Rhodes Electric Piano 73 (Sparkletop)vsRhodes Mark I Suitcase 73
Summary
Rhodes Electric Piano 73 (Sparkletop) and Rhodes Mark I Suitcase 73: 2 Rhodes stage keyboards compared side by side. They differ on 6 of 14 compared specifications.
Key differences
- Released: 1965 on the Electric Piano 73 (Sparkletop) and 1969 on the Mark I Suitcase 73.
- Keybed: 73 wooden keys with felt-covered wooden teardrop hammers on the Electric Piano 73 (Sparkletop) and 73 wooden keys, same action as the Stage 73 on the Mark I Suitcase 73.
- Sound engine: Electromechanical: hammer-struck steel tines and tonebars read by electromagnetic pickups (early untapered Raymac tines) on the Electric Piano 73 (Sparkletop) and Electromechanical: hammer-struck steel tines and tonebars read by electromagnetic pickups, into a built-in preamp and power amp on the Mark I Suitcase 73.
Both are the same on keys (73), key action (Hammer-action), sections (Electric piano) and drawbars (None).
| 2 items |  Rhodes Electric Piano 73 (Sparkletop)Discontinued 1969 |  Rhodes Mark I Suitcase 73Discontinued 1979 |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Manufacturer | Rhodes | Rhodes |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Released | 1965 | 1969 |
| Keyboard | ||
| Keys | 73 | 73 |
| Key action | Hammer-action | Hammer-action |
| Aftertouch | None | None |
| Keybed | 73 wooden keys with felt-covered wooden teardrop hammers | 73 wooden keys, same action as the Stage 73 |
| Sounds | ||
| Sections | Electric piano | Electric piano |
| Drawbars | None | None |
| Sound engine | Electromechanical: hammer-struck steel tines and tonebars read by electromagnetic pickups (early untapered Raymac tines) | Electromechanical: hammer-struck steel tines and tonebars read by electromagnetic pickups, into a built-in preamp and power amp |
| Organ models | None | None |
| Polyphony | Full polyphony (73 notes) | Full polyphony (73 notes) |
| Connections | ||
| Outputs | Built-in speakers | Built-in speakers, 1/4-inch unbalanced |
| Pedal inputs | Sustain (mechanical) | Sustain (mechanical) |
| Features | ||
| Features | Built-in 50W amplifier with four 12-inch speakers, Treble and bass EQ, Tremolo, Silver glitter lid (fibreglass until 1969) | Built-in stereo amplifier and speaker cabinet, Stereo 'vibrato' (auto-pan) with speed and intensity, 80W amp to 1977, then 100W (2 x 50W), Treble and bass EQ, Accessory send/return and line outputs on the 1977-on amp |
| Size & weight | ||
| Colours | Silver Sparkle | Black |