Vintage Fender Rhodes Shootout

Vintage Fender Rhodes Shootout between four well-maintained intruments:

- Rhodes Mark 1 (1977)
- Rhodes Mark 2 (1980)
- Fender Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase (1973)
- Fender Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase (1973)

2 Songs played in a row on each Rhodes Piano recorded with direct out and Amps. Listening on good speakers or headphones recommended. Enjoy and check out the differences.

Recording Setup:

Track 1 – DI
Rhodes line out → RME Babyface Pro
no EQ / Compression, just some Reverb
gentle Masterbus Compression and Limiting

Track 2 – Amps
Rhodes → 2x Fender Blues Jr. → 2x Shure SM57 → RME Babyface Pro
Rhodes Suitcase → 2x Shure SM57 → RME Babyface Pro
no EQ / Compression, just some Reverb
same settings on the Masterbus

Camera: Johann Lang
Film editing: Christoph Heimerl
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#fenderrhodes #rhodespiano #piano #suitcase #mark1 #mark2 #vintage #classic #retro #fender #shootout #avionstudios #retroflyer

[dpajc]

1973 suitcase for the win for me but love em all

[haroldbrooks]

Love that Fender Rhodes sound...PERIOD

[infnloopmusic]

EXCELLENT video!!!
they all sound amazing. but the suitcase has always been my favorite. something about it's low end is extra funky. I just love it.

[robertjosephkeil]

I love all of them. The Rhodes has such a uniquely beautiful sound.

[billrebsamen]

Excellent Video and music! OK, I just found a '73 Mark 1 Stage and currently have it at Avion Studios in Columbia, Missouri being restored - complete with the Retro Flyer Preamp. But I must say here, in this comparison, that the Rhodes Suitcase (#3 in your line up) with original Fender Preamp, has the most grit and groove... Although I must say I think you are digging in a bit more on that passage and perhaps drawing out a bit more of that low end rasp! All these sound amazing. But to me the Mark 2 sounds remarkably mid-rangy (and very much like a Wurly...very reed-like) in this comparison against the Mark 1s here. I grew up listening to Joe Sample and the Crusaders so thats kind of my old school "Go To" player and sound. On a more modern note I love Jeff Lorber a lot too.

[Ashfaq]

Great video. They all are classics and sound amazing !!

[SoundsToBlowYourMind]

Love them all, but I think I would most like to own the first one with the Retro Flyer pre amp. The 1973 suitcase models look the coolest though, especially the last one, with the yellowish amp, but just not portable enough for any live gigs. I have a mark II, fifty four and have just ordered a new set of grommets from Avion Studios. I look forward to seeing how much they improve the performance as there are a few notes which are a little bit choked and lacking sustain, etc!

[NicolasMelis]

great video thanks! love the 1973 suitcase sound and the mk1 with the retroflyer preamp wow

[АлексейКириченко-шв]

Amazing comparison! That`s exactly what I`ve been searching for. Also I`m interested in how can I make my 1979 suitcase sound like 1977. For me 1977 is the best by timbre. What are the main differences between them? Tines geometri, hammer tips geometri or their material, pickups wiring scheme or tone regulation block?

[Shorter-Stories-TUL]

Och kommt, das ist doch eine rhetorische Frage.^^ Nur beim Rhodes Mark 1 (1977) geht einem das Herz auf. :-)

[eastontanner]

I've always really wanted to know what the super low notes sound like on an 88 key Fender Rhodes

[alecweisner]

Awesome video, it is perfect! What are the differences between the two Mark I Suitcases?

[jaapburgler]

Thanks for this excellent comparison! As I am searching for a nice amp for my Rhodes, do you recommend the Fender Blues Jr. over a Twin Reverb?

[lahoz]

Buena comparacion. Quizás el modelo de 1980 es el más endeble, el 77 suena más funky y los suitcase tienen mas presencia quizás debido al preamp

[m.i.t.h.]

Why do 3 & 4 sound so different? I love the clean highs on #4.

[life-is-inspiring]

Nice sound; how good is the babyface pro compared to other interfaces when recording Rhodes?

[lukedlb]

So the DAW for track 1 is seeing the direct output without any digital pre amp or internal gain?

[prostock]

Pretty sure that 3rd one isn't a 1973.

[zenersmytok]

What a stupid idea, having a bass guitar playing along with the Rhodes. How can you hear the lower registers of the Rhodes with a bass guitar masking the sound ?.

[jairmilpratz]

Eu tive por 23 anos, um piano elétrico Fender Rhodes, era um instrumento e tanto