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Rhodes


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After half a lifetime of wanting to, today I finally got to play a Fender Rhodes. And it was exactly the delight I hoped it would be.

 

Despite being over 45 years old, it was in fantastic condition - guy in the shop that's selling it on commission said that it got bought in 1978 and hadn't left the house since then. It didn't seem to be the most robustly-designed thing I've ever seen.

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What’s the asking price? They’re worth having if the price is right. I’ve owned two different ones, a Stage model (the one on four legs) and a Suitcase model (the one that sits on it’s own cab, with the panning tremolo) and they were both fabulous instruments to have, can fully recommend owning one 👍
 

Plus, with a very minimal toolkit you can tune the tines yourself easily, balance the pickups, adjust the action, etc. They’re pretty solid. 

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2 hours ago, Munurmunuh said:

£3,800 says the ticket in the shop (RWB on Bridge St in York)

£3,800?!! That’s crazy talk! 
 

First Rhodes I had was a 1979 suitcase model for £350, the second was a fully refurbished stage model that I paid £1000 for. I don’t own either of them now but I made a profit on both when I moved them on.

 

If you really want one in good nick and at a decent price, look online for Doug McKendrick / Klassic Keys, I think he’s based somewhere in the Midlands? He’d be straight with you 👍

 

Btw, Rhodes pianos are generally as roadworthy as it gets, if a little unwieldy. I took my last one all over, and I only ever had to retune a couple of tines once.

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  • 1 month later...
On 18/06/2024 at 05:40, Munurmunuh said:

It didn't seem to be the most robustly-designed thing I've ever seen.

I humped my late wife's Rhodes in and out of 1500 or so gigs and it was a PITA (and back) as she'd had a custom road case made for it because she was told 'they're a tad delicate'. Not wanting to damage it I was always careful and it never once played up. As I did the PA for many of our gigs (I owned it), one more heavy road case was the least of my issues. She loved it almost as much as her baby grand.

 

It would be nice to still have it, but I went nomad for a few years after and only kept my XL2. There are good emulators available and I might pop for one.

Edited by crazycloud
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Used to footle on a really nice Rhodes plus a Bösendorfer while doing a holiday job at Olympic in Barnes 79 and 80 summers . I freaking loved it, studying bassoon at time so could work some stuff out , film composer Elmer Bernstein was working there one spring and said I was learning some 'shapes' and then sat down and did terrifying pianistics.  Truly amazing. Luckily he never guessed it was me when I fkd up a side studio set up

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