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Oh sure - biggest thing for people with that issue is to go and extend the ground to the sustain paddle and damper arms. Often un-grounded metal in close proximity can induce noise. Let us know how that goes and hit us up for more help anytime - avioncontact@gmail.com

* 1980 *

Hey JL - sorry for the slow reply, just saw this. Ideally it's done as a way to limit over-travel. Some boards will be better than others. But generally on normal play with normal travel you want it to just lightly hit the front felt. In other cases it can be very corrective where it will play a very important role in getting consistency from one key to the next.

We hope you absolutely love it!

My dude! We have already gone and done such a thing and it's such a cool adaptation. Here's a link! www.avionstudios.com/rhodes/retroslider Let us know if you have any questions, always happy to help.

Absolutely and there are even more options to fit more Rhodes than ever. www.avionstudios.com/rhodes/retroflyer

Thanks so much so saying Julian! We're very happy to hear it. :) Happy playing!

Hey Bobby, thanks for the question. So there is some distortion on the J3PO video, but that's caused by him overdriving the secondary gain stage after the RetroFlyer. In terms of the RetroFlyer itself distorting it's very very hard to do and basically wouldn't happen in anything like normal use. The RetroFlyer is a pretty low-gain preamp all things considered and that's simply because it's so import to have loads of headroom when it comes to the Rhodes - which is a VERY dynamic instrument. Also if the RetroFlyer were to distort it would not sound pretty, like an overdriven amp, it would just sound like the signal was breaking up. That's just the nature of IC based circuits like this. So pretty much any distortion you hear will be a result of secondary gain and/or processing. Or even the speakers at the end of the chain. One way to address this is by adjusting the onboard high pass filter which will reduce the bass frequencies. Another important method is watching the gain staging carefully knowing there is a lot of energy in the bass end of Rhodes so it requires decent headroom throughout. Or in terms of studio...or even live for that matter, a frontside compressor/limiter can also help a great deal in taming the large spikes in amplitude. Lastly would be regulation on the Rhodes itself. The bass end can buzz or distort quite easily when unregulated or due to aged parts. So providing the RetroFlyer with the best signal possible will absolutely help. In fact many people tell us the RetroFlyer is great help in regulating their boards as it reveals spots with issues much easier due to the increased clarity. So I hope that helps. Please let us know if you have any other questions. :) - All the best, Greg @ Avion

Hey there, yes definitely. It's quite nice in front of a power amp and should improve the overall gain structure and flexibility. :)

@@avionstudios6463 Τhanks!

Generally speaking yes! You'll be able to greatly improve the gain staging which is probably the primary area for noise with Rhodes. So basically you'll be running a hotter signal with a better signal to noise ratio from the RetroFlyer and the high/low in/out impedance will also help out what you're running it in to. Tonal quality/clarity will also be improved. All that said, if it's really noisy it could have some grounding issues as well. Or, being a Mk II, may have pickup issues as well. We actually have a 1980 board in this week that was really noisy until we swapped a few pickups that were overly high resistance. So not dead, but impeding the harp signal/ground. They were essentially squeezing/shorting the ground path - making it quite noisy. So while the RetroFlyer is not a cure all, it will be a big improvement across the board. And if you need help diagnosing issues just shoot us an email/call, we're happy to help. :)

It would! The only difference with those 54s is that the holes are father to the left, so the cabling is little tighter and most people skip the faceplate as it hangs over a little without a trim. Other than that installation is the same. Let us know if you have any other questions. 👍🎹

@@avionstudios6463 how does that work considering the 54 has volume and tone faders that slide side to side as opposed to clockwise?

@@tuckryanmusic Ah, I thought you had the round hole version. For the slider version you need to modify the rail. What a few people have done when doing that is place the holes in such a way that your can then use the faceplate to cover the slider slots. So it can still look clean despite a bit of surgery. Using the faceplate as a template is the easiest way to do this. I hope that helps. Any other questions just let us know, happy to help!

