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fender rhodes maintenance
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People who enjoyed reading this: timmo, hecanjog, ejectorset, Phreak, Analog, strangus, hardvoltnine, subset, prugelknaben, jogn, Leo
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I recently became the proud new owner of a Fender Rhodes Mark I!!!! This has been a dream of mine for almost a decade now, and although my piano chops probably don't warrant such a beautiful instrument, it certainly gives me a good reason to start practicing again.
I want to learn about this instrument inside and out. It's fairly low tech, and I want to be able to at least do modest maintenance and repairs on the thing by myself. Specifically, tuning (which I have a lead on thanks to allthatfall) and tine/pickup alignment, action adjustment, and all those other things that make instruments with keys sound good and fun to play. Given it's cult following, I would have expected to find TONS of resources online about various procedures, but so far I've been able to track down a service manual (which would do nicely with more pictures), and a 1 minute teaser video on youtube that tries to coax you into buying what seems like an overpriced dvd. Any rhodes owners/users out there who have any good leads? | |
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08/07/08
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timmo
I can only assume you found it, but link is a good place to ask questions.
I have a Mark 2 and have poked around inside a bit, maybe useful, maybe not?
Have fun!
08/07/08
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timmo
Oh yeah, and congrats on fulfilling a dream like that!
08/07/08
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Tripnik
wow, that site is gold. I found the rhodes super site but didn't know there was a forum. thx!
08/07/08
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ejectorset
i've got a mark 1a seventy-three. i love it. if you need any parts vintage vibe and speakeasy (i'll post links later) are good places to look. i have a few things i am going to ebay, so i can get everything i need to fix mine up completely. it pretty much needs everything. felt mod, new tips, new dampers.
congratulations!!!! nothing sounds like the real thing.
also they sound really really good through any of the following:
sansamp bass driver di
fulltone bass drive
rockman sustainer
08/07/08
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deltasleep
strangely enough, for me all it took was a craigslist posting about needing a good tech and I found a great tech. A really old guy who explained to me what to do to maintain it, what he did, and of course, introduced me to fucking BUDDY EMMONS, who was staying with him after his wife died!
So yeah, if you're in NY, there are probably a ton of old guys who have done this kind of work since the instrument was new. In general, I would recommend an older tech because of that factor. Dealing with a rhodes for 30 years is something you're not going to compete with.
08/08/08
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Analog
Congratulations!
I'd love a rhodes.
I currently have a Yamaha CP25 which is nothing like a rhodes, but the nearest i'm gonna get....
08/08/08
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strangus
I bought a Rhodes for my gf last christmas. 88 keym 1973. Paid 900. Love it.
I think they hold their tune well. link
I would have someone show you how to do it, as art can not be learned on the internet.
congrats
08/08/08
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hageir
that's been my dream forever too!
I'm finally going to NYC and while I'm there, I'm gonna bag me a Rhodes! 
The el-Rhodes brothers!
EEEEH-EEEEEH!!!
08/08/08
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hardvoltnine
Nice! can I come and play it one day? Or let Tae open up on it, he always hides his chops
08/08/08
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fakeBlooper
every city usually has at least one old guy who knows how to work on these things. he has longer hair (but not too long), is affiliated with a church and has at least 1 broken classic car in his front yard.
find him, hang out with him and he'll share a lot of knowledge on how to fix/maintain these.
08/08/08
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madeofoak
welcome to rhodes ownership. it is both enlighteningly (is that a word? no.) awesome and the bane of my existence. i learned a lot just by reading the old owners manual, which you can find a pdf of by googling.
08/08/08
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proj
ok this is great.. yeah my rhodes is pretty well messed up
08/12/08
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Leo
My roommate has one, and has done repairs on the damper bar, the tines, and all sorts of problems. I'll see if he can recommend anything to you.
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