In almost all cases, this is because the headphones that you have are stereo headphones whereas the signal coming out of the headphone output of a Wurlitzer piano is mono. This means that (usually) only the left (tip) side of the headphones will be heard as there is no collection to the right (ring). Solution […]

Electric pianos are wonderful, but one thing we’ve always found slightly lacking is the sustain pedals. Sadly they sometimes they feel like an afterthought. Now granted, the Wurlitzer pedal is certainly a better design than the Rhodes piano, but, sometimes they just don’t work properly. Whether the pedal isn’t working at all, allowing all notes […]

This is related to our post about popping and crackling as it is usually the same issue. By far the most common is that there is debris caught between the reed and the reed bar, causing it to ground slightly. The next most likely culprit is a reed that is misaligned slightly and causing the […]

If you have a Wurlitzer 200 or 200A model, you may have noticed that the very top five notes (G#6-C7) do not dampen and freely sustain. This is because there are no dampers on these top five notes. It is completely normal and nothing to worry about. On these top notes there is a small […]

This is related to our post about whining and distortion in Wurlitzers too as it is usually the same issue. By far the most common is that there is debris caught between the reed and the reed bar, causing it to ground slightly. This can either sound like several things: It can be very unsettling […]

What makes Wurlitzers unique in the electric piano world is that they have a built in amplifier that generates the sound. This means that the electronics are a major part of servicing these instruments. Because of the power this draws Wurlitzers are connected to mains electricity and have live voltage running through it. This means […]

Understanding the process: Out of the ‘big 3’ vintage electric pianos (Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and Clavinet), the tuning method on a Wurlitzer piano is the most unique. Wurlitzers are like Rhodes in the sense that the tuning usually last a very long time. Where they differ is that the process of tuning a note is much […]

Yes! Adjusting the keys, or key leveling as we call it, is the process of adjusting the key heights and depth (called key-dip) of the white and black keys of the piano. It is the same process as with a regular piano – we use paper shims or punchings to set the correct height of […]

This is a very common problem with Wurlitzers and could be one of many things. Fortunately it is usually something very simple. If you are hearing distortion, popping or crackling, then this is found here. Here is a list of problems and solutions. Remember to switch off and disconnect the power cable before opening up […]

This is often to do with the solder or ‘lead’ that is applied to the reeds to adjust the tuning. It often happens in the tenor register in the F F# G range below middle C. The solution is usually to replace the solder on the reed. If not this then it could be the […]

You can adjust the intensity but not the rate, you’ll need a tremolo pedal for that. On the circuit board is an adjustment for vibrato (strictly speaking ‘tremolo’). Be careful to unplug everything and switch all the power off before you adjust as you can easily get an electric shock from the circuitry of a […]