Hey David, emails us, we'll see if we can help out. :)

Good question. So on the passive controls, the "boost" is somewhat misleading. Those knobs really only attenuate either the volume or the low bass. It's not a terrible idea to attenuate the bass as the raw signal from the harp can be very bass heavy and particularly when these were first in production most guitar amps could not handle it well. So really you're only lessening the amount of bass to varying to degrees with that control. That said, the passive controls still degrade the harp signal a fair bit and most people would say you're better off just going off the harp directly and EQing from there. And really if you want a VERY bass heavy signal you're probably best off using a secondary EQ on the RetroFlyer as well. So either from a mixer, plugin or pedal. The bass notes you do get from the RetroFlyer however will be MUCH cleaner and more dynamic. And I think you'll find certainly as much bass as on a reasonably "boosted" signal from a passive model. You can also open up the bass register to some degree using the variable on-board high-pass filter. I would say for most people playing solo, going to 20hz on the HPF is plenty of bass for any live situation. But again, it's not just the amount of bass, it's the tonal and dynamic quality that really sets the RetroFlyer apart. I'd definitely recommend checking some other videos of the RetroFlyer (they can be found on our site listing) so you can hear some of the other sounds people are making with the RetroFlyer. As a final note, often if you want a really big sound, scooping the mids and raising the volume is a great way to do it as it gives the perception of a heightened or "hyped" bass and treble. Any other questions just let us know. avioncontact@gmail.com Cheers, Greg

@@avionstudios6463 Thanks for the very detailed and quick response! I just purchased it and am looking forward to installing it!

@@MIDERA Happy to help! We hope you absolutely love the RetroFlyer. Any questions along the way, just let us know. :)

@@avionstudios6463 I did just send you guys an email! Thank you for the extremely quick replies.

Hello again! Installation is super easy and the RetroFlyer includes a detailed set of instructions in the manual. For most people it takes around 15 minutes. And of course if you have any questions during the process we're always happy to help. :) G

I have requested a set of the instructions from the contact us part of your website. To see what i am getting myself into before i buy. Can you reply please?

@@rhodes1232 Hey Charlie, looks like you saw our reply shortly after this, we hope you absolutely love your RetroFlyer! Best, G

Hey Rhodes123, good question, and generally the answer is yes! It will solve this problem. In this demo we are perhaps overly kind to the passive Rhodes, but in reality a direct comparison is very harsh to the passive controls. In a direct/equal volume comparison the passive Rhodes will be 2-4X quieter than the RetroFlyer. So basically, the RetroFlyer will increase your gain up to about a line level signal and greatly improve the signal to noise ratio. Also because of better impedance matching you'll have better overall clarity and transient response. Hopefully that helps and let us know if you have any other questions! Cheers, Greg at Avion

Hey Ludo, YES bypassing the passive controls is generally a big improvement. On the passive Rhodes the volume and bass can really only reduce the signal (or amount of bass) coming from the harp and they generally make the overall sound worse. (A lot of that has to do with how impedance and resistance is affecting the sound.) You should definitely check out the RetroFlyer which will retrofit into a passive Rhodes giving you an active volume, eq and tremolo. But if you don't have a RetroFlyer, I would continue going directly from the harp, it will sound better. It's not that there's anything wrong with your controls, it's simply that the passive controls will never sound as good. I hope that helps. Best, Greg - Avion Studios

Hey Derek, great question. So the Marcel curve is little more mild than a bump mod....so would the addition of the bump mod speed things up. Yes a little. Is it worth it....probably not for most people. And because you're mounting on an existing curve it's considerably more difficult as well. The real cold hard truth about Rhodes is they have an overly-simple action. The best solution being becoming accustom to the feel and speed of the action because without extreme overhaul it is what it is. Potential improvements: You can look at some teflon or non-teflon piano lubricants for little extra speed, I would avoid graphite which used to be a common choice. It never hurts to examine the bridal straps as well - eliminating any slack there can have positive effect on feel. Also, often over-looked, adjust your key travel. Somewhere in the 13-15/32 range so that you aren't wasting motion/time with an overly long key travel. Most Rhodes had no key travel adjustment from the factory but that can also be a nice improvement. Hopefully all those things together help a bit. So with a bit of tinkering and patience you should have a little better playing experience. If you do want to try the bump I would just a few pedestals to evaluate both the process and rewards, which again, are dubious. Best, Greg Avion Studios

Oh that's awesome Paul! So glad you're digging it and we can't wait to hear the music you make using the RetroFlyer! ...seriously tag us!

I just order mine to Spain, very excited to try it out soon! I asked the service team of @avionstudios with a lot of newbie questions and they answered very clear and quickly. ! great job

@ Are you going to fit it yourself?

@@monsterjazzlicks sure, I checked it up, and it's not rocket science ;-), why?

@ OK, I was just going to offer you a video or something just to try and help you out. But as you don't need it there is no point.

Thanks so much for saying so Sam! If you have any questions we're always happy to help. 👍🎹 avioncontact@gmail.com

Haha, Peter Tosh - I am That I am - GREAT SONG and artist!

