1977 Rhodes Suitcase 73 Mk I Vintage Electric Piano w/ Peterson Preamp, Fender

Description

Up for sale, a 1977 Rhodes Suitcase 73 Mk I electric piano in excellent condition and good working order. This piano has been fully serviced with a rebuilt Peterson preamp and power amp. The tone and feel of the Rhodes 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 voiced well, 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 lower octaves offer mellow, round bass notes with a soft touch and the famous Rhodes growl when you really dig in.
The Peterson preamp works as intended with stacked Bass/Treble controls, a Volume knob, and Speed/Intensity controls for the famed stereo tremolo. The effect is lush and smooth, with a wide range of depths and speeds that fully take advantage of the stereo field. Widely considered to be the best of the three Rhodes designs, the Peterson preamp boasts gain and EQ controls which add additional tonal flexibility, while the tonal color of the preamp really helps to bring out that classic Rhodes Mk I tone! The preamp has been freshly serviced and recapped as necessary, and the power supply was previously rebuilt by Vintage Vibe with additional work done in-house here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar. Both sides of the stereo unit have a strong and even response, and this Rhodes also has a very low noise floor, ideal for studio situations. The cabinet retains a quad of original Fender-branded 12" speakers (two facing the performer and two facing the audience). The alnico magnet 32 ohm speakers have clean black frames and minty blue foil labels on the magnets
The action is smooth and consistent, with a fast attack that isn't sloppy, and original key bushings that are in excellent shape. The original hammer tips and damper felts show only light wear. The flat key caps that replaced the rounded caps in '74 also have a feel that is much more akin to an acoustic piano, and it's one of the smaller tweaks made by Rhodes that's virtually universally praised by players.
The harp itself is in great shape, with original pickups, tines, and tonebars. The Rhodes label is clean and intact, and the 1977 date stamps are clearly visible in the upper right corner. The original knobs are intact on the preamp, and both the small "Rhodes" logo on the namerail and the "Seventy Three" raised text on the rounded plastic harp cover are intact.
Cosmetically, this piano shows some modest wear on the edges of the enclosures, with a few reglued tolex tears on the bottom. The original smooth black tolex is intact on the piano and cabinet, and the cab retains the original silver sparkle grillcloth with orange stripe. All of the original hardware is intact with uniform surface patina on the corners and handle caps. The original latching lid is not included, yet the piano can ship safely without one. This is a thoroughly serviced and professionally voiced piano with smooth and responsive action and a clean harp.
Check out our shop "Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar," and please let us know if we can answer any questions!
Shipping in the continental USA will be via FedEx Ground and will cost 0. We use double thick boxes, 1" foam, and industrial 1/2" bubble wrap to assure that your piano arrives safely. Due to the vintage and mechanically complex nature of this item, buyer acknowledges that when shipping this keyboard, there is the possibility that adjustments will need to be made upon arrival. We have safely packed many vintage analog keyboards and fully insure our shipments against loss or damage. We're here to help our customers get to know their keyboards and we really care!
We happily ship WORLDWIDE.
International orders will be declared as “merchandise,” and the value of merchandise will be declared as the amount paid. We cannot declare anything as a gift or for a lesser value. No exceptions! The customer is responsible for all taxes and duty, which may be collected upon delivery, as well as any additional charges involved with import.
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