Haven't you heard the recent rumors that Mark I Rhodes is much more wanted than the Mark II? Or perhaps that Mark II sounds so different from Mark I? Aside of the fact that an older instrument may have a higher collector's value, is there are any other reason for this preference? Will you get the "old-style", harsh and funky sound only on the Mark I?
   In the early 80s when I owned my first Mark I, I had just the opposite opinion. I though that Mark II should bring me what I was missing in my Mark I. Since many people around have similar dilemmas, I decided to investigate more facts about this marvelous instrument that many of us love so much, just don't know why it doesn't sound as we would like. This text should enlighten all of you confronted with the misleading and wrong information circling around in the Rhodes community. It should help in demystifying the difference of the wonderfully sounding Rhodeses that we hear on records, and the big black box instruments with the same name that we keep at home.
   As the matter of fact, all the relevant data and much of what will be presented here, could be deducted from the material found on the excellent Rhodes Super Site, but only after a thorough reading. But who is really ready to read and analyze the texts from A to Z, or to study the boring manuals? Isn't it easier to just hear and spread the buzz words around!
   Here we build on the knowledge stored in the original Rhodes manuals, some nice writings found on Web, and also on our own experience, providing more explicit answers regarding the Rhodes sound and the most common problems about it.

Since I often get questions or inquiries which emanate from disinformation illustrated above, I proceed here in the form of the popular Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Question 1. Is every Mark I essentially different from Mark II?
Question 2. Which models are truly different from the late ones, if any?
Question 3. Were the new models getting worse and worse?
                   Don't I get the best of everything with an old model?
Question 4. Why my Rhodes doesn't sound as I heard on records?
Question 5. What is your rationale for writing this? On what experience do you base  your statements?
Question 6. There are "perfect" digital replicas of Rhodes, why bother with the real thing?
Question 7. What Is the "Proper Rhodes Adjustment"?
Question 8. Would you advice me on servicing my Rhodes?
                   a) Is the key action improvement necessary for the old models?
                   b) Do you have the Rhodes spare parts?

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Q1. Is every Mark I essentially different from Mark II.
Is it true that every Mark I piano is different, or shall we say “better” --- like usually interpreted --- from Mark II? To state it differently, if I find a Mark I, am I sure to get the “old Rhodes sound”.

The answer is simply no! This is completely wrong, as long as the Mark II has the wooden keys (see the explanation about the introduction of different key options).
   A significant difference in sound occurred only in the Mark II models with the plastic keys, which were produced and offered in 80s in parallel to the normal wooden keys models. Harold Rhodes, the Rhodes electric piano inventor, expressed his deep disappointment with the introduction of the plastic key option models. The only purpose of this move made by the CBS company -- which owned and ran the business at the time -- was to lower the production costs. In search for bigger profits the CBS engineers allowed the severe drop in the sound quality, jeopardized the reputation of the factory and compromised the Rhodes name. Also this added to the myth that the earlier models were better.
   In our further text we exclude the Mark II pianos with the plastic keys, and continue the comparison of Mark I versus Mark II with wooden keys only.

   The whole generation of late Mark Is (it’s hard to say the exact dates, but probably those after 1977-1978) have exactly the same mechanics as the Mark II. Specifically:
a) The piano hammer is "all plastic" on both, the late Mark I and Mark II models.
b) The rubber tips on the late Mark Is and the Mark IIs are the same (improved in shape from the early models);
c) The harp support is aluminum (the harp support is the base on which the Harp with the tone bars and tines stands).

Everything else relevant to the sound is the same (like the tone bars, tines, pickups), even on the older Mark I versions dating back to 1974. There were some slight changes, e.g. in the connection of pickups, but not affecting the crucial aspects of the sound.
   The renaming from Mark I to Mark II was done at the end of 1979 after the introduction of the “flat” ABS top cover and the different style name-plate (the plate just above the keys). Except from this obvious change of look, the renaming had nothing to do with the tonal or mechanical essentials of the piano. Although the flat top proved to be much more practical for keeping other keyboards and equipment on top of it, it's not wrong to say that the new name was a pure marketing move of the CBS company, bringing nothing but a lot of confusion. The renaming would be more appropriate a few years earlier, when there was change to all-plastic hammers and aluminum harp support (see old and new-style models in Q2 below), or when the key-bump was re-introduced.

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Q2. Which models are truly different from the late ones, if any?
Are there models with differences relevant to the sound, and what are the differences?

