Rhodes Mark 7

[Sounds Great]

[Mind-Over-Midi]

Anyone know if there is a place to demo a Mark VII in the Chicago area? Thanks.

[Pinto73]

I am VERY grateful to this site. I thought seriously about ordering a rhodes mark 7. I got NO response to my e-mails. I finally talked to someone I think was the CEO. They take no credit cards. As I have family in California I asked if my family member could pick up the unit. The answer: I would have to pay additional CA sales tax. I could then "fill out an affidavit" and furnish additional "proof" that I was, in fact, the purchaser (even though they would have cleared my check) to have that amount "refunded" to me.

Even with this, I considered ordering the piano. I left a phone message to have someone call me back to set up an order. That phone call has still not transpired. Since then, I've read this site and negative experience of others. This has confirmed my strong negative gut feelings about dealing with this company. I'm going to keep my old Rhodes suitcase and forget about them.

It is my opinion that if you're a celebrity you might get some attention from this company (maybe even returned phone calls). But, for a mere mortal like myself, I fear dealing with them; I fear giving them money; and I fear serious dissatisfaction with the finished product.

[PDBoy]

Alto Music in Middletown, NY carries the Rhodes 73 Active. 845-692-6922.

PDB

[pramrod]

and the new Rhodes they have at alto music is an embarrassment. truly ridiculous- some tines pearcingly loud, some barely sound, totally uneven, needs desperately to be voiced, tuned, etc. brutal. i spent a while playing the hideous looking white one they had on the floor that has apparently been sitting there for a while and was really blown away by how bad it was. no mojo at all. and it looks like a keyboard would slide right off the top of that plastic thing.
for the record, i am the proud owner of a Mark I Suitcase, a Mark 1 Stage, a Mark II Stage, a Mark II 54 Stage, and a silver sparkle piano bass! 2 or 3 of which have been completely redone by Vintage Vibe (with actions like butta, beautifully voiced and tuned, just hooked up). people should try and make it to alto to check it out before you buy the reissue... stunning it was. crushing and sad...

[PDBoy]

The white model at Alto was one of the first run editions. Rhodes has made some necessary changes since. The plastic tips on the Bb #4 and above keys has been changed to rubber to soften the attack. As far as tuning and regulation in general, this one is more sensitive than the newer models and requires more attention.

PDB

[pramrod]

Originally Posted by PDBoy

The white model at Alto was one of the first run editions. Rhodes has made some necessary changes since. The plastic tips on the Bb #4 and above keys has been changed to rubber to soften the attack. As far as tuning and regulation in general, this one is more sensitive than the newer models and requires more attention.

PDB

if this is the case they should pull that first run white thing at Alto IMMEDIATELY. truly horrible excuse for an instrument. a joke in fact...

[McGriff]

pramrod's words may sound harsh, but are justified based off the example I've seen. A friend of mine purchased one that was dropped in shipping, resulting in many ringing notes. After RMC refused to pay for shipping back to the factory, he called me to give it a once-over. (I have been playing and servicing my vintage Rhodes pianos since before it was even cool to revive them )

Some observations... Over-all tuning and voicing was inconsistent. The dampers barely have enough tension to damp the notes, even when adjusted perfectly. The felts are extremely soft, and some where loose or falling off. Many of the tines where rough, tarnished and discolored. They also do not have a long sustain in the upper register.

There where several rusted pickups; pickup wires so long that they where shorting; stripped screws; the control panel on the side of the piano was coming loose; some keys chattered, some where sluggish; and the sustain pedal's raw metal rod rubbed against the pedal housing, not to mention noise from the interior mechanism.

This thing is HEAVY, too. The only reason it's lighter than a mk1 is due to the lack of a lid and legs. And, its BIGGER in width AND depth.

The pre-amp had a thump in time with the vibrato. The power supply runs hot, and has a unique 4prong cord. Lose that at a gig, and you're screwed. It DOES have a cool eq knob that sounds kinda like a wah pedal when turned.

[bourian]

Originally Posted by zenguan88

3899 uk is a real crazy price mans! lols i guess. its half the cost of a grand .

Hi,
well dunno what brand if grand (cool rhyme, he you're thinking
of but from what I remember, whenI read about it, a looong
while back now, is that the Australian price will be around 7k for the
short non midi version...
So, if not a grand, a decent second-third hand car :D
BUT, heeey, why are we gangin outhere?
You know the answer ;0)
Coz we like, and we want!!!!!!!

[obxa]

Originally Posted by bourian

Hi,
well dunno what brand if grand (cool rhyme, he you're thinking
of but from what I remember, whenI read about it, a looong
while back now, is that the Australian price will be around 7k for the
short non midi version...
So, if not a grand, a decent second-third hand car :D
BUT, heeey, why are we gangin outhere?
You know the answer ;0)
Coz we like, and we want!!!!!!!

The new Rhodes sounds way to clanky. They missed out big time by using the most shrill sounding tines possible. They should have went for the early 70's tone. What a mistake!

