Rhodes Music has launched pre-orders for the new Rhodes mk8 electric piano, which they say offers “The ultimate in Rhodes sound and feel”.
The company says that their goal is to create the best version of a Rhodes piano ever made. To do this, they’re returning to the aesthetic and craftsmanship of the original, but updating the design to create an ideal Rhodes.
According to the company, the mk8 offers considerable improvements in tone, touch, intonation and dynamics. All critical components – including tines, pickups, dampers and pedal mechanism – have been redesigned, using the best materials and manufacturing techniques now available.
The Rhodes mk8 features an updated analog preamp, with parametric EQ, independent drive, envelope control, wah, new vari-pan with 4 waveshapes, audio rate modulation capabilities and dual expression pedal control inputs. An option is also available for built-in effects, with a VCA analog compressor and low noise analog stereo bucket brigade effects: chorus, phaser and delay.
Audio Demos:
Pricing and Availability
The Rhodes mk8 is being built to order in limited quantities. Customization options include hood color, bottom shell finish, front panel color, the FX panel option, pre-amp panel color and the optional stand. Production in the next year is expected to be limited to 500 keyboards. Pre-orders are currently open if you’ve registered at the site, with pricing starting at $9,450.
WOW. yes please.
id consider a proper “uber” rhodes electric piano to be as classical as a grand piano, so the price seems accurate
same deal about touring with one….
proper EP playing is its own thing, specific to that instrument alone… like a B3 or a theremin or a monosynth… and it sounds super awesome
So beautiful… impossible love
Unfortunately as nice as it looks that is too expensive for me. I bought a brand new mk2 73 in 1980 for about 650 GBP. Even allowing for inflation, this is more than double the price without any extras.
well, the autopan is extra.
i got my mk ii stage 73 in 2015 for $900. i still see them often for under $2000.
Most people want the mk1 which is 4-5000 euro secondhand
well, if this $9000 beast had wooden keys, im sure it would have been front and center in the marketing.
my point really was that theres levels to this. you can buy a $2000 mk ii, a $5000 mk i, a $6500 vintage vibes, a $9000 mk 8, a $20000 celeste or jetsons model, etc.
Inflation exists, and gbp was worth a lot more
He did say allowing for inflation. According to an inflation calculator I found, 650 GBP in 1980 is 3-4k GBP now. That would be an amazing new price. But there are economies of scale. And back then everyone needed one because FM, physical modelling VSTs, sample packs etc hadn’t happened yet.
For what it is, how it’s made, how it will ship, how long it will last, how it sounds, that price is VERY reasonable. That’s not to say it will be affordable. That really depends on the individual. However, we’ve gotten so used to mass produced digital keyboards and their prices. This isn’t that.
Wife said: “Nice, but not Amsterdam stripper nice”
Yes Beautiful.
But $9,450 for an electric piano in 2021?
Sure it will sell tho – Wish them a Happy Retro Money Grab!
Synthnerds with too much money get a moog one 16 voice instead ofc …
Sounds pretty good, and price is not that bad considering vintage Vibe also has their brand new electro mechanical piano starting at $5,650 USD for a passive 64 and $7,500 for an active 64
I guess it all depends on what’s included on the starting price
My fully restored 1971 Fender Rhodes cost less than this… Hard to imagine that a real authentic Rhodes is less valuable than its 2021 counterpart… Yikes.
I think it would be a fair price if it was a new suitcase model which I very much hope they’ll do.
Oh well, at least I could afford the Reface CP. Unless Uli has something planned…
500 lawyers, dentists and doctors are going to be real damn happy with their new MK8’s. It’s a shame that they chose not to make something that would be even remotely accessible to actual musicians.
Not to play the devil’s advocate, but 8000€ is the price of a brand-new decent upright piano. Better uprights cost much more, and there’s a constant demand which allows makers to cut on costs. On the other hand, this is a very well done, official Rhodes replica which can last you a lifetime (with some maintenance) just like any acoustic piano.
I’m personally extremely happy with my Nord’s EPs (they’re much easier to sample and model, compared to acoustic pianos), and if I were in the market for something Rhodeish I’d buy a Legend 70s or Crumar Seven: but for those who want the real thing, the price, whilst certainly a bit on the high side, is still reasonable. Even more so if you consider they’re built in limited quantities.
I’m not going to argue wither the price is definitely more than “a bit on the high side” (it is) or whether there is anything reasonable about a $10k+ Rhodes (there isn’t).
My argument was that these folks chose not to make an accessible Rhodes for musicians but instead chosen to make a luxury items for an elite few who can actually afford it. The people that are making the MK8 have supported these sentiments with their own statements in regards to having designed and built the MK8 with zero corners cut and with everything as high quality as possible.
And, as I said, that reality is damn disappointing, except perhaps to the 500 or so lawyers, doctors and dentists who are going to love their new MK8.
I’m sure a few boomer doctors will buy it, but plenty of studios can afford to acquire one too. It’s the price of two good microphones. An easy tax deduction.
Maybe success with a premium model will lead to consumer models in the future. Preorders of a luxury item could keep them in business while they make other plans.
Although not the same situation, I am thinking about when Moog remade their old modular systems and then followed up with the Mother 32.
