Rhodes electric pianos: which one is best?

Cliff Kane · Post by **Cliff Kane** » 7 Jun 2007 7:50 am

Hello,
I've been looking around for an electric piano, mostly interested in a nice Rhodes or Wurlitzer. There have been a few Rhodes available locally. Does anyone know the differences between the various incarnations of the Rhodes, which models sound and work the best?

I've been reading this site: http://www.fenderrhodes.com/

but, I figure I'd run it by my seasoned brethren, as you all seem to know the real score on so much!

Thanks,
Cliff

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 7 Jun 2007 8:29 am

Cliff, check your email.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 7 Jun 2007 8:33 am

I'm picking up a wurly from these guys today:

http://www.vintagevibe.com/

You can call them for info if you need to.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 7 Jun 2007 8:53 am

I borrowed a Wurly from a friend about 5 years ago,and he aint gettin' it back,it's a great one in tune and everything.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 7 Jun 2007 2:13 pm

I still miss my Wurtilizer [sic]. I love a Rhodes too, but there is no way to capture that sound except on a Wurlitzer. One of the tan chipboard ones.

You know, Cliff, there aren't really a lot of differences in the models. The Mk III stands out in my mind, but I don't remember what for. The very early ones were not as good, and didn't feel great, but from the late 70's on, it just depends on the one you find. If it's good, it'll speak to you.
But they don't speak Wurlitzer.

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 7 Jun 2007 3:42 pm

I looked at ebay auctions a few years back and I noticed that the Wurlitzer electric pianos fetched more money than the Rhodes units. The Wurlitzers also seemed harder to find.

One thing I remember most about the Wurlitzer is that it had a bit of growl in its sound, while the Rhodes was cleaner sounding. When I think of the Wurlitzer sound I think of the introduction to Supertramp's 'Bloody Well Right'.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 7 Jun 2007 5:41 pm

I have a Rhodes 73, nice clean sound but bulky and UNGODLY heavy. The early ones were pretty spartan, but the addition of a chorus pedal really opens up the sound. Prices seem to be rising lately, so somebody still likes them!

erik · Post by **erik** » 7 Jun 2007 6:45 pm

The intro to When Stars Go Blue by Tim McGraw is that a Wurlitzer tone or dirty Rhodes?

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 7 Jun 2007 10:25 pm

Please forgive my ignorance about this, (I don't play keyboards) but can't the sounds of both be reproduced with samplers and synths?

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 8 Jun 2007 3:21 am

I think the pedal steel and the Rhodes are a marriage made in heaven ! The Rhodes,IMO, is the easiest electric keyboard to play steel in tune with , I guess because of the overtone structure. Skip , you play both; what`s your opinion ?
FWIW , my favorite Rhodes is the Suitcase 73. We have one at our studio and it`s really easy to get lost in the sound for hours , just listening to the stereo tremolo...

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 8 Jun 2007 5:17 am

I had a Rhodes back around 82 or so, awesome..and also awesome in the Heavy and LARGE department. I could hardly give it away around 85 or so.. I was glad to let it go...

I also had a Black Wurlitzer which I had up until 98 or so , then got burned on it, I put it up for consignment in a local Music Store that went under. they sold it the day before they went under. One of the owners gave me half the cash a month or so later the other said he would and never did. I had that keyboard since around 80 or so, it was very nice and sounded great, wish I still had it.

And Mike, the Rhodes began it's replacement with a DX7, which I also had, but I don't really think any of the modern synths can replace that chunky feeling of a Wurlitzer. They just had some vibe that can't be duplicated with plastic keys and a Yamaha logo.

Like someone states above, , and I am no keyboard player, but when you sit behind one you can really get lost for a pretty long time in the personal jam...

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 8 Jun 2007 5:34 am

Olli Haavisto wrote:I think the pedal steel and the Rhodes are a marriage made in heaven....
FWIW , my favorite Rhodes is the Suitcase 73. We have one at our studio and it`s really easy to get lost in the sound for hours , just listening to the stereo tremolo...

