Rhodes Music Ltd. has announced the availability of the Rhodes MK8, a new instrument that has been redesigned from the ground up to bring the ultimate in Rhodes sound and feel.
75 years after the first Rhodes electric piano was sold, the iconic instrument and bed-rock of thousands of studio recordings and live performances, has been rethought, rebuilt, and reborn at its new home in Leeds, UK.
Optimising the iconic sound of the Rhodes piano, the MK8 offers considerable improvements in tone, touch, intonation and dynamics. All critical components – including tines, pickups, dampers and pedal mechanism – have been redesigned from the ground up, using only the highest quality materials and the very best in contemporary manufacturing techniques.
Rhodes MK8 features
- Customization to make it yours: Get a level of owner customization never before offered on a Rhodes. Choose from solid and sparkle colors for the lid, plus a selection of beautiful finishes for the front panel, case, preamp panel, pedal and rear grille. Build your dream Rhodes with the interactive Customiser tool at the Rhodes Music website.
- All-analog effects: Customize your dream MK8 with a suite of in-built effects. The VCA compressor adds punch; the phaser gives the unmistakeable Rhodes vibe; the chorus adds shimmering edge, and the delay gives space and rhythm to the instrument’s sound.
- Elite piano keyboard: Precision-manufactured by internationally renowned Kluge Klaviaturen GmbH (Steinway Group), the Rhodes MK8’s 73-note keyboard (E8 – E80) offers unparalleled expression and a nuanced piano-like feel.
- Artisan tone: Each note on a Rhodes MK8 is generated by a custom precision steel tine and tone bar, hit with a high-impact ABS hammer with a quad-zone tip, and sent through precision-wound alnico pickups.
- Classic preamp, new spin: Add grit and bite with analog drive, sculpt the signal with the three-band EQ, and push the MK8’s Vari-Pan into audio-rate frequencies. The EQ’s mid band can be controlled by an expression pedal for wah effects.
The Rhodes MK8 is hand-made to order, with 500 units being built per year.
More information: Rhodes Music
