3 Rhodes pianos: Smitty’s Vintage Vibe

1977-78 RHODES MARK I STAGE 73 KEY
Harp Date Code: 09 77

Initial thoughts:
12/7/2024

• Missing 4 tonebars & tines
• 4 other tines are too short & their tuning spring is set as far out as possible & notes are still sharp (A3, B3, C3, F4)
• Keys clack side to side a lot – will need new key bushings
• Will get back into this piano later & figure out what all needs to be done.

PARTS RHODES
Harp Date Code: 48 85

Initial thoughts:
12/7/2024

Harp assembly date stamped late 1985 indicating it’s likely from a Mark V piano. They were the last Rhodes made (until my good buddy & musical compadre Cyril Lance helped to design the new Rhodes 8, but that’s a story for another day).  It’s the “parts piano” as b/c it is the least complete: missing 7 keys & another key has a broken wooden key pedestal. Not sure the details of the piano/keyboard portion yet. I understand the Rhodes Mark V case was plastic & this case looks like an normal, earlier,  1970-1983 vintage tolexed wooden case. It has wooden keys with flat, non-felted key pedestals & plastic hammers with graduated height, angled neoprene hammer tips.  I’ll dig into this piano last or will perhaps use it for parts if Smitty wants.

1972 RHODES MARK I SUITCASE 73 KEY
Harp Date Code: 12 72

Initial thoughts:
12/7/2024

Key Bushings: Most bushings are still good & tight still- keys don’t wiggle side to side.  2 keys had damaged bushing felts. Cut & installed new bushing felts (Bb-6, B-6).  I attempted the repair with super glue but didn’t like the way it set (or I used too much) so I removed the bushings and redid them with hide glue.

Hammer Tips are the flat square/cube, painted neoprene style. Looks to be 4 hardness zones (low to high: 23 black, 10 red, 10 yellow, 14 black & 16 angled wood core shrink-wrapped tips). Many tips show significant wear with pretty deep grooves cut. I recommend replacing tips with a whole new set. Im looking into the best options & also if square or angled tips will best suit this particular piano.

– Avion Studios: angled 5-zone, graduated height tips ($35)
– Retrolinear flat/square, 5-zone tips ($90)
– CAE Sound (not available)
– Rhodes colored 5-zone, angled tips ($80)
– Vintage Vibe: 6-zone angled tips ($60)

Disassembled the piano & cleaned everything.

Front Rail Felts were all replaced

Set Up the harp assembly (tonebars/tines & pickups) to factory specs.

New Key Pedestal Bump & Felts were installed on all keys (what Vintage Vibe calls the Miracle Mod).

Grommets on many tonebarare worn & deteriorated & need to be replaced. Some tonebar screws are bent & need to be replaced & potentially new springs.

Grommets:
 

Bent Screws:

I created an initial parts list to continue with the keyboard portion of the 1972 mark 1 suitcase 73. Once the piano is rebuilt, I’ll dig more into the 4-pin Peterson amplifier suitcase portion.