The models which bear the old sign  Fender Rhodes, and also some of the earliest bearing the new name  Rhodes  (but probably not later than 1974), have the following important differences from the newer models:

a)       The piano hammer is not all plastic, but has a wooden rubber-tip bearer mounted on the lower plastic part (compare also Q1.a). Thus the part of the hammer that hits the tine is wooden. On the later models this was simplified, and the whole hammer was build in one plastic piece.

b)   The harp support is made of wood, not aluminum (compare the Q1.c).

And -- if we disregard the features which are irrelevant to sound, as are the type of keys, the style of hinges on the keyboard cover, etc... -- this is all.  As far as for the models from 1974 on, there are no other significant differences in the mechanical part of the Rhodes pianos.
   The models that are even older may have some more differences. There specifics in sound could be desirable, but there are also a few drawbacks in mechanics. They have the old-style tone bars, lower quality tines that go bad much sooner, etc… In the official Rhodes Service Manual, a series of modifications and updates are suggested for the old models to improve their key action and playability.

   To turn back to the comparison of the most common models and to distinguish between them, we shall use the terms older and newer style models. The former has the features described above -- the wooden tip bearer and the wooden harp support, while the latter, representing both the late Mark Is and the sound-wise identical Mark IIs, has the all-plastic hammers and the aluminum harp support.
   Prior going any further, let's just say that the true "Rhodes character", and the desirable “sweet and rich" tone must be somewhere there in every Rhodes, yes even in yours, regardless it being the new or old-style. If you don't hear it now, it just means that your Rhodes is not properly adjusted! It is as simple as that. The out of order old models will also sound dull, and too mellow.
   It is true that the wooden parts on the hammer, and probably the wooden harp support, too, do affect the nuances of the sound. The tests that I've performed on two old-style pianos, one Fender-Rhodes Stage Piano EightyEight from 1974, and an old-style Rhodes Stage SeventyThree from  1973, showed a slight difference in sound character comparing to the new-style models. It can be described as being bit closer to the sound of acoustic piano. Well, since all Rhodes pianos are quite away from the acoustic ones, this may sound a bit confusing! Let's say that the desirable higher harmonics sound a bit different from the newer style models (to remember you, these are the late Mark Is and Mark IIs). It is true that some people will still prefer to have that old-style sound, especially if they are used to the influences from mid 70s. On the other hand, the new-style models have their own charm, which may turn out to be as irresistible as the old one. In fact, so irresistible, that many of the Rhodes fans choose, as I did, to keep both, the old and new-style Rhodes.

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Q3. Were the new models getting worse and worse? Don't I get the best of everything with an old model?
In other words, isn't it possible that the Rhodes factory built worse and worse models by introducing simplifications and cheaper materials, more plastic and aluminum parts, less wood, etc.? If I buy the old model, don’t I get the best of everything? What is good, if anything on the newer models? 

The answer here cannot be straightforward, although the readers who didn't skip the previous question, can already hint what it is. To say that the newer Rhodes versions were worse than the old ones would be dishonest and oversimplified statement. The policy of the Rhodes inventor and innovator Harold Rhodes, who was also a playing instructor, composer and music enthusiast, was always truly honest, and aimed toward improving his invention as far as possible. But in the same time, he and his team based in Fullerton California, were urged to simplify parts and rationalize production wherever possible. There are quotes on Rhodes Super Site saying that every single change was carefully studied before introduced, in order not to compromise the famous Rhodes sound in its crucial aspects. But also, it is not hard to guess that Rhodes factory got under pressure of competitors producing other keyboard instruments in the late 70s. Relatively expensive Rhodes pianos with many mechanical parts had to fight electronic instruments which were easier and cheaper for mass production.
   While some of the parts introduced on the newer models did happen to be of worse quality -- like the keyboard, which turned out to be quite uneven, with unequal spacing between the keys, etc..., some other were improved. So, although the keys itself looked worse, their action was improved. Yet the other simplifications and modifications, like introducing the all-plastic hammers and the aluminum harp support, did change the sound, but to the different, not the worse. The new-style models have softer key action that will hardly ever result in the notorious sticky keys syndrome, no matter how old piano is. On the other hand, the sticky keys is a common problem on all old-style models. It is almost impossible to find an old-style model (e.g. with the Fender-Rhodes name) with keys that have a normal key response and a good feel. Please feel free to disapprove me. It’s not that the keys are just heavy like on the classic piano, they tend to be “sticky” and hard to play because of the thick felt used on different (wrong) places in the mechanism. It causes slow and heavy action. A lot of different advances and serious modifications are suggested to remedy this problem on old-style Rhodes pianos. Sometimes only a clever combination of many different approaches will produce a desirable effect and make the keyboard playable. If this is not done, you may have a nice old Rhodes sound and no wish to play the piano at all --- knowing that your fingers will ache after a half an hour of playing! When buying an old-style Rhodes without the action improvement, you better be prepared for that.
   Because of the key action problems, a lot of effort was made to improve the keyboard "touch and feel". It was successfully done about the same time the hammers were changed to all-plastic version and the aluminum harp support was introduced. Some time later, a "bump" was introduced on the key pedestal, which further improved the feel of playing. All Mark II’s have it, including the Mark Is produced after mid 1979 (just to confirm that the renaming was done completely irrelevant of the important changes). Rhodes Service Manual recommends the introduction of the key pedestal bump on all models without it. It really improves the feel of playing, though it may not be considered as truly important for the newer style models.
   To resume, if you have the new-style Rhodes, one serious thing you really don’t have to care about is the sticky keys problem. Not a small thing, even if missing the “touch of wood” in the sound. And as stated above, although the sound of the new-style models is different, the sound passed the rigorous test of Harold Rhodes and his team. It passed the test of thousands of players around the world, and it did appeared on records as much, if not more, as its predecessor. The new-style models brought the new sound, which was still Rhodes, and which was still excellent.

