A question for fender rhodes users

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   The Rhodes requires decent strength, finger- and hand- and wrist-wise, which is actually a good thing because you can either glance over a note or hammer it and yes there will be a difference in the tone. It's very much a true piano in that sense. It is, as you say, mechanical, and therefore requires more than just a bit more touch than is required on say a usual synth keyboard. I sold mine last summer. It was just sitting in the basement, unplayed. Sad to see it just sit there. So I sold it to someone into retro keyboards. He seemed very happy to get it, and try as they might the modeling synths never can quite duplicate the sound. Bit more...I bought mine for $575 in 1973. Sold in 2012 for $500. It had one broken tine. Other than that, and some road wear, it was in very good condition. Which is to say I wouldn't pay more than $500 or so for one in reasonable condition.

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jammun Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: July 14 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3449	Topic: A question for fender rhodes users Posted: May 17 2013 at 23:54
	The Rhodes requires decent strength, finger- and hand- and wrist-wise, which is actually a good thing because you can either glance over a note or hammer it and yes there will be a difference in the tone. It's very much a true piano in that sense. It is, as you say, mechanical, and therefore requires more than just a bit more touch than is required on say a usual synth keyboard. I sold mine last summer. It was just sitting in the basement, unplayed. Sad to see it just sit there. So I sold it to someone into retro keyboards. He seemed very happy to get it, and try as they might the modeling synths never can quite duplicate the sound. Bit more...I bought mine for $575 in 1973. Sold in 2012 for $500. It had one broken tine. Other than that, and some road wear, it was in very good condition. Which is to say I wouldn't pay more than $500 or so for one in reasonable condition.
	Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.

pitfall Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: June 22 2012 Location: Essex, England Status: Offline Points: 109	Posted: May 17 2013 at 17:58
	Another possibility to consider is a Wurlitzer ep200. They have a real. miniature piano action, unlike the system in a Rhodes and are a lot lighter. I have both, and I know which one I'd rather pick up!

pitfall Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: June 22 2012 Location: Essex, England Status: Offline Points: 109	Posted: May 17 2013 at 17:55


npjnpj Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: December 05 2007 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 2720	Posted: April 25 2013 at 02:13
	I haven't got any Fender Rhodes experience, but I've had a Yamaha P 15 for over 30 years now, and that instrument would fulfill your requirements concerning touch and tone, I would imagine. A wonderful instrument. The trouble is that it's long obsolete by now, but successor models might be worth checking out. I'd never trade it, and I've had a number of very good offers.

Gerinski Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: February 10 2010 Location: Barcelona Spain Status: Offline Points: 5154	Posted: April 24 2013 at 02:56
	I'm not really a keyboard player, I can play some easy things and have a keyboard, but I have never played a Rhodes. Have you had a look at the Nord Piano 2? it has a hammer-action keyboard for which you can adjust the touch and you can also play sample keyboard and synth sounds besides just pianos. "The Fatar TP-40 keybed in each Nord Piano 2 is calibrated at the Clavia factory to ensure an even and homogenous response. Furthermore, 4 selectable Dynamic Response Curves let you adjust the response of the keybed to your playing style, and these can be stored indiviually with each program" http://www.nordkeyboards.com/main.asp?tm=Products&clpm=Nord_Piano_2

humor4u1959 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Groupie Joined: April 02 2013 Status: Offline Points: 97	Posted: April 24 2013 at 01:11
	I'm not a keyboard player, but played in a band many years ago with a guy who had a Rhodes. Are you talking about the old, traditional, heavy Rhodes? I used to fiddle on it sometimes and the action is similar to a real piano, but the keys are much easier to hit. They don't spring up like a synth, but go down with less pressure than a real piano. I hope I've been of some help. I love the Rhodes sound, but GOD! They're heavy to move!

AbrahamSapien Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: December 27 2009 Location: Slovenia Status: Offline Points: 181	Posted: April 21 2013 at 03:42
	Hi, I'm a pianist/keyboard player, lucky to live 5mins from my highschoo, but eventually I will have to go to university and I am going to need an electric practice instrument, because I can't afford another piano and probably won't find an apartment where everybody will be cool with me practicing scales loudly 2+ hours per day ;) I have a Roland 300GX but am not happy with the non realistic touch (it has always a perfect tone, no matter, how you strike the keys) and am afraid that practicing it would ruin my technique (i have been practicing very wrongly for 7 years or so and hurt my arm and everything, so I really don't want to risk that sh*t again), so I was thinking maybe a fender rhodes has a more realistic touch, since it works partially mechanically. What are your experiences? Edited by AbrahamSapien - April 21 2013 at 03:44