hire faq
This will vary depending on what you want for hire from us, how much, and how long for. We offer discounts for multiple instruments and gear hired, and for hires with cumulative days (in other words, the more stuff and/or longer you hire from us, the cheaper per day it is). Rhodes and keyboards tend to be cheaper, and WurPlease contact us so we can give you a bespoke quote.
Absolutely! Many of our hire pianos have been all over the country with artists. We are happy to drop off/pick up to your first/last show, but if you want to collect from our workshop in SE London, then that is fine too.
Of course! Whether it’s a city festival or one in the country, we would be delighted to supply electric pianos and anything else we can for you. Get in touch and we can discuss arrangements.
Where to begin! Whilst we understand that not every occasion calls for hiring in heavy vintage equipment (a gig up 10 flights of stairs for example); we would always say that the sound of real instruments is always superior to a digital version. If you want to really know what me mean, just look at the face of the drummer when you say it’s an electric kit on the gig…
Now we know it’s not quite as bad as that with keyboards – there’s nothing wrong with the Rhodes sound on a Nord or the Wurlitzer sound on a Roland. They’re good I guess. But let’s face it, they’re not the same as the real thing, not even close.
We reckon to truly capture the music you are playing authentically, you should play the real instrument. Acoustic piano, Rhodes, Wurli, analog synth, whatever. Nothing beats playing an instrument with real mechanical parts – striking tines, reeds, or strings that are generating a real sound, being amplified by real pickups. The touch and feel of these real instruments is quite different to a keyboard, and your playing will be different as a result – usually for the better and more authentically. If you never have, the first time you play a real Rhodes will blow you away!
So yes they are heavy and fragile and expensive, but they are so worth it for that elusive magical thing – the feel, and the vibe.
We do yes. These instruments are valuable, increasingly rare, and heavy, so we deliver them to you properly. The price of this will depend on your location, but out of London it will be more expensive. We also are happy for you to collect from our storage facility.
If you have an event and just need a Rhodes/Wurli etc. or don’t know much about these instruments and just want one, then yes that it fine. We are more than happy to hire out any instrument you would like. However, what we believe makes us different is that you do have choice when it comes to your hire. Many companies that hire out musical instruments in the UK can be very hit and miss when it comes to their gear. I know that from personal experience, having hired a Wurli or played the battered old Rhodes at a gig venue – half the time I’d rather just play the keyboard, which is a terrible shame. Its our mission to change that.
We give choices and options on sound, touch, and feel for our instruments because, as musicians ourselves, we truly care about the experience that the performer has. So yes, you can have any Rhodes from us, and it will be great quality, but you can also get the right one from us too.
SERVICE faq
It depends on the type of service you want, and the cost of parts. Typically we have 4 ranges of service that vary in price depending on the piano:
- Diagnostic/Tuning
- Quick Service
- Standard Service
- Full Service
- Restoration
Please see either the Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, or Clavinet service pages for detailed pricing.
This will depend on the type of piano you have and how much work needs doing. Pianos that are serviced on site are usually completed with a few hours. For workshop repair work we aim to turn instruments round in a few weeks, depending on how much other shop work we already have. Also if there are complications things may take a little longer. As always, we aim to provide you with clear communication throughout the process.
Our diagnostics are usually quite quick.
It varies – the great thing about Rhodes, Wurlitzers, Clavinets and other electric pianos is that they are usually pretty low maintenance. Unlike an acoustic piano, they don’t need regular tunings and servicing which can save a lot of money. A Rhodes with regular use in a recording studio or rehearsal space might need an on-site tune up every 2/3 years, and some repairs or replacement parts every 5 years or so.
An instrument that is being used for a tour or gigged extensively will a bit more than that though – usually a service before each tour, or a once over before a big artist comes into the studio. Whilst Rhodes and Wurlis were built for live playing as well as the studio, they are heavy and fragile so any bumps or knocks it gets on the road will affect it much more than being in one place. One drop or big bump can knock the tuning and voicing quite a lot. If it’s been a long time – definitely get it serviced.
It depends. We specialise in servicing electric pianos that are also mechanical – i.e. moving parts. Most keyboard are almost entirely electronic, with a spring mechanism for the keys. If its something a but rare or unusual, but for a Yamaha or Nord keyboard for example, there are many competent technician sout there that can help.
