FAQ

How do I pick the right Refurb Kit for my Fender Rhodes?

The following are ways to tell if your piano needs a  Pre 1975 or Post 1975 Damper Felt Kit: 

Pictured is a classic example of a Fender Rhodes action with single dampers, half wood half plastic hammers and wood action. If your piano has this type of action then you will want the Pre 1975 damper felt kit.

Pictured is a classic example of a Rhodes action with damper combs, all plastic hammers and aluminum frame action. If your piano has this type of action then you will want the Post 1975 damper felt kit.

The following are ways to tell if your piano needs a Pre 1978 or Post 1978 Miracle Mod Kit

1) Remove the plastic lid cover and look in the upper right-hand corner of the harp. There will be a 4 digit code stamp. The first 2 digits correspond to the week. The last 2 digits correspond to the year.

2) Remove the name rail and pull a key out. On any piano made after 1978 will have a factory installed bump to the key pedestal, underneath the red felt. If you find a bump you will choose a POST 78 kit. If you find a flat pedestal you will need a PRE 78 Kit.

3) Stock 1978 Rhodes Stage pianos had smaller black plastic control knobs. Since this is purely cosmetic and knobs could've been replaced or changed, always refer to #2 as your definitive test.

Which hammer tip kit should I choose?

Rhodes Hammer tips generally came in two size variations over the years; a square or cube style and an angled graduated style. Generally speaking, the square or cube style was indicative of earlier Pianos up till around 1977. These early hammer tips were mainly all the same height. After 1977 Rhodes switched to the angled graduated style, which was graduated in size across the scale of the piano. The shortest tips were in the bass and the tallest were in the treble section. The idea for the graduated hammer tips was so that they could regulate the escapement through the use of incremental height adjustments as opposed to adding or removing shims from the harp supports.

Square or Cube hammer tips are not optimal for the Rhodes piano for simple reasons which I will explain. They do not offer a precise strike point; the flat square tip hits the tine and blurs the strike line. The softer the tip, the more the tine sinks into the rubber tip causing further strike line ambiguity, impure tone, double strike and lack of clarity.

Today after 25 years of study and manufacturing hammer tips; Vintage Vibe has determined through research and development that the angled tip far exceeds performance of a square tip.

So which kit for your piano?

It doesn’t matter as both are angled and, both will work equally as well. The idea, originally, for the graduated tips was that the escapement was already set by the differences in Hammer tip Heights when they were assembled at the factory.

Today we know that all pianos need adjustment of escapement and strike line to truly fine-tune and optimize a piano. With that being said, if you do not plan on any escapement or strike line changes you should choose the tip that is closest to the tips you currently have.

If your piano predates 1978 you may want to naturally go with the angled six zone. If your piano is 1978 or later you may want to go with the six zone graduated.

In summary both 6 zone hammer tip kits that Vintage Vibe offer are equally good and offer this exact same tone. It’s how you set your piano up that will make the difference.

We use both in our shop depending on the vintage of the piano, but the only reason for our choice is to keep with style and era.

All Vintage Vibe pianos use 6 Zone Angled.

What's Included

• Damper Felt Kit
  
• Hammer Tip Kit (Choose 6 Zone Graduated or 6 Zone Angled)
• Tone Bar Screw & Grommet Kit
• Miracle Mod Kit*

*As post 1978 Rhodes have a bump incorporated into the key pedestal, the post 78 miracle mod kit does not include bumps.

Instructions & Guides

Square

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6 Zone Hammer Tips:

6 Zone Hammer Tip Installation Guide

Placement

Square Tips

Installation Videos

Fender Rhodes Full Refurb Kit Installation

Tech Tip | Importance of Replacing Fender Rhodes Grommets & Screws

Tech Tip | How To Remove Hammer Cam Felt

Tech Tip | Installing Damper Felts on a Fender Rhodes

Tech Tip | The Difference Between Fender Rhodes & Rhodes Bass Damper Felt

Tech Tip | Adjusting Treble Damper Felts on a Fender Rhodes

Tech Tip | Adjusting Treble Damper Felts on a Fender Rhodes

Tech Tip | How to Install the Miracle Mod Action Mod

Tech Tip | Reasons NOT To Use Silicone/Teflon Lubricant in a Fender Rhodes