So, they should cut corners and bring the quality as low as possible à la Behringer because poor people want to own premium instruments too. Sorry but Rhodes was always a high end instrument. I don’t own one and I can’t afford one but I like it that the new owners are not cutting corners, that shows they respect the legacy of the instrument.
If you take the time to look on the Rhodes website, it does say that they have plans to release affordable options in the future. To quote: “Our vision is to enable anyone to experience the joy of playing the electric piano, and in time, we will make Rhodes instruments accessible at a variety of price points”. It would be unusual for this company to buy the rights to Rhodes, then release a basic model. Start high end, establish true quality, then work on more affordable instruments from there. The MK8 certainly demonstrates ‘wow’ factor and has sure caught the attention of many. I don’t see the issue with the price point – its luxury, high end equipment. P.s. this is in no way a dig, or attempt to invalidate your opinion. I am simply voicing my opinion on the company/product.
Edit: I just realised this article is fairly dated, so maybe the information I provided wasn’t accessible at the time of your comment.
I mean I would like to have one but I also like to have a red Pontiac Fiero from the 1980’s
I don’t care one bit if that price is ok or not: I would NEVER pay that luxury price for an EP. So glad, I bought myself a Rhodes Mk I stage again in 2002, at 1200€, plus full restoration to “as new” status at 600€.
Maybe some studios, some pro musicians, and some rich parent’s spoilt kids, will buy the Mk 8. I doubt the normal gigging musician or home studio keyboarder will, in times when you get a first class Rhodes sound from a notebook (Scarbee 88), or even slightly downsized from an ipad (Korg Module with Scarbee 88 light).
Concerning vintage EP and synth prices: they are through the roof in absolutely whack ways, not related any more to what they actually deliver for making music. I’m glad I bought my Rhodes and vintage analog synths years ago, because I would feel incredibly stupid to buy them now, or pay Vintage Vibe or Rhodes Mk 8 prices, or buy vintage Minimoogs, Junos or whatever right now.
This is the best keyboard news. I want a Rhodes MK8 now!
Well some people I asked felt like it was priced too high. I thought it would be 4K. We shall see how the market responds. Let’s face it we all want one regardless!
The price is over the top, and that’s not including all of the ‘optional’ extras. There are also no reviews out at the moment so who would buy this? The Rhodes is a classic sound but it can be replicated extremely well nowadays and is nowhere near as essential as the piano. I didn’t expect it to be cheap but this is way more than expected and I doubt there will be a huge market – in a way I’m kind of relieved as it’s one less temptation!
Shoutout to Vintage Vibe hehe. I wonder how Rhodes is gonna compete with them. Vintage Vibe has been consistently making fine tweaks to their work ever since they opened as a repair shop decades ago. Their pianos are also more affordable, and have more customization options. Also the production models of the Rhodes Mk7 were a disaster, so people will be a bit weary of that.
For $9K+, you could very possibly buy a lesser Rhodes used and still have plenty left for other keys and various accessories. I once owned a nice Wurlitzer, so yeah, there are good reasons for valuing a real-deal item. This one is a gorgeous take on things, not unlike Vintage Vibe instruments.
If you want to spend the $ that way, okay. I just can’t escape what $9K could do in today-type dollars, even with the supply chain wonked up. In an odd way, the price here is similar to dropping $100K on a serious acoustic grand. Its because you mean it, in big solo terms.
Sounds like fun, but I’ll be sticking to my earthbound samples & physical modelers.
So. Much. Want. What a lovely thing. I could never justify the expense but that’s my problem, not theirs.
So, so, SO far out of my price range, but OH MAH GAWD!!! The lust is strong for this one. I will simply have to admire from afar.
i see no midi din jacks, but one usb jack. does it recognize usb midi?
You’re confusing a piano for players with a player piano.
Think about the design changes that would be required to control this via MIDI!
Im most curious about the custom tines. As a mark ii owner it would have been great to have someone manufacture tines beside vintage vibes but alas the mk8 has newly designed tines? People will be able to tell the difference and forums will fill up arguing about which tines sound better (spoiler that already exist with the 2 other tines that were manufactured).
Starting at $9,450? Commoners need not apply.
I wonder how it stacks up soundwise in a mix against a free Rhodes piano VST.
Comparing a redesign/reproduction of this quality with the appreciation/inflationary considerations for vintage model is tricky.
Here is an analogy. Let’s say you buy a small 1925 vintage American bungalow style home in a midwestern or southern city for $500K. The home is a true classic, has been well-maintained and had a few nice upgrades in the bathroom and kitchen. It’s made of stone and brick, with true divided light windows, a massive craftsman style door, etc. IOW, all the architectural/stylistic elements that make these homes so beautiful and sought after.
Try building a new version of the same home, with the same craftsman design details, quality/density of materials, etc. on a nice city lot for $500K. Pretty much guarantee that’s going to cost you closer to you $1 million. That’s the reality of the inflationary pressures on top quality materials, design, and construction.
Wow,,,,, I remember when I purchased my first 73 stage Fender Rhodes 1975 @ Gilsonite Music in Englewood NJ for 569.00, so unbelievable that the price of a used one is around 5690.00, and now a new Rhodes is around 10k. I don’t think I’ll be in the waiting lines for this new version of the Rhodes piano, software will have to do, anyway Roland, Yamaha, and a few others do a nice job with there Rhode piano sounds.