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Q4. Why my Rhodes doesn't sound as I heard on records?

The answer was partly hinted above, and is quite simple: because your Rhodes is not properly adjusted!
   It may be true that the old models were adjusted slightly better than the new ones -- but that’s just a vague opinion based on the total of about 10 pianos we have serviced and about 10 more we had a chance to inspect. The reason may be in the higher pressure put on the factory workers and operators in the latter days of the Rhodes company. But nevertheless, all the models that we have encountered, be they old or new, needed the proper adjustment again after some time. And the proper adjustment exactly follows the formal procedure described in Rhodes technical specifications. It is a curiosity that the most famous Rhodes modification, known under the name “Dyno-My-Piano” and done by an independent company in San Francisco (see the article on the Rhodes Super Site), insisted on bringing the piano up to the the original Rhodes specifications in every single detail. In other words, as first they did all the things the operators should do in the factory, but most of the times didn’t. Probably because they didn’t have enough time. Or Rhodes pianos would cost significantly more than it did, and that was commercially unacceptable.
   The Rhodes electric pianos are quite complicated instruments, with very simple electronic part, and quite complex mechanics. There are a lot of movable and adjustable parts with a lot of details to take care of. Consequently, there are a lot of problems that must be dealt with, in both, creating such a device and adjusting it. If some parts were made in a better and more elaborate way, the adjustment would be whole lot of easier and more precise. But than the part would be more expensive, resulting in the more expensive product. Thus, the end success of this instrument greatly depends on this elaborate and time consuming adjustment, that should be done by a qualified and, yes, even talented personal. A Rhodes tech need not only elaborate technical skills, but also a good ear, and soft fingers of a keyboard player! Was it easy to organize a factory with enough workers with such skills. Or provide them enough time to complete the adjustment. No wonder that Rhodes pianos were leaving the factory in quite a bad tonal shape, far from the sound they were being able to produce. The Dyno-My-Piano company thrived for more than a decade finishing the job not done in Fullerton. That is, they were not only installing upgrades and additional accessories, but as mentioned above, they were providing thorough proper adjustment in the first place.
   To summarize our discussion on the good and bad sounding Rhodes pianos -- there are good Mark I and Mark II pianos, and there are bad both of these. Following our distinction, there are good and bad old and new-style models. If nowhere else, you could have noticed that in many TV documentaries and live concerts of famous musicians (to avoid mentioning the music spots where you never know what was brought up for the purpose of playback). And all of these are, as you can guess by now – the properly adjusted Rhodes pianos. And their exact model concerns just the subtle differences in the timbre.
   The Rhodes sound can, and often is processed, even quite heavily. But if you are after that, you have to know what you are doing, or the result can be bad. A lot of, but carefully chosen EQ can be put on. The best solution is to use the Rhodes specific preamplifiers, designed to produce certain types of sound. The phaser and chorus effects are also very usable, in subtle or abundant form. All these together can make wonders -- but nothing of these is really indispensable. And nothing of these can substitute the need for the basic proper adjustment, which, if done correctly, will produce an excellent sound, with or without processing.