[ElmerJFudd]

Just got the Summer 2010 catalog from Sweetwater.
They are now selling the Mk 7, speaker cabs, and cases.

Rhodes | Sweetwater.com

Maybe we'll start to get some more feedback from new owners as they become more readily available.

[djshq26]

Just an update for everyone. I have the pleasure of playing a brand new 73AM here in South Australia. Gigged it 2 days after opening it's flight case with very little adjusting. I am still coming to terms with the midi side of things (My problem not the rhodes') but all in all not the horror story we have been reading about. There are a few things i would like to change, like indicators for settings on dials to be lit (hard to see whilst playing on stage in the dark) and the case to have a quick release for the lid to open ( not two long screws as currently) but the keybed is supurb and the adjustability of the sound from the eq is brilliant. Playing an accoustic piano sound on my Rhodes sounds as close to any accoustic I have played live and to have the feel as well is great.
Yes there are still communication problems with RMC and Joe charged me more for the freight (by a fair margin) to Australia than RMC actually paid, but the instrument is great. Don't get put off by the negative posts and have a play of them. Pricey but terrific!!!!

[GYang]

I got mine.
I really never post like here, but I'm forced to warn:

It's not fabulous or even good recreation of what I understand as good Rhodes sound.
Have no idea why, but it sounds souless and somehow without real drive.
Not stimulating.
Biggest disappointment in many years.
Not worth wasting more time.

[vudoo]

I owned one and returned it !

With all the hype, what a dissappointment. It sounded thin and uneven. Craftmanship is below average and support and costumer service is beyond horrid.

[D'Kowmashev]

oh well. I enjoy my 88 key active quite a bit. I run it through some nice tube guitars amps, use the onboard eq, and I get a very enjoyable sound. I also have a older suitcase rhodes with issues. My new rhodes works great and I like the sound. I also love using it as a midi controller and mixing the rhodes with xpander or omega 8. . . to each his own

[MarkyGoldstein]

I just wondered, did anybody get an AM Series 88 ? I think it's the latest run, because it comes with Midi and there were some issues with the Midi supplier company that had to be fixed... but did anybody actually get one of these?

I am glad I am still waiting so that I don't a version too early

[cheap softwere]

hi, i recieved an email from rhodes a few days ago about a new product at namm. has anyone heard anything or seen some youtube clips?? i cant find anything.

edit: its the RPC1

[AndyFromDenver]

Reviving the thread with my user review.
I posted yesterday about my extreme Craigslist deal: a 73s (standard) mark 7 with the Rhodes touch finish for $1500 which brought it into the realm of affordability and likelihood of buying vs. an old one.
I previously owned a 70s suitcase which sucked until I spent a lot to have a pro clean and tweak it to utter perfection, used it on a couple albums and sold it for a stupid loss. Anyway!
The sound of the new one is there, it's lovely. The look is there. It was perfectly tuned and evenly voiced (the original owner was a skilled tinkerer and probably tuned it). Buuut (I hate to say) the action is sooo bad, and about 8 keys stick unacceptably :(. My qualification for that is that I wholeheartedly expected it would need playing and tlc. The owner was kind enough to teach me how to adjust the key action and the couple of tools I would need. He bought it new apr 2010 (I could see from the box shipping label) but fell on hard times and was rebuilding a cp70.
I can see how a musician without inclination to tinker with the guts would outright dismiss this Rhodes as a huge failure.
In conclusion, I wholly believe with care and playing it's going to make me happy and see a lot of recording and playing time
A warning to those considering, try before you buy, just like a guitar IMO.

[MarkyGoldstein]

Any news from Rhodes Piano?

[BradD]

This has to be one of the biggest busts in pro audio history. The owner of company sued everybody and their brother to protect the Rhodes name, and then when it came time to deliver the goods, he wet himself. I picked up a Mark I Stage 73 in excellent shape last month for $900.

I was very excited when the Rhodes Mark VII idea emerged, but you can't sell a product for four times the cost of an original and have all these quality and PR problems and expect to stay in business.

[famousbass]

The Rhodes is the golden-haired child of the 2nd hand piano market.
This new venture's crippled walk into our lives is cursed.

[Awavian]

There are no more Rhodes MK VII's available. A GREAT instrument if it is set up correctly. The last run of these were almost perfect out of the factory..and the the black Active 73 and White Active 73 we have left are fantastic. They nailed the action and the sound with the speaker cab. Once you spend the time and set it up correctly, it is VERY rewarding.
I hope something happens so they can be manufactured again.

[vudoo]

bought one of these when it was available in Canada. Returned it 4 weeks later...sounded thin, horribly built, really tried to like it but in the end it was not cutting it.

Now fast forward to 2012...went down to the music store last week as they've received their ''new'' batch a couple months ago. Tried the active and passive model, same crap! the MK VII has to be the worst and overpriced instrument to come out in years.

