Fender Rhodes

[James HE]

I got a Rhodes 73 a few months back. And I am wondering about the two 1/4 in. inputs on the front marked for "accessories". So what are the accessories? I'm clueless about what those ins (or maybe they're outs) are for.

Interesting . . . my Rhodes doesn't have those jacks. It sounds like they might be inserts for effects. Try running an effects box ins and outs through the jacks to test it out. By the way, I've always used an old MXR Phase 45 with the Rhodes. It gives it a nice, chorus effect, similar to what a Rhodes satellite speaker system does.

Cheers!
Ron

[James HE]

The accessory jack are just marked 1 and 2 so I doubt there an in and out for effect. They are located on the front panel next to the master volume. On the Power Amp/speaker box I have two pre-amp outs and two power-amp outs (marked channel A and B) I'm guessing that I go from one of the pre-amp outs into into the effect and then to the accessory? OK that makes sense. Or maybe the accesory jacks are like a TRS send and return. (Did they have that back then? I think mine was made in 1980 although I was first told 1973/74, but in it's gut's is a definite mark of 1980.) How do you plug in your effect on your Rhodes?

On mine, I have a single jack on the front next to the volume knob. It's basically the line out. I go from this jack to my effects box and then to the amp. It sounds like you might have a Rhodes made for the satellite speaker system and both jacks might be simple outs.

Cheers,
Ron

[Jammin88keys]

What they are are, one is an in and the other an out... Its for a loop effect, herbie hancock used it... i heard him giving an explaination on it on a recording. The out goes to what then was a loop effect thing (pretty much a tape recording device) and then from there, back to the rhodes. If u can work it into a song its a really cool unique thing coming from a rhodes if its not unique enough... Hope I helped...

Jon

[pianokey88]

That's right... its an effects loop. The accessory jack labeled "1" goes to the input of the effect. The one labeled “2" returns from the output of the effect pedal.

Use it for connecting in and out to a phase shifter or ring modulator.
DTB

[bsr2002]

So, were there two types of 73 RHODES made? I have one as well and do not have those in and out.

[pianokey88]

There were several models of Fender Rhodes 73 that came out starting in about 1965 and ending in about 1984.

The models with the accessory 1 and 2 jacks first appeared from 1975-1979 and are called Rhodes Mark 1. In late 1975, CBS Musical Instruments decided to drop the Fender name from the Rhodes line of products, in order to establish Rhodes as its own brand. The Rhodes Suitcase Piano and Rhodes Mark I Stage Piano continued to be produced in 73- and 88-key configurations.

The accessory 1 and 2 jacks were first only found on the Suitcase model - the one that sits on top of its own amp. The Stage 73 from this period had a different namerail and controls than the Suitcase model. The Stage 73 could be retrofit and have stereo tremelo, however, with the same namerail and controls as the Suitcase by purchasing the Janus Stereo amp upgrade.

David