@@avionstudios6463 SIM! Thanks

​... And pretty out of tune... But in the Seventies, you were allowed to do that.

You can. Some people have done it. We added an open ground tab on the PCB for people that do that - so you can ground whatever enclosure you use. We don't currently offer an enclosure for it but we may at some point. Besides not having the benefit of the controls being on the rail the only real issue is shielding. Installed on the rail the whole harp acts as shielding for the circuit whereas if you place it outside it should have additional shielding. That said, some people who live in relatively interference free homes/studios have simply sat it on top of the Rhodes and signal to noise is still quite usable. So environment is a factor, but really it should have a proper enclosure outside of the rail. Any other questions just let us know. :) - G

Avion Studios ok! Will check back when you guys make an enclosed version. Thank you!!

@@louierubio Well to be honest Louie it will probably be awhile - more likely we'll come out with more retrofit models before an enclosed version. So it could be a year or more. The benefits of the rail mount are a big factor in the design and installation is completely reversible, so you're always safe to go back. Although to be fair maybe 1% of users actually do swap back. Also, if you haven't seen it, check J3PO's demo. It's banging. th-cam.com/video/hctiuM0jlhE/w-d-xo.html

Avion Studios ok will do!! Thank u!

Great, thanks for the order and your kind comment. The RetroFlyer comes with a universal power supply as well as a manual which details installation and operation. As for the sound quality and price. Again very kind. We work hard to put out products that are both well designed and constructed as well as affordable. In regards to shipping, if you want your order quickly (which almost everyone does) I'd highly recommend shooting us an email and upgrading from first class to either priority or UPS. Any other questions just let us know and we hope you absolutely love your RetroFlyer! 🔥🎹

While the RetroFlyer is not a proper headphone amplifier it does work pretty well with most headphones. Many people use it this way and we haven't heard of anyone having trouble. So basically yes, headphones should work fine. 👍🎹

Yes, headphones work fine. I have tried 3 pairs and no problems whatsoever.

Good question, so the Janus is really the oddball in terms of rails, the spacing is different and even if it weren't it's still a bit awkward placing the RetroFlyer around those slider slots. A few people have done it with rail modification but it's a major mod for sure. We may actually have an 88 rail. Shoot us an email on that one. avioncontact@gmail.com

Hey Chris, sounds good! We agree, phaser and Rhodes are often very cool together. With the RetroFlyer we had the design limitation of getting the most out of 3 holes in the rail. So tremolo really had to be the one. We also looked at an envelope filter, exciter, compressor etc. Maybe way down the line, haha, but each design takes a ton of R&D. Anyway, appreciate the interest, any questions just let us know. 👍🎹

You made the right choice in deciding upon including the tremolo effect over other variations.

Hey Chris, 6 month follow up! There's a DLX version now with a very flexible active FX loop for adding a multitude of other effect while maintaining sound quality. Sounds killer with phaser! :) G

Excellent question! The RetroFlyer swaps the existing TS (mono) jack for a TRS (stereo) jack. So to get stereo you simply need to use a TRS cable. We sell a nice right angle version (keeps it out the way) but you can find suitable ones at any music shop etc.. For some people they have mixers or interfaces with stereo inputs, but in your case you just need an adapter to split the stereo into dual mono. We also carry those. There are few custom cables around that do this without an adapter as well. I hope that helps and let us know if you have any other questions. Best - Greg

@@avionstudios6463 Of course, that makes great sense. Anyway thanks for clarifying, since I'm about to get hands on a 1973 Fender Rhodes stage, and I want to have that great sound that a pre amp provides. So I found this pre amp and really like what you've done the the tremolo compared to other pre amps on the market. So now that I know how the output works, I'm not in doubt about which pre amp to buy:)

@@djLouisLoop Oh great! And congrats on the new board. Drop a note in the order and I'll put in an adapter for you for free. Appreciate the question!

@@avionstudios6463 Oh man, that's so nice of you:) Unfortunately the deal has been delayed cause og the cover-19 situation but hopefully not for too long...

@@djLouisLoop Anytime mate, offer valid forever, just remind us!