[goldphinga]

The Rhodes mark 7 is a great instrument. I have had the pleasure of playing one many times recently and it's certainly one of the finest playing and sounding Rhodes' there is. I own a '72 suitcase and '81 mark 2, both of which I have setup to sound very dynamic with fast actions.The mark 7 is every bit as good once set up, like any Rhodes. Anyone expecting an electromechanical instrument to be shipped anywhere and play and sound perfectly without a once over is very mistaken. They must be tweaked and setup properly- only then will you find that the 7 is the biz. it's a real shame they are no more.

[iconaclast]

Originally Posted by goldphinga

The Rhodes mark 7 is a great instrument. I have had the pleasure of playing one many times recently and it's certainly one of the finest playing and sounding Rhodes' there is. I own a '72 suitcase and '81 mark 2, both of which I have setup to sound very dynamic with fast actions.The mark 7 is every bit as good once set up, like any Rhodes. Anyone expecting an electromechanical instrument to be shipped anywhere and play and sound perfectly without a once over is very mistaken. They must be tweaked and setup properly- only then will you find that the 7 is the biz. it's a real shame they are no more.

That's great you like them so much. But you seem to like a lot of stuff others find not so hot, like the Prophet 08 for example. The new Rhodes is to spikey sounding to my ears. This is due to the tines mostly. When you factor in the extra hammer blow distance it can get to be to much in a hurry. Over time it's just going to get worse as the extra velocity is just going to harden the hammer tips to point of being rocks. The older Rhodes have a better sound when gone over by a good tech.
The owner of the new Rhodes corp was a total dick to many people. I would never send him my money.

[MarkyGoldstein]

My (paid) order was never delivered :-(

[vudoo]

Originally Posted by goldphinga
The Rhodes mark 7 is a great instrument. I have had the pleasure of playing one many times recently and it's certainly one of the finest playing and sounding Rhodes' there is. I own a '72 suitcase and '81 mark 2, both of which I have setup to sound very dynamic with fast actions.The mark 7 is every bit as good once set up, like any Rhodes. Anyone expecting an electromechanical instrument to be shipped anywhere and play and sound perfectly without a once over is very mistaken. They must be tweaked and setup properly- only then will you find that the 7 is the biz. it's a real shame they are no more.

Well, if you have to retune, work on the action...etc, what's the point of buying a new Rhodes. Mind as well look for a great sounding older instrument. Having said that, even with a perfectly working/tuned MK7, it still sucks!!!

[iconaclast]

Originally Posted by vudoo

Well, if you have to retune, work on the action...etc, what's the point of buying a new Rhodes. Mind as well look for a great sounding older instrument. Having said that, even with a perfectly working/tuned MK7, it still sucks!!!

Just listen to the utube clips. They sound like plastic ice. But you see and hear people rave about them all the time. This is probably due to the fact they paid so much for them. Anyone with an ear would be able to tell a mid 70's Rhodes sounds warmer. And an early 70's Rhodes? No contest. Why did so many people fall for the hype? What a waste of everybodys time, hopes and dreams. It must have been greed.

[goldphinga]

Originally Posted by iconaclast

Just listen to the utube clips. They sound like plastic ice. But you see and hear people rave about them all the time. This is probably due to the fact they paid so much for them. Anyone with an ear would be able to tell a mid 70's Rhodes sounds warmer. And an early 70's Rhodes? No contest. Why did so many people fall for the hype? What a waste of everybodys time, hopes and dreams. It must have been greed.

No disrespect but you're talking out your rear. all Rhodes need setting up whether new or old. as a matter of course i always change hammer tips, felts, grommets and damper felts. Again just cause a rhodes is new doesnt mean that how it was shipped is the best sounding configuration and they get shaken about during transit. Most rhodes owners never even bother to get theirs setup properly and how anyone expects a mk7 to sound great after shipping from the states is a fool! You wouldn't ship an acoustic piano across the world put it straight in your studio without tuning and checking over would you? ! I own a mk1 suitcase and a mk2. The mk7 will be as good if not better once ive tech'd it up to spec. Yes it has a few issues but I'm glad I've got one. I paid a very fair price for it and its the midi version. A midi kit alone for an old Rhodes costs a grand.. I like a lot about it and the general tone is classic Rhodes. 99% of the clips on YouTube are of mk7s not setup properly recorded on iphones with people who dont have a clue how to play a Rhodes properly.Any Rhodes demands a unique touch the mk7 included. Anyway not many people fell for the 'hype.' If they had done the mk7 would still be in production.

[Jim Williams]

I checked out the Rhodes web site, it's unchanged for a year. Seems there are no more dealers, no more ordering on-line. It may be over for good now, I really don't know as I haven't spoke to Joe Brandstetter since NAMM 2011.

What I did hear was the mechanical designer was unpaid for a couple of years, sued Joe and won a large settlement. He's looking to buy a house in LA. That may have shut them down. They had a place in Long Beach, I don't know if it's still there nor what is to become of all the spares, parts, tines, pickups, etc. Maybe Joe should set up a parts business?

I was glad I did good circuit designs for them, marketing and manufacturing I was not involved with.

I have been running a product idea around for a couple of years: a preamp that will retrofit the MK1 and 2 stage pianos with a low noise preamp, 2 band EQ powered by one or two 9V batteries.