Pros and Cons of a Rhodes Mark I

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LeedyGuy
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Pros and Cons of a Rhodes Mark I

Post by LeedyGuy » Sun Jan 31, 2010 12:18 pm

I have a chance to pick up a Rhodes Mark I from the early 70s. I know it rocks, but is there anything I should look for when I go test it out? How about some pros and cons of one of these? Is it too "Steely Dan" sounding or anything? I would use it mostly for studio work.

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A.David.MacKinnon
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Post by A.David.MacKinnon » Sun Jan 31, 2010 3:04 pm

Here's a really great rundown on Rhodes models -

http://www.fenderrhodes.com/models/

I've had a few different Mark Is over the years and loved them all. Wear and tear is the biggest thing to look for. Are the hammer tips pitted or has the rubber gone hard? Do all the notes sound evenly? Are there dead notes or notes where hear the strike but there's little sustain? Is the action decent?
How's the tolex holding up?? Does it have the legs, supports and sustain pedal?

If you like electric piano you can't go wrong with a rhodes. Does it sound like Steely Dan? Sure, but it also sounds like Portishead, Ray Charles, The Head Hunters, The Rolling Stones and a million other cool bands.

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Post by LeedyGuy » Sun Jan 31, 2010 3:35 pm

Thanks for the reply!! I appreciate your help.

This is a later Mark I, not the Fender Rhodes, it's just a Rhodes and based on the website you sent me, it does sound sorta different . Also, I guess these do not have trem in them. It's only 425 and it looks to be in really nice shape and has been well cared for.

To be honest, my 425 might be better spent rehabbing my Wurly.
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Post by Scodiddly » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:14 pm

Oooh, tough choice. :)

Rehabbing the Wurli might be a good way to go - those seem to need a bit more attention than the Rhodes, but they have such a cool sound. Which Wurli model?

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Post by LeedyGuy » Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:41 pm

the wurly id basically a 206 with no trem. sounds awesome but has no sustain pedal and no trem and thats what i would want to get workin
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A.David.MacKinnon
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Post by A.David.MacKinnon » Sun Jan 31, 2010 6:26 pm

$425 is less than half of what I'd expect to pay for a Rhodes in good shape.
Spend $100 on a trem pedal and be glad you got the whole package for a steal.

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Post by LeedyGuy » Sun Jan 31, 2010 6:46 pm

welllllllll the rhodes actually hhas a pedal.....all for 425.

my wurly is pedal free which is getting to me!
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Post by E.Bennett » Sun Jan 31, 2010 8:31 pm

have both a later mark I and a mark II. the mark I sounds way smoother, but is in worse shape, so the mkII gets used more. with condition being equal, i would pick the mkI without question. $425 is a great price. if you don't buy it, forward along the seller's vitals.

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Post by inasilentway » Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:34 pm

It's crucial to have both and that's a good price for one with a pedal. Do it! My Wurlitzer is also pedal-less, and I never really mind, but I wouldn't want to play a Rhodes without one. I second the notion of getting a tremolo pedal separately (or even better, a Fender amp with tremolo) and you can use them with both.
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Marc Alan Goodman
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Post by Marc Alan Goodman » Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:42 pm

Mark I's kill. You'll be pumped about how easy it is to work on a rhodes after you've owned a wurly. I had a Mark II for a long time and they just don't hold up.

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Post by inasilentway » Mon Feb 01, 2010 8:41 am

Marc Alan Goodman wrote:Mark I's kill. You'll be pumped about how easy it is to work on a rhodes after you've owned a wurly. I had a Mark II for a long time and they just don't hold up.
Ah, that's the other crucial thing. Rhodes pianos are eminently self-serviceable, whereas the Wurlitzers are a pain, and (in my personal experience) go out of tune more easily. Our Rhodes really needs some professional lovin' at this point but I got by for quite a few years fixing everything myself, and will continue to spot-fix minor things when they crop up. I'll happily pull the MKI top off and make adjustments, but I always dread having to crack the Wurlitzer open.
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Post by A.David.MacKinnon » Mon Feb 01, 2010 8:59 am

You can also get a wider range of sounds out of a Rhodes by adjusting how the pick up sits in relation to the tines. You can get anything from a bell like chime to a meatier/darker tone. All you need are a few screw drivers, a wrench and a willingness to get under the hood.

Scroll through the pages on the Rhodes Super Site (the link is in my first post) for a better idea of what you can do.

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