Raymac tines). Also, few emulations I've played have the dynamics of the real beast.

 

I use an NE2 live, and dialled it up to sound as close as possible to what I want in a Rhodes. When I play it live, it works, but it just doesn't have the juice of the real deal, and gets lost in the mix even compared to my soundfont. But the NE2 package is too convenient and I use Rhodes about 10% so it works for me.

 

BTW, I plan to change the sound of my Rhodes a fair bit, make it hotter, and voice it better following the youtube vids from Vintage Vibe Keyboards. Then I'll resample it, more layers this time thanks to having so much more memory available.

 

However, next time I move, I doubt I'll be keeping it. (Most likely, that'll be into assisted living )

[MonksDream]

BTW, I plan to change the sound of my Rhodes a fair bit, make it hotter, and voice it better following the youtube vids from Vintage Vibe Keyboards

You HAD to post a link to the only keyboard site around that would give me instant, crippling, GAS!! Thanks, Jeff! Thanks a LOT!

 

Fortunately poverty, and the desire to stay married, prevents me from dropping 4 grand on one of these puppies. However, if I could afford it I'd buy one tomorrow.

 

[ITGITC]

However, next time I move, I doubt I'll be keeping it. (Most likely, that'll be into assisted living )

 

You are getting pretty old these days, Jeff.

 

Oh, BTW - HAPPY BIRTHDAY THURSDAY!

 

Can I buy you a beer?

 

Tom

 

 

[JeffLearman]

BEER! YES! er, or beer substitute. Let's call Jimmy too. It's been way too long.

[Adan]

A rhodes is still the best way to get girls, warts and all (the piano, that is, not the, uh, yeah . . .)

 

edit: Clav might be a close 2nd.

[MonksDream]

A rhodes is still the best way to get girls, warts and all (the piano, that is, not the, uh, yeah . . .)

 

edit: Clav might be a close 2nd.

I always thought girls avoided guys with 'the clav'.