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| Rhodes piano | |
|---|---|
 The 88-key Rhodes MkI Stage Piano | |
| Manufacturer | Harold Rhodes (1946–59) Fender Electric Instrument Company (1959–65) CBS (1965–83) William Schultz (1983–87) Roland Corporation (1987–91) Rhodes Music Corporation (1997–2021) Rhodes Music Group Ltd (2021–present) |
| Dates | 1946 ("Pre piano") 1959 (Piano bass) 1965 (FenderRhodes Electric Piano) 1970 (MkI "suitcase") 1970 (MkI "Stage") 1979 (MkII) 1984 (Mk V) 1987 (Roland Rhodes MK 80) 2007 (Mark 7) 2021 (Mark 8) |
| Technical specifications | |
| Polyphony | Full |
| Oscillator | Induced current from a pickup |
| Synthesis type | Electromechanical |
| Effects | Tremolo, stereo auto-pan |
| Input/output | |
| Keyboard | 54, 73 or 88 keys |
| External control | Line out or DIN connector to external amp /mixing board Sustain pedal |
The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, the hammers strike thin metal tines, which vibrate next to an electromagnetic pickup. The signal is then sent through a cable to an external keyboard amplifier and speaker.
The instrument evolved from Rhodes's attempt to manufacture pianos while teaching recovering soldiers during World War II. Development continued after the war and into the following decade. In 1959, Fender began marketing the Piano Bass, a cut-down version; the full-size instrument did not appear until after Fender's sale to CBS in 1965. CBS oversaw mass production of the Rhodes piano in the 1970s, and it was used extensively through the decade, particularly in jazz, pop, and soul music. It was less used in the 1980s because of competition with polyphonic and digital synthesizers such as the Yamaha DX7 and an inconsistent quality control caused by cost-cutting.
In 1987, the company was sold to Roland, which manufactured digital versions of the instrument without authorization from Harold Rhodes. In the 1990s, the instrument experienced a resurgence in popularity, resulting in Rhodes re-obtaining the rights to the piano in 1997. Although Harold Rhodes died in 2000, the Rhodes piano has since been reissued, and his teaching methods are still in use.