Fender Rhodes 1971 Suitcase
Warm tone and deep dynamics on a sonically pleasing piano
Patrice Rushen on Lee Ritenour
Check out Patrice getting down on this 1971 Fender Rhodes Suitcase Piano. She used it on Lee Ritenour’s Twist of Rit album. Of course, she could make a toy piano sound like a Steinway. We’re really pleased with how the restoration went on this Fender Rhodes, and the earlier 70’s tone really comes through with a warm richness.
Thanks to the original vintage Peterson Preamp, the lush vibrato rounds out the signature sound you’d be looking for in a Fender Rhodes.
Mint Condition
Fully Restored, Far Better Than Factory Performance
The Absolute Standard for Fender Rhodes Sound
Ideal Year of Production
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1971 Fender Rhodes Suitcase Piano
One of the most sought-after years of Fender Rhodes production, the 1971 is the year of the famed Leeds model “E” Rhodes. An incredibly full, mid-range and treble tone comes from this immaculately restored suitcase piano with aggressive bark when you lay into it. The perfect piano when you need the presence of a Rhodes in a pop or rock recording, as well as the sound heard on early Fusion records… this is the Rhodes when you want to be heard. With a limited number of ’71 pianos out there, take advantage of hearing what access to this piano can do.
- Completely restored stock and like-new
- Volume, treble, bass and vibrato controls
- Action modification for ideal touch
- Stereo line out
- Stereo 1/4″ headphone jack
- 1/4″ effects accessory jacks
Action, Keys, Harp, Voicing, Electronics and more
An incredible amount of work went into creating this unique instrument from the ground up. Besides getting a full restoration, the cosmetic customizations took months. Check out below to read about some of the work that went into making this killer Fender Rhodes Suitcase Piano.
Action and Keys
A Fender Rhodes is only as good as it feels. The piano received the works for action treatment to make it a joy to play.
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Key pedestal bump mod for light action
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Key dip was correctly set
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Keys were uniformly leveled
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Tightened key bushings
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Adjusted damper felts for tight note-offs
Harp: Voicing, Position, Tune
The key to an amazing tone and dynamic response is to really dial in the Fender Rhodes harp. Tone bar and pickup voicing, as well as the harp’s relation to the hammers, will make or break an ideal sound.
- Escapement was correctly set for the instrument
- The harp strike line was properly located
- Multiple voicing passes yielding a uniform tone and dynamic bark
- Full tuning to equal temperament
- New tone bar grommets for improved stability
Electronics
Vintage amplifiers need lots of love to ensure that they will be reliable, especially when it comes down to depending on them live or in the studio.
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Preamp rebuilt with high quality components to retain the vintage sound
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Power amp rebuilt to minimize hum and buzz while being rock solid and reliable
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All grounding points solidified or improved upon
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Original vintage speakers to retain the factory tone
Office Location
Open Hours
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