6 Tips for Buying a Fender Rhodes Pianos

We can restore almost any Rhodes piano to its showroom condition as long as it doesn’t have extensive water or humidity damage. If you smell mold or mildew from the piano, restoring it may not be cost-effective.

Rusty Harp, Tonebars and Tines

1. Estimate the condition of the piano

Lift the plastic cover and look for signs of mold, or mildew. Mold and mildew have a distinct smell. Look for excessive rust, corrosion, and oxidation on the harp, tone bars, pickups, and tines. Check for cosmetic and structural issues, such as dents, damaged keys, and broken wood. Test all the keys to ensure they produce a consistent sound and have a smooth action. Inspect the keys and hammers to ensure minimal side-to-side movement. Check for wear of the hammertips, tines, grommets, damper felts, and damper arms. Make sure the sustain pedal is functional.

2. Verify the model and year

Familiarize yourself with different Rhodes models, such as Mark I, Mark II, or Mark V, and their respective features. Confirm the manufacturing year using the serial number, this can impact the instrument’s tone and value.

3. Evaluate the electronics

Test the electronics for proper functionality. If the piano is a Suitcase model, ensure the power supply, preamp, and speakers are in good working order. Be prepared to invest in repairs or upgrades if necessary.

4. Check the serial numbers

Make sure the original serial numbers exist. The piano serial number is located on the harp. Suitcase models have separate serial numbers for the piano and the amp. The amp’s serial number is located on the side of the amp.

5. Consider your budget and needs

Determine your budget and prioritize features that are most important to you, such as portability, sound quality, reliability, and ongoing maintenance.

6. Consult with a Rhodes technician

Schedule a free inspection in our workshop before you commit to buying the piano. Honest sellers will let you examine the instrument before the deal is finalized.

Mike Altier

2023-04-24

You're looking at these reviews because you want to know if this guy is the real deal, if you can trust him with your precious piano. The answer is: yes Nir is a 100% pro and passionate about what he does. He's increased the value of Rhodes, increased my appreciation for the instrument, and increased my knowledge of how to care of it.

Gregg Isbell

2023-03-10

I just sold my piano to a professional musician. The buyer was thrilled about the piano model and year of production (‘75) and the upgrade to “better than new”, and had been wanting one for a while. I’m so happy about this whole experience with Fender Rhodes LA refurbishing my piano. Thanks for your remarkable expertise and personal care and pride in your work. So many ears will now be hearing and enjoying the results!

Island Time

2023-01-23

Fender Rhodes LA is a tremendous asset to the Rhodes community. Nir is a class act and provides top notch service and support. Do your Rhodes a favor and give him a visit!

Raph Parpex

2023-01-04

Nir is the sweetest and he knows absolutely everything about Rhodes EPs. At drop off he was able to spot within minutes everything that was wrong and had be poorly fixed on my piano, and then it only took him 1 week to literally bring it back to factory specs. Not to mention that at pick up he took 1h to explain in details how I should maintain it so I could take care of fine adjustments and tuning myself. He is the only person you should reach out to if your Rhodes needs repairs.

Mark Cruz

2022-08-18

Nir is a master craftsman. Not only did he do and amazing job tuning my 73 Fender Rhodes but taught me how to maintain and keep it running well for years to come. Exemplary work and I wouldn't recommend anyone else for repairs and tune ups.

Jessica Rivera

2022-05-26

Very very professional. Talked us through everything and exercised great care in restoring our 1979 baby. Our piano was restored to its former glory and looks and sounds better than I could have ever hoped.

James Jarrard

2021-08-27

Excellent communication, clear and transparent on work performed on my piano. Goes without saying that Nir and his team are very skilled and experienced working on electric pianos.

Juan A. Matos

2021-07-03

Excellent and speedy service. Nir did an excellent job with my Rhodes. He also took his time to teach me the technical basics of tweaking the piano in the case that issues pop up in the future. He's also available to help people fix their Rhodes through Zoom, in the case you don't live in Southern California. Who else does that? Needless to say, I'll be taking my Rhodes to him in the future. Thanks, Nir!

Andrew Zuker

2021-05-16

Nir did a full restoration of my 1974 Suitcase 88 Rhodes is few years ago. During the process he was communicative and professional and helped me understand what he was doing at every step of the way. I feel I paid a very fair price for exemplary service and I couldn’t be happier. Recently I had some static noise issues with the amp and he gave me the advice and counsel I needed to resolve the issue. If you have an old Rhodes, Nir is the premier professional for all of your maintenance, restoration, and repair needs. 10/10.

Kimi Kori

2020-10-29

I had a great experience getting my Rhodes piano repaired by Nir. He inspected it thoroughly, explained everything clearly, answered every one of my questions so kindly (and I had a lot of questions), and offered different levels of service to achieve the best sound possible. I am very happy with how my Rhodes sounds and feels after the repair! Excellent service. Highly recommended.