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Q5. What is your rationale for writing this? On what experience do you base your statements?

After you fall in love with Rhodes pianos, it is no wonder that you want to know more about them. When you learn about their history and the dramatic life of their inventor Harold Rhodes, then it all gets another dimension, and you become quite proud if you feel that you learned and cleared a thing or few. I write about this controversy  to enlighten many Rhodes fans, who were, like myself, confused by the hear-say statements, often spread by people who didn't carefully studied the problem, or didn't have nerves to compare models, or didn't even bother to check what was "under the hood". I write this also to answer the people inquiring on specifically the “Mark I” Rhodes -- the one with the “better sound”, or "very-old" Rhodes models, or don't know why the Mark II sounds so bad.

And the story about how I get into this is connected with my collecting passion which lead to the Web site Robert L’s Analog Synths you are now visiting. (After the move toward electro-acoustic instruments, the site could, perhaps, be renamed into something else, but for now, the name stays.)

I bought my first Rhodes piano back in 1981. It was Mark I. Having the engineering background and knowledge of acoustics I didn’t hesitate to open the hood, investigate the mechanics and remedy some minor defects. Unluckily, tempering the Rhodes mechanics without the Servicing Manual was a wrong way to do it. Before soon I was caught in screwing the bolts on the tone bars in and out, not really knowing their exact function. And you guess -- I have never had the sound I wanted, although I tried to improve it by phasing effects and EQs. So naturally, having a Mark I with the dull sound, I was dreaming of – you guess what -- a Mark II. And I am quite aware that all of you folks who had Mark II dreamt of some nice "old Mark I". For me, "out there somewhere" was the new model (didn't we always assumed that the newer model was the better one?) having the funky tone color I was missing. In 1987 I sold my Mark I being mislead by the possibilities of digital synths (yes that was still the era of the DX-7 digital pianos). It was almost 15 years later when I bought my second Rhodes. While I was still searching for a Mark II -- remembering the too mellow sound of my Mark I -- I’ve started hearing rumors that Mark I is better. On the other hand, few people said that they have changed their old Fender-Rhodes pianos because they couldn’t play the stiff keys on them. One man I talked to was satisfied with his Mark II, and many Mark I’s I’ve encountered had the same dull sound I had on my first Rhodes! No end to confusion...
   Finally in 2001 I’ve managed to purchase an old Fender-Rhodes from 1974. Not that I searched for this model particularly, but it was available and not too expensive. And of course, it came with the particularly hard syndrome of sticky keys! That was the start of my new occupation with the Rhodes pianos. After all, I thought, the hype was all back! These pianos would have greater, and greater collectible value, even if I won't use them much in my music production. That’s how I thought at first! Of course, when I started to play them again, I’ve found a long-lost love that I wouldn’t give up for anything now. And all of you who play the real Rhodes around the world know exactly what I'm talking about. In the sound of Rhodes I’ve found life, I’ve found the inspiration, I’ve found the relentless source of music…
   Having a chance to service quite a few different Rhodes pianos, I started to investigate differences. The confusion introduced by the Mark II name was easy to note, as well as the true differences regarding the sound producing mechanism. After having personally spent several months of work on the key-action modification, repairs of all kinds, I have also started the procedure of -- here heavily quoted -- proper adjustment. I have brought several new-style models to sound in a "desirable way" -- with a lot of overtones (harmonics), resembling the legendary funky sound. Also, I managed to solve the key-action problem on many old-style pianos.

Q6. There are "perfect" digital replicas of Rhodes, why bother with the real thing and many of its problems?