I have to agree.
There's a chord on Carly Simon's 'Cowtown' [Another Passenger, from the '70s] played by Jeff Baxter on steel that I tried for years to figure out. Turns out it's the simplest voicing, but it's the texture of Bill Payne on a Rhodes that fills it out seamlessly. The tones on both instruments are pretty pure. Makes me want a Rhodes again. You can indeed get lost in the sound, like a steel guitar.

Payne's signature sound is the Wurlitzer. For some reason, you can't capture the overdriven reed strike; it takes the real thing. The Rhodes, with nice long tines, is easier to reproduce.

Joe Butcher · Post by **Joe Butcher** » 8 Jun 2007 7:15 am

Wurlitzers sound great, BUT if a tine breaks or you have to tune it, its a nightmare.
Rhodes are musch easier (and fun) to work on. I've had several and I reccomend a Mark II 73 key model. If its gonna stay in your house or studio go for a suitcase model (with the speaker bottom) If you're gonna gig with it, get the stage model and plug it into a Twin.
I also had the 54 key Mark II which was much easier to lug around.
If you wanna go the synth route, get the Nord Electro. It gives you great Rhodes, Wurli and Hammond B3 sounds in one keyboard.

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 8 Jun 2007 10:30 am

I'd agree with Joe on the tuning. I've tuned (or tried to tune) both and the Rhodes is much easier relatively speaking, you just slide a crimped spring/weight forward or backward on the tine until it's in tune. In actuality, the rich overtones of the Rhodes make it pretty difficult sometimes to get it as close as you might like, especially the lower notes, but it's doable.

The Wurlitzers on the other hand have a tine with a big blob of solder on the end, and tuning is accomplished by adding more solder or filing off the solder blob.. Quite frustrating at times.. but I sure do like the Wurlizter sound. Was it the Model 200 that had the little speakers in the face right above the keyboard?

The magic in both of these I think is that whole tine/hammer thing....

Shane Reilly · Post by **Shane Reilly** » 8 Jun 2007 11:13 am

Most of the pro guys here have switched to Nord Electro or Korg?(the one that supercedes the VK1 with the drawbars) but only out of portability and convenience.NONE...of them agree that they reproduce the sound of a REAL wurly rhodes or hammond.I have a wurly myself and find them a little more reliable than rhodes(many times I've stood by and watched my keyboard players desperately fiddling under the hood of a rhodes during a horn solo).They just dont travel as well as wurly.If it's for the home or studio and you happen to see one of the extended range rhodes,grab it,they sound fantastic,but consider it furniture,that baby ain't travlin' no place.One other thing,the cats I play with use some type of tube preamp with their nord to try to give it that elusive GROOWWL,the others go into tube amps,some both,the rest....well...bless their cotton socks

.Check out Donny Hathaway Live for some of the greatest wurlitzer EVER!!!!!I'm not kidding,if you don't have it,you like music,and you have ears, you're qualified to own it.Hope this helps, Shane.

Joe Butcher · Post by **Joe Butcher** » 8 Jun 2007 7:32 pm

Shane Reilly wrote:Most of the pro guys here have switched to Nord Electro or Korg?

Wheres it say that?

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 8 Jun 2007 11:01 pm

One famous Wurlitzer recording to reference is Billy Preston's solo on The Beatles "Get Back".

The Guess Who's "These Eyes" also has a famous Wurly intro.

"Ooh, You Make Me Live" by Queen is another Wurly favourite.

Also check out Three Dog Night's "Joy To The World" intro for a delicious Wurly treat.

Styx's "Babe" is classic Rhodes, as is the Bee Gees "How Deep Is Your Love" among others.

Oddly enough, I traded my Wurlitzer for my first pedal steel.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 9 Jun 2007 3:13 am

One thing that makes these hard to reproduce electronically is the exactness of synthesized tones. Almost every Rhodes or Wurly I've heard is very slightly out of tune - not enough to be clashing with other instruments or sound displeasing, but enough to let you know that it's a real instrument, and not a synthesized on!

