This is a very common problem with Wurlitzer 200 series pianos and one of the most annoying! It is usually to do with loose components or the lid. The source 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 the Wurlitzer lid.

The hum shield is loose:

The hum shield is the L shaped aluminium case that covers the action and reed har. Its job is to reduce electromagnetic interference. It is attached by four or five screws. If one of these is loose it could cause the screw or hum shield itself. Tightening the screws that connect the hum shield will solve those issue.

The faceplate/nameplate is loose:

The faceplate, also known as the nameplate is the metal plate above the keyboard (lthat has the Wurlitzer logo and volume/vibrato text. Over time the adhesive securing this can come loose and cause a rattle. Remove the lid from the piano, unplugging the speakers of it is a 200A and p off the attached part of the nameplate. Scrape the remaining glue or paper off and reglue it down. An adhesive such as E6000 glue is recommended. Leave the glue to dry overnight and keep the lid standing with the back upright so the faceplate doesn’t move.

There’s a loose screw somewhere:

A common cause of rattling is a loose screw (or several) inside the piano. Open the lid up and check the amp rail, hum shield, lid hinges, preamp brackets, reed bar screws, damper rail, line out trim pot, and any other place you can see a screw. You’ll usually hear where it is buzzing. This type of rattling usually happens with the power off well, as removing the lid can often remove the buzzing too. However if you do have the power on while finding the buzzing, be very careful not to touch anything , especially the mains power supply on the terminal strip on the left hand side of the amp rail.

Loose speakers/speaker screws:

On a Wurlitzer 2000 the speakers are glued on the amp rail. If one of these screw is loose it can cause the speaker to rattle as is vibrates.

The speakers on a 200A are in the lid. This can present many more problems such as rattling against the lid. It can be tedious to solve, but tightening or loosening the screws can solve the problem, as can adding rubber strips between the speakers and lid if needed.

Dust or debris in the speakers:

Whilst not a hugely common issue, the speakers of a wurlitzer can have debris inside, causing rattling or buzzing. In the 200 they are on the amp rail, gently blow away the dust and debris. In a 200A piano you will need to unscrew the flower head screws to access them.

The strip underneath the amp:

Underneath the amplifier is a strip of card material that is designed to stop the solder ends of the amp coming into contact with the amp rail. This could cause shorting of the amp if it is removing. Sometimes this strip can buzz at certain frequencies. Reseating the strip and glueing it down can help. You may or may not need to remove the amp from the rail to do this. Be careful not to break any wires.

The tape by the speaker wires is old:

I had this one just the other day – I was tearing my hair out on this 200A trying to find the culprit of this really loud annoying buzz. After an hour of searching, it turned out to be the tape that protects the speaker wires from being loose. It was very old brittle tape and as soon as I removed it the buzz went away. Check this as well if you’re still having a problem.

The case is misaligned or doesn’t fit the base properly:

One of the more irritating buzzing issues can come from the top half of the Wurlitzer case not sitting flush with the bottom half. This can happen due to years of expansion and contraction of the wood that makes up the body of the piano, and the rim being dropped. The wooden rim will need to be sanded down to fit the rim if it’s too tight or shims added if it’s too loose.

If you’ve checked that it’s not around the speakers, sometimes the lids can have loose parts inside that have broken off. Usually tightening the lid in a certain way can help.

Adding rubber strips in strategic places can help with removing the buzz when it comes to various lid issues. Unfortunately this is mostly trial and error.

The tightness of the lid screws:

One of the things that can really get you going is when you put the lid back on, screw it all back together, and then turn it on and find more buzzing! Wurlitzers can sure be a handful sometimes. Occasionally a quarter or half turn of one of the top lid screws can make the difference between buzzing and not. It’s annoying that such a simply thing can cause a big sounding issue; but remember these are old instruments.

Still stuck?

As with many things Wurlitzer, finding these issues can be trial and error, and sometimes finding a ‘sweet spot’ of a certain screw can be the difference between buzzing and not. There’s a lot packed into the small space of a Wurlitzer, including the sound generation and amplifier right next to eachother. To top it off this is on instruments that are 50 years old. Don’t give up, keep going and you’ll find it.

Out of options? Contact us for a service and we may be able to help.