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Rhodes Mk8

Customize your ideal Rhodes MK8

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The gorgeous Rhodes MK8 customizer is now accessible to anyone who signed up, and the possibilities are fantastic, as is the pricing. This is a serious and lovely electric piano.

MK8 Rhodes Custom

You should have received a priority access link and password if you signed up to indicate interest in the new Rhodes Mk8. This grants you access to the Rhodes MK8 customizer, which allows you to modify your MK8 to your specific aesthetic needs. I had no idea there would be so many possibilities, from the color of the hood to the finish of the body to the style of the control panel.

Here are your choices:

  • Black, Gold Sparkle, Silver Sparkle, Violet, Baby Blue, Pink, Mint Turquoise, Khaki, Traffic White, Red, Orange, Warm Grey, and Smoked Transparent.
  • Bottom Shell: Black and Walnut.
  • Front Panel: Black and Silver FX Panel: None, Black and Silver Preamp Panel: None, Black and Silver Stand: None, Black and Silver

As you make your selections, you’ll see a rendered image of what it might look like, which you can download, print, and display on your wall as a reminder of this amazing instrument that you’ll probably never be able to purchase.

Pricing for high-end products

The base model costs £6,795 (£8,154 including VAT) and comes in all black, without the stand or FX panel. The most costly version costs £9,115 or £10,938 with VAT and includes the FX panel and stand, a translucent hood, and a walnut finish on the body.

The ordering procedure

If you signed up ahead of time, you may customize and order yours now with a 20% deposit. If not, you’ll have to wait until the website is open to the public on December 1st. The goal is to build 50 pianos each month, rising to 500 per year, and they will be constructed in Leeds by Rhodes’ talented and committed artisans. When it is your time, they will contact you to ensure that all of the specs are right.

Links of interest

Rhodes Piano
Website | Facebook | Instagram

Rhodes MK8 specifications, photos, and video revealed

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Rhodes has released the first photographs and video of the MK8 electric piano, a much-anticipated reincarnation of the legendary instrument that was initially revealed in July.

They’ve also released a detailed set of technical specs, which builds on the previously revealed analog effects section, inbuilt preamp, three-band EQ, and Kluge Klaviature keyboard, offering greater details on the keyboard’s action, pickups, vari-pan, and much more.

Rhodes has stated that their whole website will be available to everyone who has signed up for their newsletter by Monday, November 1st. The property will be open to the public on December 1st.

Rhodes MK8 specifications

  • Tone Generation: Rhodes Custom Precision Steel Tines and Tonebars.
    Tine and pickup rails made from sustainably sourced Baltic birch.
  • Promotion: Rhodes Custom high impact black ABS hammers with built-in lubrication. Rhodes new design with a uniform height for four-zone hammer tips. Rhodes Custom Aerospace damper combs (bass, mids and treble). Rhodes Custom black wool damper felts.
  • Keyboard: 73-part (E8E80) Rhodes Custom spruce keyboard from Kluge Klaviaturen GmbH, key frame made of oak and beech.
  • Pickups: Rhodes custom precision-wound Alnico pickups with anti-slip adjustment for precise voicing and flattened pickup heads for precise volume adjustment.
  • Effect option: Rhodes custom precision-wound alnico pickups with anti-slip adjustment for precise voicing and flat-ended pickup heads for precise volume adjustment.
  • Front panel and rear grille: black / silver anodized aluminum.
  • UI panels: Brushed aluminum foil. Black with silver lettering or silver with black lettering.
  • Left connection panel: 2x balanced XLR outputs (L / R), 2x 1/4 ” jack outputs (L / R).
    1x 1/4 ” jack send, 1x 1/4 ” return. Direct pickup-out via send socket (can be operated next to the main outputs). 1x 6.3 mm headphone socket on the left cheek block with independent volume control for the headphones.
  • Right connection field: USB (reserved for future firmware updates). Expression control input jacks 1 and 2.
  • Power supply: 15 volt, 4-pin, lockable XLR supply with universal voltage.
  • Analog preamplifier section: Analog signal path from the pickup rail to the output. Volume, drive, envelope (auto-wah) controls.
  • Analog EQ section: Active EQ (low, medium, high, +/- 15dB). Voltage-controlled mid-filter frequency control, accessible via envelope and / or expression pedals, for real analog wah effects and keyboard-controlled slow-phase effects.
  • Vari-Pan: Rhodes custom vari-pan circuit with rate and depth controls. Four waveforms to choose from (square / cat’s eye, up ramp, triangle, sine). LFOs can be operated at audio rates and offer everything from classic Rhodes stereo panning to modulated soundscapes and polyphonic synthesizer-like layers. Use the bass slider to mix between dry Rhodes signals and audio rate modulation effects.
  • Stand: Rhodes Custom telescopic tripod made of polished steel in robust powder-coated black or classic high-gloss polished chrome. Height-adjustable front legs. Can be packed compactly for transport.
  • Lid: ABS black, special colors.
  • Housing: Light ply case with Tolex, aluminum base plate, option made of solid walnut.
  • Sustain pedal: Rhodes custom twist lock piano connection with flexi cable. Access to adjustment of the damper mechanism via the rear emblem. Chrome base plate. Aluminum shell. Rhodes folding anti-slip rubber protection mat. Standard matt black, special colors to match the lid.
  • Assignable pedal controls: volume, center frequency (wah), both (pedal 1). Pan rate, pan depth, both (Pedal 2). Phaser rate, chorus rate (Pedal 1, FX version). Delay time, delay feedback (Pedal 2, FX version).
  • Weight and Dimensions (approx): 75lbs / 34kg. 1153 (W) x 563 (D) x 225 (H).

Links of interest

Rhodes Piano
Website | Facebook | Instagram

Snarky Puppy’s keyboard player gets his hands on the new Rhodes MK8

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Over the last several weeks, we’ve learned a lot about the upcoming Rhodes MK8 electric piano, and we’ve even seen some renderings, but it’s only now that the team behind it has given us our first good look at what it is looks like.

Bill Laurance, the keyboard player for Snarky Puppy, recently paid a visit to Rhodes HQ and had an opportunity to play the new piano.

 

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If this is the final MK8 design, it has the traditional Rhodes appearance while yet having its personality. To the left, we can see the Preamp, EQ, and Vari-Pan sections, but there are no effects, indicating that they will not be included as standard. Those who wish to specify the compressor, delay, and chorus will most likely find them to the right.

“Making it into a Rhodes synthesizer while retaining the legacy of the classic MKI and MKII,” Bill said. “It’s stunning. This is a really important instrument.”

The Rhodes MK8’s pricing and release date are yet to be determined, but we do know that the new Rhodes website, which will allow you to learn more about it, will go up on November 1st.

Links of interest

Rhodes Piano
Website | Facebook | Instagram