Rhodes Music has announced two new Custom Shop MK8 pianos, ‘Glacial’ and ‘Monolith’, releasing simultaneously. Each model is hand-built in Leeds by Rhodes Master Builders and shaped by a distinct visual influence.
Glacial takes direction from winter landscapes, while Monolith reflects the material character of brutalist architecture. Both pianos are built to order and will not be reissued once the order window closes on January 9, 2025.
Custom Shop Glacial
The MK8 ‘Glacial’ is shaped by the quiet intensity of winter and the clarity of frozen landscapes. Its design centers on a hand-engraved transparent hood etched with a frost motif that recalls early-morning ice fractals, refracting light across the Arctic White harp beneath. This visual language extends across the Arctic White front panel, cheekblocks, tolex base, and matching sustain pedal, creating a sculptural silhouette.
Subtle accents of Frostline Blue in the inlays, dial caps, and logo plates complete a palette inspired by the stark, reflective tones of cold-weather environments, pairing the MK8’s familiar sonic warmth with a design engineered to look as crisp as its name.
Custom Shop Monolith
The MK8 ‘Monolith’ draws inspiration from brutalist architecture, focusing on materiality, form, and structural clarity. A hand-painted, distressed concrete-effect hood anchors the design, with tonal variations that mirror weathered stone and poured concrete. This textural language continues across the concrete-effect base and cheekblocks, giving the piano the appearance of a single cast form.
Grey Stone-effect finishes on the front panel, cross braces, and hood strip reinforce the industrial aesthetic, while Machined Silver inlays and slate dial caps add subtle contrast. A matching stone-coated sustain pedal and footplate complete the unified identity, presenting the expressive sound of the MK8 in a design shaped by architectural minimalism and exposed materials.
The MK8 ‘Glacial’ and MK8 ‘Monolith’ are available exclusively through the Rhodes Custom Shop until January 9th, 2026, priced £12,295 GBP (+ VAT) and £11,995 GBP (+ VAT), respectively. Each piano is built to order and will not be reissued once the window closes.
Both models are available with or without MIDI, with MIDI offered as an additional £1,299 GBP. Customers may secure their order with a 20% deposit or receive a complimentary Rhodes stand when paying in full.
More information: Rhodes Music
