New authentic Rhodes

[L50EF15]

I bought one new in 1969 and had it for many years. The Nord Wurly patch is very good, especially with a light touch on the keys. I have a Stage 2 at the club, and it does decent Rhodes too.

Be careful with old Wurlies. They go out of tune, and you have to add or remove solder from the metal reexamine tone bars to retune them. It's difficult.

I took piano in my final semester of college (University of Maryland, 1989) and they had a room full of Wurlies for that class. I used to wonder about contacting my old school to buy one, though I am sure they were unceremoniously discarded.

[lammie200]

I, too, had a Rhodes in the old days. Mine was great. It even had the amp/speaker cabinet. I loved playing it. I probably had it for ten years but eventually had to sell it due to personal relationship/space considerations. Got probably double what I paid for it. I can't justify getting a new one but I am also glad they are back in production.

[Danny W.]

From 1978:



Danny W.

[Bop Head]

Through the '80s and '90s, I worked with a piano player who used a Rhodes and the matching Fender amplifier / speaker cab that also served as a base for it. We could never convince him to consider a more portable rig.

I always found that the sound of the MkII our keyboard player had was worth the weight. Absolutely doable for two persons. If not it's maybe time for a workout

Regarding amps we (guitars and keys) would always borrow flight cases or chairs from the venue to put them on. A mic stand case will lift an amp to ear height (assuming you are standing). I never understood why people would let the sound hit their ankles instead of their ears.

[pauln]

Regarding amps we (guitars and keys) would always borrow flight cases or chairs from the venue to put them on. A mic stand case will lift an amp to ear height (assuming you are standing). I never understood why people would let the sound hit their ankles instead of their ears.

It's for the musical benefit of the listening audience. It's been known for a long time that elevating speakers has problems*.
That can be recovered with tone controls and volume knob on the amp or an additional EQ stage, but for maximum clean sound using the least power, the closer to the floor the better... for the listening audience, not so much for the performer because the instrument's stage tone they hear will sound thumpy and thud-like, missing a lot of the high end which provides most of the aural intelligibility for identifying and confirming perception of the chord types, melodic pitch discrimination, etc.

Resisting compensating by increasing treble and volume, so forcing yourself to learn to hear your instrument's stage tone without the crispy and clear sound (which takes about a month or two if you have a good ear), the long term ability to actively hear all music increases in perceptual speed and coherence. This is the fastest and most natural way to really improve your ear if you can make it through the period of struggle (similar to the month or two that our fingers ached when we first began to play).

*Problems, e.g.,,, from the 50s, so read "c" as Hz

[RJVB]

It's for the musical benefit of the listening audience. It's been known for a long time that elevating speakers has problems*.

So we should learn to perform the way the Romans ate, but without the couch?

[pauln]

So we should learn to perform the way the Romans ate, but without the couch?

Considering that the digestive tract is a cavity, the Romans no doubt enjoyed improved frequency and peak-to-trough response...

[RJVB]

Considering that the digestive tract is a cavity, the Romans no doubt enjoyed improved frequency and peak-to-trough response...

Hah! If memory serves me well they also helped the latter if not both with a particular 2-finger gesture

[Bop Head]

It's for the musical benefit of the listening audience. It's been known for a long time that elevating speakers has problems*.
That can be recovered with tone controls and volume knob on the amp or an additional EQ stage, but for maximum clean sound using the least power, the closer to the floor the better... for the listening audience, not so much for the performer because the instrument's stage tone they hear will sound thumpy and thud-like, missing a lot of the high end which provides most of the aural intelligibility for identifying and confirming perception of the chord types, melodic pitch discrimination, etc.

Resisting compensating by increasing treble and volume, so forcing yourself to learn to hear your instrument's stage tone without the crispy and clear sound (which takes about a month or two if you have a good ear), the long term ability to actively hear all music increases in perceptual speed and coherence. This is the fastest and most natural way to really improve your ear if you can make it through the period of struggle (similar to the month or two that our fingers ached when we first began to play).

*Problems, e.g.,,, from the 50s, so read "c" as Hz

I am talking about a rock band with their own FOH guy, PA systems loud enough to get over the backline and venues/festivals with a separate monitor mix most of the times. The guitar amps would be directed from the sides to the center of the stage, so less guitar would be necessary in the monitors. I can tell you that it worked out well and no one ever complained about the sound.

[pauln]

I am talking about a rock band with their own FOH guy, PA systems loud enough to get over the backline and venues/festivals with a separate monitor mix most of the times. The guitar amps would be directed from the sides to the center of the stage, so less guitar would be necessary in the monitors. I can tell you that it worked out well and no one ever complained about the sound.

That makes sense; my trio plays in cozy venues not loud enough to mic anything where amp placement is important - close enough to the drum kit so that location is the common sound source for rhythm/tempo.