If taking a rational stand, the answer would probably be -- why bother! Especially if you are into getting the sound fast and are not interested in all the subtleties of the analog sound. Go and use the digital clones you already have, and you'll spare yourself quite a large amount of money and a lot of time. Not to mention the weight of your load when you go to the next gig.
   But if you start to hear things carefully, if you feel that something's missing in the digital versions of Rhodes you have, you can be sure that you'll soon forget the rational approach, and like many others forget that you are talking about a keyboard weighing 60-70kg, with all the problems a real electro-mechanical instrument can have.
   But still, to the most of the Rhodes lovers it's nothing comparing to the magic this electric piano will make for you and your music. Describing the feeling of playing a nice Rhodes piano brings me right to religious, or at least metaphysical spheres. So, all that follows must be interpreted as a strictly personal opinion of the author. But don't be surprised if you find many similar thoughts, irrational as they may be, from the people around the world.
   Let me start that after having played the best and most acclaimed digital pianos -- the ones that you never have to adjust, nor bother about the bad tines and dampers -- not to mention the need for proper adjustment -- the experience of playing the real thing was totally different... Yes I know, there are excellent digital simulations and emulations, with samples taken from allegedly the best originals the reach keyboard-making companies could find in the world, already with EQs and the best sound processing available. But, when your fingers move the real piano hammers, which strike the real tines, producing real vibrations, the whole new world emerges... Or to put it simply -- the experience is like finally playing the electric piano again.
   I think you know the story. The first time you hear a digital sound you say – oh, that’s excellent, an excellent sample! What do I need the real thing for? But the next time you find yourself tweaking EQ pots, adding some reverb, or, a little bit of chorus, phaser, something to help it out, or will I try another sample? And before soon it becomes just another dull reproduction your digital machine has frozen in its memory. Of course, you perhaps didn’t realize it, you couldn’t have realized it before comparing it to the sound of real Rhodes. Only then you have that feeling of true playing and producing a real, vivid sound. Want to have some effect, OK, put it! Or leave it as it is, plain and simple. Not to mention the magic when depressing the sustain pedal. What digital copy can make that? What DSP software can even closely mimic this? The sound that has a bite when played hard. The sound without bell-like high notes (well, we don't like them too loud and annoying, OK), the sound with warm and still harsh basses, and the sweetest possible mid and low mid range you can imagine! The range which is ideal for playing chords of all kinds. The best in the world. No matter if you play them simple, with only a few notes, or rich five and six note harmonies -- the Rhodes gives the best of everything. The ultimate chord playing keyboard!
   But it's not just the sound! It is the amazing feeling and unbelievable feedback you get from this instrument. The only dangerous thing is that you’ll find yourself playing in the small hours, unable to unhook yourself from this magic instrument. Because it brings a completely new experience of effortless playing. It brings a source of inspiration and wonder, and a true relief from the torture of digital machinery.

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Q7. What is the "Proper Rhodes Adjustment" ?
Is it tuning? My piano is tuned well to the standard 440Hz, but doesn't sound well. Can I perform the adjustment myself?

Rhodes adjustment includes several procedures meant to bring the Rhodes mechanics in order, and to produce the sound we all expect. It is not just tuning of the pitch, which is, in fact, most commonly not a problem on Rhodes in the first place. However there are several other things to do: like establishing the proper striking line, aligning the tone bars, adjustment of the “key escapement”, both globally and locally. And than, and if necessary, some of the steps must be repeated. Than the timbre adjustment comes, together with the volume adjustment -- achieved by changing distance of the pickups. Is that all? No, there are much more problems awaiting for you, and one them that almost nothing can be achieved in just one passage. The proper adjustment is an iterative procedure that has to be repeated several times, sometimes seemingly without ending. Even if you had luck to find the good-sounding tines and few other spare parts you are missing.
   And can you do that yourself. Yes you can. If you are technically skilled, if you have proper tools and a lot of enthusiasm. The latter is crucial, and the former is a prerequisite! No, I’m not making fun of you, I'm just saying that you have to be really motivated to do it right, and prepared to learn a lot. After having learned the book, one still must be ready to implement this in practice, and then learn from practice many things that just don't fit in a book. For this you'll need some time, but eventually you'll start to discover a Rhodes technician being born in you.
   On the already mentioned Rhodes Super Site you can find everything you need to start, including the electronic versions of Rhodes Service Manual. Your success depends on several factors, some of which include your technical and musical talents. I came to adjusting Rhodes after years and years of experience with electronic instruments, but found many challenges here. 73 or even more mechanical oscillators wait for your attention. 88 keys could be in need for improved action modification. It’s not only the quality of the work, but the quantity, too. And one adjustment is appropriate for the basses, another for treble tones. Sometimes it seems like there’s really no end to the procedure. You may even wonder why you have left the ideal digital world in the first place. Because even when it seems that you have finally finished the procedure, some tone bars may require a slight timbre correction, or a damper doesn't do its job, or a tine went bad...

But after having done it all, and laying your hands on a properly adjusted Rhodes, you’ll probably forget all the troubles you've been through! I forget, over and over again. Though the Phillips screwdriver #2 is still standing there on the right-hand chick of my favorite electric piano.

Q8. Would you help me with your advices in servicing and adjusting my Rhodes?