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Post by Tbone81 on Oct 30, 2020 10:21:52 GMT -6
I have the opportunity to buy a 73 Rhodes, Student Edition. Model FR-7055. A friend is selling it and only wants $500. It’s in good condition but I don’t know how good...still getting info on it. Do you guys know if parts are interchangeable between the standard Stage models and the student models? I’m concerned that maintenance will be a pain in the ass (and expensive).
Any thoughts or experience with these? I’m thinking of buying it up, I feel like at that price I can’t go wrong but want to do my due diligence first.
Thanks in advance.
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Post by sean on Oct 30, 2020 11:03:27 GMT -6
Pretty interchangeable. That the one with built in metronome and cassette player, correct? I don’t think they have tremolo but I could be wrong
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Post by Michael O. on Oct 30, 2020 12:17:31 GMT -6
Those are extremely rare these days, but the mechanical bits are interchangeable with those of the more common contemporary Rhodes models. At $500 I’d go into it assuming it’s a parts keyboard, but even then the parts are likely worth more than what you’re paying. If it’s the one I’m thinking of (black top with veneer sides), it’s not quite as collectible as the earlier avocado and yellow models, but still a unique and, to some, desirable board. Having said all that, Rhodes maintenance can be a nightmare if the particular unit isn’t already in fairly good shape.
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Post by Tbone81 on Oct 30, 2020 13:56:34 GMT -6
thanks guys, I played on it a while back and remember it being in pretty good shape but I’d assume any keyboard from that era needs some tlc. And yes it’s the black top with wood veneer. Not the spaceship green one.
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Post by jeremygillespie on Oct 30, 2020 14:19:53 GMT -6
If you need parts down the line - check out vintage vibe. They’ll have everything you need or will point you in the right direction.
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Post by johneppstein on Oct 30, 2020 17:16:54 GMT -6
If it's a newer one it may not need this, but the older ones had felt tipped hammers (like a real piano) that benefited from being retrofitted to rubber, which wears better and doesn't get uneven in tone and volume. But that's something for an expert to do, since it involves surgery on the original hammers. In my years as a Rhodes tech I only encountered one that had the conversion and none with original felt. I don't know when the change was. The tone bars are the same. The tines are the same, but vary in length for the various positions.
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Post by delcampo on Oct 31, 2020 14:03:16 GMT -6
I actually have one here. I only needed to replace a few bridle straps to get it functioning well enough, for me. That was easy enough.
I am not a keys player really but, its been really nice to have. Price seems reasonable if it's functioning relatively well. It sounds really good so it's all about how much it speaks to you for what you're tracking, how much you'd use it & space.
My issue personally is that my studio is on the 2nd floor and it's not gonna be lugged up there any time soon. It's quite heavy.
So I have a few cables running down for headphones & its output to run DI, or into an amp upstairs. I'd be using it much more were I not so lazy to be running up & down so much.
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Post by Tbone81 on Nov 2, 2020 19:11:41 GMT -6
Thought I'd give an update. So I bought the Rhodes and am happy as shit about it. It was in great shape. All the keys work, no dead pickups. 2-3 keys in the lowest register are a little flubby sounding, but they're so low in the bottom octave I can see never having to actually play them in real life. Either way I think with a little TLC they'll come back to their former glory. Other than that the action feels really great on every key, very consistent feel. The previous owner had warned me that it gets a little noisy with some hiss when turned up but when playing at a normal volume there's ZERO hiss, it only gets bad when you turn up the volume way past the point of being comfortable. That being said I'll probably take a look through the amp at some point and see about changing out the caps etc.
Edit: Forgot to say it sounds awesome and is so inspiring to play.
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Post by Tbone81 on Nov 2, 2020 19:15:27 GMT -6
My issue personally is that my studio is on the 2nd floor and it's not gonna be lugged up there any time soon. It's quite heavy. So I have a few cables running down for headphones & its output to run DI, or into an amp upstairs. I'd be using it much more were I not so lazy to be running up & down so much. Funny enough, now I'm in the same situation. It's a beast, way too heavy to get up the stairs into my home studio. My poor wife had to help me get out of my truck and up the few front steps we have. No way she'd be able to help me the stairs with it. So for now its in the living room, which is kind of awesome because its now the center piece of the room. But now I need a clever way to run cable down and back up from the upstairs studio. I'm thinking of running some Cat5 cable down one wall to box, and use a Cat5 to XLR breakout box to supply mic lines and headphones. We'll see. |
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Post by the other mark williams on Nov 2, 2020 19:24:42 GMT -6
Thought I'd give an update. So I bought the Rhodes and am happy as shit about it. It was in great shape. All the keys work, no dead pickups. 2-3 keys in the lowest register are a little flubby sounding, but they're so low in the bottom octave I can see never having to actually play them in real life. Either way I think with a little TLC they'll come back to their former glory. Other than that the action feels really great on every key, very consistent feel. The previous owner had warned me that it gets a little noisy with some hiss when turned up but when playing at a normal volume there's ZERO hiss, it only gets bad when you turn up the volume way past the point of being comfortable. That being said I'll probably take a look through the amp at some point and see about changing out the caps etc. Edit: Forgot to say it sounds awesome and is so inspiring to play. Wow, congrats! That really sounds fantastic! There's just nothing else like a real Rhodes. |