Heyo, excellent question - it's really simple. We have a custom DC power cable made that sneaks between the cheek block and the case. Most people just swing it around the side and hang it on the handle so it stays out of the way. It's not the most elegant but it is very simple and reliable. Other people have done a whole assortment of custom installs with IEC jacks in the back and so on. But the general benefit with this simple system is it requires no modification to the Rhodes and installs in less 15 minutes. Hope that helps. Let us know if you have any other questions. Best, Greg - Team Avion

Good question! There are a couple of fender-made bump or slant style key pedestal styles. Hard slant and a gentle bump both work on the same principle, so adding the bump just makes the effect a little more extreme. The difficulty with those style pedestals is placing the bump correctly can be difficult or sometimes impossible. We generally encourage people to try things on their Rhodes and no exception here. But the difference is probably not worth the effort for most people. That said, if ya wanna try it out, send us an email and we can send you some sample bumps. 👍🎹

Thanks so much for this very kind comment! Indeed there were many thousands of dollars sunk in before the first RetroFlyer was ever sold. The knobs were oddly enough the biggest single investment as no one made knobs for those dual pots. So we had to have custom molds and a BIG batch made (in the USA). We may raise the price a small amount this year but Morgen is really committed to keeping them super affordable. Being involved with such a cool community of people and players makes all the work more than worthwhile!

Aw thanks Ralph! Let us know if you have any questions. 👍🎹🔥

Hey Steve, absolutely! The output will be a bit higher so you'll need to adjust your gain settings on the pedals. And typically keep the RetroFlyer volume in the first half of the rotation to accommodate the smaller headroom of most pedals. I hope that helps and let us know if you have any other questions, we're always happy to help. All the best, Team Avion

That's great to hear Jesus! There are a lot of good amp options for the Rhodes. Many people like a Roland JC-120 or vintage tube Fenders. But really many many amps can work great. Or even PA speakers or monitors. I hope that helps a bit. Feel free to email us anytime for more in depth help/advice.

Avion Studios have you ever heard it through a fender blues Jr? It’s a tube amp so I assume it would sound good. What do you think?

@@JesusMartinez-me1je It should sound quite good. The thing about guitar amps is they won't be as full-range as a PA or keyboard amps. But that's not always a bad thing! The Rhodes shines in the mid range and can sometimes be overly bass heavy or piercing when fully extended. Often we prefer a nice tube guitar amp for quick good sound and sitting well in the mix with an ensemble. Either way, if you have a blues jr it's a great starting point and you can always try out other options as you go. 👍🎹

@@avionstudios6463 I'm excited! lol I hope I can find a good deal here in LA for a Rhodes. One more question can I get a stereo image from the Rhodes to protools with the retroflyer?

@@JesusMartinez-me1je Oh super easy to get a good stereo signal into a recording interface. The RetroFlyer gives a great line level signal on the higher side of the volume rotation. ALSO, we have Mark I in Ventura that we were about to ship here. So if you're interested in that send us an email for some details! 😀👍

That's awesome! Let us know if you ever have any questions. We're always happy to help. 🔥🎹👍

Well the most common approach is to use easing pliers. Which slightly compress the felt around the key pin, making the key move more freely. Others prefer specialty piano lubricants and some people still use graphite, which we don't love because it makes a mess. But it's also important to look for moisture damage which can cause the area around the key pin to swell or felt to become loose. In bad cases rebushing the keys is needed. I hope that helps, let us know if you have any other questions.

​@@avionstudios6463 Sorry, I dont understand, theres no felt around the pins in my rhodes, same as yours as I see. There are felt rings at the bottom, like yours on the balancing pins About the keys swelling, I live in an island and the old owner had it lying on an old house so maybe its from humidity. But the point that makes me think it again is that it becomes easier to play the higher you go in pitch. Thanks for your fast answer!

@@112358miau Ah, sorry that wasn't clear, the felt that goes around the pins is glued in the keys and it's called key bushing felt. This felt being to tight around the key pins is often what makes action stiff or keys stick. Easing pliers are used on the felt lining the holes in the keys that the key pins go through.

Hey livegun, we replied to your other question about this on the first video! Cheers, Greg

Well that can be an issue sometimes. If you're trying to avoid stripping the screw then generally some vice-grips will work alright to get it started moving. Impact drivers also have good success if you have one around. But I'd try pliers/vice grips around the head of the screw first. Let us know if that works for you! All the best, Greg

thanks, one more question,does the usage of wd 40 will help?

@@livegun5572 Well.....it may technically help, but it shouldn't be necessary. Plus you'll avoid having your Rhodes smell like wd-40 for a while. You shouldn't need lubrication once it's freed up unless something unusual is going on. Even then a less odiferous lubricant...like a clp or a teflon would be better.

Avion Studios well, im gonna try ur suggestions.my screws are really hard to remove because of age. ill update u if anything works. thanks a lot