From simon@alphabeck.co.uk Mon Jun 13 15:42:36 2011
Subject:Re: 1147 & C2

No, they're American, based in Rockaway, New Jersey (geographically about as
far from the Rh*des corporation as you can get!). The company's been going
for at least 10 years, reconditioning vintage instruments, plus
manufacturing and selling replacement parts for Rhodes and Wurlitzer pianos
as well as salvaging spares from instruments beyond repair.

This year at the WInter NAMM show they surprised practically everybody by
setting up literally next-door to the Rh*des stall with some previously
unseen pianos which looked very familiar and yet somehow new...

First guesses were that the Vintage Vibe pianos were customised Wurlitzers
based on vintage parts, but there were also clues pointing in a different
direction; the Fender Rhodes style sustain pedal, for example, or the
presence of a 73-note model...

It turns out that the new pianos borrow the case and leg design from the
Wurlitzer 200, with a wooden base and a reinforced plastic top
(substantially redesigned and extended in the case of the 73-note model) but
the innards are based on the Fender Rhodes Mk I Stage Piano of the early
1970s. Production models will apparently use 100% new parts, and the piano
will be available in passive, active mono and active stereo versions with
44, 64 or 73 keys. The most amazing thing is the look of the piano - it is
available in dozens of plain or sparkle finishes with a glorious big
juke-box-style chrome logo on the audience side. This is like a Fender
Custom Shop guitar - rock 'n' roll showmanship all the way. I guess if you
want to play cerebral jazz-fusion or spend all your days in the studio, the
clinical streamlining and hi-tech engineering of the Rh*des Mk 7 may suit
you, but if you are going on stage under those lights and playing anything
from ballads to fatback funk, this looks like the one to get. Oh, and it
weighs less and costs less than a Mk 7. Your call...

Prices are listed at www.vintagevibeepc.com. Refreshingly, sparkle colours
are only $100 more than solids. I'll have a purple sparkle passive 64,
please...

Simon

> Is Vintage Vibe ...an English EP maker ??? they look pretty cool ...Do
> you have an idea of the prices of the VV EP 's yet ??