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Post by drumsound on Nov 3, 2020 0:22:25 GMT -6
Thought I'd give an update. So I bought the Rhodes and am happy as shit about it. It was in great shape. All the keys work, no dead pickups. 2-3 keys in the lowest register are a little flubby sounding, but they're so low in the bottom octave I can see never having to actually play them in real life. Either way I think with a little TLC they'll come back to their former glory. Other than that the action feels really great on every key, very consistent feel. The previous owner had warned me that it gets a little noisy with some hiss when turned up but when playing at a normal volume there's ZERO hiss, it only gets bad when you turn up the volume way past the point of being comfortable. That being said I'll probably take a look through the amp at some point and see about changing out the caps etc. Edit: Forgot to say it sounds awesome and is so inspiring to play. Congratulations. New instruments are always so fun. I have a Wurly, and would love a Rhodes too. And I'm not even a keyborad player. |
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Post by delcampo on Nov 3, 2020 10:19:17 GMT -6
My issue personally is that my studio is on the 2nd floor and it's not gonna be lugged up there any time soon. It's quite heavy. So I have a few cables running down for headphones & its output to run DI, or into an amp upstairs. I'd be using it much more were I not so lazy to be running up & down so much. Funny enough, now I'm in the same situation. It's a beast, way too heavy to get up the stairs into my home studio. My poor wife had to help me get out of my truck and up the few front steps we have. No way she'd be able to help me the stairs with it. So for now its in the living room, which is kind of awesome because its now the center piece of the room. But now I need a clever way to run cable down and back up from the upstairs studio. I'm thinking of running some Cat5 cable down one wall to box, and use a Cat5 to XLR breakout box to supply mic lines and headphones. We'll see. Ha! Congrats. We certainly have all that in common. My wife helped me as well get it in & out of the vehicle and, up 2 stairs into our 1st floor. It's kinda painful how much I'd like it upstairs and, more utilized but, there's just no way space wise. I get "that look" that all husbands know too well, every time I try to find a way. Your cable run idea seems like a good one. That and a little FaceTime w/ phones or whatever could work. I keep meaning to try that when humans actually get together more freely. Generally, my problem with these things is if it ain't right in front of me, and efficient to access, Ill be onto the next tracking tool option that doesn't mess with workflow vibe. It's an issue when one where's too many studio hats. |
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Post by Tbone81 on Nov 3, 2020 12:37:01 GMT -6
Funny enough, now I'm in the same situation. It's a beast, way too heavy to get up the stairs into my home studio. My poor wife had to help me get out of my truck and up the few front steps we have. No way she'd be able to help me the stairs with it. So for now its in the living room, which is kind of awesome because its now the center piece of the room. But now I need a clever way to run cable down and back up from the upstairs studio. I'm thinking of running some Cat5 cable down one wall to box, and use a Cat5 to XLR breakout box to supply mic lines and headphones. We'll see. Ha! Congrats. We certainly have all that in common. My wife helped me as well get it in & out of the vehicle and, up 2 stairs into our 1st floor. It's kinda painful how much I'd like it upstairs and, more utilized but, there's just no way space wise. I get "that look" that all husbands know too well, every time I try to find a way. Your cable run idea seems like a good one. That and a little FaceTime w/ phones or whatever could work. I keep meaning to try that when humans actually get together more freely. Generally, my problem with these things is if it ain't right in front of me, and efficient to access, Ill be onto the next tracking tool option that doesn't mess with workflow vibe. It's an issue when one where's too many studio hats. Yeah I was thinking the same about using Facetime...great minds think alike. I think I may just setup a mic or two on the rhodes and leave them there permanently, because like you, if its not there, ready to roll, I'm so much more likely to say "screw it" and just record something of Kontakt. |
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Post by Tbone81 on Nov 3, 2020 12:39:16 GMT -6
Thought I'd give an update. So I bought the Rhodes and am happy as shit about it. It was in great shape. All the keys work, no dead pickups. 2-3 keys in the lowest register are a little flubby sounding, but they're so low in the bottom octave I can see never having to actually play them in real life. Either way I think with a little TLC they'll come back to their former glory. Other than that the action feels really great on every key, very consistent feel. The previous owner had warned me that it gets a little noisy with some hiss when turned up but when playing at a normal volume there's ZERO hiss, it only gets bad when you turn up the volume way past the point of being comfortable. That being said I'll probably take a look through the amp at some point and see about changing out the caps etc. Edit: Forgot to say it sounds awesome and is so inspiring to play. Congratulations. New instruments are always so fun. I have a Wurly, and would love a Rhodes too. And I'm not even a keyborad player. Thanks man. Yeah I'd kill to have a nice Wurli...but funny enough I think my new rhodes sounds closer to a Wurli than I would've thought. Something about the amp and the particular speaker in this thing gives it a soft distorted sound that I associate more with a Wurli than Rhodes. |
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Post by drumsound on Nov 3, 2020 17:17:43 GMT -6
Generally a DI is a little 'chimey-er' on a Rhodes...
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Post by jeremygillespie on Nov 3, 2020 18:30:33 GMT -6
I love to take both a DI and amp and pan them hard left right with my Rhodes.
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