1974 Rhodes Eighty Eight 88 Mk I Stage Vintage Electric Piano, Tuned/Voiced, Fender
$5,499.99
$5,499.99
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Up for sale, a 1974 Rhodes Stage 88 Mk I electric piano in excellent condition and in perfect working order. Studio-worthy and freshly tuned/voiced, this 88 key Rhodes hails from the golden era of Mk I tone and playability, identically spec'd to the Fender-branded version produced just a few weeks prior.
The tone and feel of the early Mk I pianos is like nothing that came before or after. The sound is warm, dynamic, and the perfect blend of midrange fullness and top end chime. This piano has been professionally voiced, with smooth transitions from the lower, growly bass octaves to the bell-like notes in the highest registers. The middle octaves are voiced slightly favoring the harmonic overtones, which keeps complex chord voicings clear and balanced. The low end ranges from mellow, round bass notes with a soft touch to the famous Rhodes growl when digging in.
The action is very smooth, with a quick and responsive feel, and the original key bushings are in excellent shape. One thing that makes the earliest 88 key Mk I pianos special is the wood/plastic hybrid hammers that were retired by mid '75. These hammers strike with more authority than the later all-plastic style and were a significant upgrade in terms of longevity over the earlier all wood hammers, while still retaining the feel and overall purpose of their predecessors. All of the original hammer tips and damper felts are intact, with only light wear on the tips in the upper octaves.
The harp itself is quite clean with some light oxidation on the tonebars and frame, retaining the original pickups, tonebars, and tines too. The gold Rhodes label is intact, along with the 1974 date stamp in the upper right corner of the harp. The wiring harness is stock as well, with CTS pots that date to the 40th week of '74. The original aluminum skirted Fender "F" knobs are intact on the control plate, and both the small "Rhodes" logo on the namerail and the "Eighty Eight" raised text on the rounded plastic harp cover are present, along with the larger Rhodes badge on the back of the piano which shows some scuffing.
The piano retains its original smooth black tolex which is quite clean, and the curved black plastic harp cover is also original. Stock hardware includes the handles, latches, corners, leg flanges and sphinx glides (feet), all of which show light surface patina.
The piano comes complete with its original latching lid, and the chrome-plated legs, crossbars and sustain pedal are brand new components from Vintage Vibe.
The tone and feel of the early Mk I pianos is like nothing that came before or after. The sound is warm, dynamic, and the perfect blend of midrange fullness and top end chime. This piano has been professionally voiced, with smooth transitions from the lower, growly bass octaves to the bell-like notes in the highest registers. The middle octaves are voiced slightly favoring the harmonic overtones, which keeps complex chord voicings clear and balanced. The low end ranges from mellow, round bass notes with a soft touch to the famous Rhodes growl when digging in.
The action is very smooth, with a quick and responsive feel, and the original key bushings are in excellent shape. One thing that makes the earliest 88 key Mk I pianos special is the wood/plastic hybrid hammers that were retired by mid '75. These hammers strike with more authority than the later all-plastic style and were a significant upgrade in terms of longevity over the earlier all wood hammers, while still retaining the feel and overall purpose of their predecessors. All of the original hammer tips and damper felts are intact, with only light wear on the tips in the upper octaves.
The harp itself is quite clean with some light oxidation on the tonebars and frame, retaining the original pickups, tonebars, and tines too. The gold Rhodes label is intact, along with the 1974 date stamp in the upper right corner of the harp. The wiring harness is stock as well, with CTS pots that date to the 40th week of '74. The original aluminum skirted Fender "F" knobs are intact on the control plate, and both the small "Rhodes" logo on the namerail and the "Eighty Eight" raised text on the rounded plastic harp cover are present, along with the larger Rhodes badge on the back of the piano which shows some scuffing.
The piano retains its original smooth black tolex which is quite clean, and the curved black plastic harp cover is also original. Stock hardware includes the handles, latches, corners, leg flanges and sphinx glides (feet), all of which show light surface patina.
The piano comes complete with its original latching lid, and the chrome-plated legs, crossbars and sustain pedal are brand new components from Vintage Vibe.