I guess one of the most famous Rhodes things was the theme from the old TV show "Taxi".

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 9 Jun 2007 4:10 am

Weeellll, if you a happen to be into country music, this Lee Ann Womack album from a couple years ago has Wurlizer all over it.

http://www.leeannwomack.com/mediaPop/au ... Code=a0703

To my ears, the Wurlitzer is a much warmer and mellow sound than I remember from those funk/jazz/ fusion Rhodes players back in my 70's childhood.

Shane Reilly · Post by **Shane Reilly** » 9 Jun 2007 9:47 am

Hi Joe,I was commenting on the players in my city of Melbourne,Australia.Is that what you're asking?Chris,that's a fine list,and I guess if you have to trade your Wurly a steel takes the sting out of it,better than beans.

Joe Butcher · Post by **Joe Butcher** » 9 Jun 2007 11:36 am

Oh, i thought by "here" you meant on the forum!! (was wondering where all the Rhodes players were on a steel forum!!)

I like both Rhodes and Wurlis. The last band I played one with lent itslef more to a Rhodes sound, so I traeded my Wurli for a Mark I. I like the Wuril for more rockin stuff, and the Rhodes for more, esoteric, ambient stuff.

There is a guy here in Dallas named Kenneth Manning, who has, to my knowledge the largest Rhodes collection anywhere. He's great for trades.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 9 Jun 2007 1:16 pm

Skip, where are you?

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 9 Jun 2007 5:33 pm

Hey Chris...
I sent Cliff an email detailing the differences in various Rhodes'. He's going for that Stevie wonder "Livin' For The City", and Herbie Hancock "Bitches Brew" sound..as opposed to the chorusy, Dyno My Piano '80's pop vibe.
That would be a suitcase Rhodes, with the built-in amp and speakers with that famous stereo trem that goes from spkr to spkr. It's a very cool sound. It's just too bad that most Rhodes' drive like trucks...and weigh as much as a small one.
Personally, I'm a Wurlie kind of guy.

Olii, I'm with you on the rhodes trem...it's a great sound. I like the wurlie trem as well. You can just play a chord without any movement and let the sound of the wurlie and the trem take you into the next change. It's real easy to play simple on a wurlie.
I think it's easier to play steel along with a wurlie. To me the pitches are more defined than on a rhodes, which tends to become a wash sometimes. The other thing about a wurlie is that it can be a little out of tune with itself and still sound good, retaining it's charm...while an out of tune rhodes just sounds out of tune.

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 9 Jun 2007 6:50 pm

Thought I'd through this in just for interest. In 1961 I took our keyboard player to pick up the Wurlitzer he had ordered.

We worked together for awhile and then went different ways. After several years I came back home. He wasn't playing much anymore but still had the piano. I gave him $50 for it, drug it out to California and used it for several years. As was referred to, it was a big pain to tune, and it began to get hard to find the metal reeds. I bought a clavinet and later in the 80's an electronic keyboard, that was MIDI equipped, tho I didn't know about MIDI until 20 years later.

I still have the Wurlitzer. It's in my tool shed, about to celebrate its 46th birthday. One of these days I'll have to drag it out and get it working. It was a good piany and fun to play.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 10 Jun 2007 10:38 am

Never was a big keyboard fan,but do like the Fender Rhodes,and B-3,with a leslie,When I was playing in bar bands[Playing guitar not steel]in the late 50's and early 60's there was two instruments you HAD to have in the band or you did not work,The B-3 and a tenor sax.Ninety percent of the top hits back then had those two instruments on them.Even tho the steel is my favorite instrument,I really miss playing in those old bands with two or three horns,The tenor or alto have a special place in my heart.Some of my early hero's[and still are] were guys like Charlie[Bird] Parker,Sil Austin,Stan Getz,etc,etc.Getting back to the key's,the Rhodes and the B-3 were my favorites.