Wurlitzer electronic piano

The Wurlitzer electronic piano is an electric piano manufactured

Wurlitzer electronic piano
and marketed by Wurlitzer from the mid-1950s to mid-1980s.
Sound is generated by striking a metal reed with a hammer, which
induces an electric current in a pickup. It is conceptually similar to
the Rhodes piano, though the sound is different.

The instrument was invented by Benjamin Miessner, who had

worked on various types of electric pianos since the early 1930s.
The first Wurlitzer was manufactured in 1954, and production
continued until 1983. Originally, the piano was designed to be
used in the classroom, and several dedicated teacher and student
instruments were manufactured. However, it was adapted for more A Wurlitzer 200A, the most
conventional live performances, including stage models with commercially successful model
attachable legs and console models with built-in frames. The stage Manufacturer Wurlitzer
instrument was used by several popular artists, including Ray
Dates 1954–1983
Charles, Joe Zawinul and Supertramp. Several electronic
keyboards include an emulation of the Wurlitzer. Technical specifications
Polyphony Full
As the Wurlitzer is an electromechanical instrument, it can need
occasional maintenance, such as replacing and re-tuning broken Synthesis Electromechanical
reeds. However, the action and performance of the instrument has type
meant it is stable enough to be used for years. Effects Vibrato (single
speed)
Input/output
Contents Keyboard 64 keys
Sound
History
Models
Portable models
Console models
106P
Other models
Maintenance
Clones
Key releases
Notable users
References

Sound
The official name of the instrument is the Wurlitzer Electronic Piano.[1] However, the sound is generated
electromechanically by striking a metal reed with a felt hammer, using conventional piano action.[2] This
induces an electrical current in an electrostatic pickup system running at 170 V DC.[1][3]

Most Wurlitzer pianos are 64-note instruments whose keyboard range is from A an octave above the lowest
note of a standard 88-note piano to the C an octave below its top note.[4] The instrument is fitted with a
mechanical sustain pedal.[1] It has one, two or four internal speakers (depending on the model), but can also
be connected to an external amplifier.[5]

Compared to the Rhodes piano, the sound from a Wurlitzer is sharper and closer to a sawtooth wave, while
the Rhodes' is closer to a sine wave. This gives the Wurlitzer a sharper and punchier tone.[6] When played
gently the sound can be sweet and vibraphone-like, sounding similar to the Rhodes; while becoming more
aggressive with harder playing, producing a characteristic slightly overdriven tone usually described as a
"bark".[3][7]

Over time, particularly with aggressive playing, the reeds on a Wurlitzer will suffer metal fatigue and break.
Additionally, any debris between the reed and the pickup can cause a short circuit and produce a burst of
distortion.[7]

History
Inventor Benjamin Miessner designed an amplified conventional
upright piano in the early 1930s by taking an acoustic baby grand
and installing an electrostatic pickup system in it. He first
demonstrated the instrument in 1932. Four years later, he
demonstrated the piano at the NAMM Show in Chicago. By 1940,
Miessner had licensed a patent for his piano design that was used in
several electric piano models across the US.[8]

In the early 1950s, Meissner invented a new type of electric piano,

substituting strings with struck quarter-inch (6.5  mm) steel reeds.
This allowed a much smaller instrument to be manufactured, as it Model 112
did not need the space to support tension-loaded strings as found on
acoustic piano. The reed assembly was designed carefully in order
to produce the best set of harmonics when a hammer struck a reed. The lack of acoustic noise meant it
could be played quietly using headphones.[8]

The improved model was co-developed in Chicago by Paul Renard and Howard Holman for
Wurlitzer.[9][10] The first model, the 100 was announced in August 1954 at a trade show in Chicago, with
production beginning later that year. The 110 and 111 models were introduced shortly afterwards, with the
112 appearing the following year. Early models were built in a small factory in Corinth, Mississippi.[11]

In May 1956, Wurlitzer opened a new 100,000-square-foot (9,300  m2 ) factory in Corinth dedicated to
making electric pianos.[12] Various models continued to be produced here until 1964, when it expanded to
an additional plant in DeKalb, Illinois.[13] Production later expanded to Logan, Utah.[14] In the late 1970s,
costs were cut in order to increase profitability, as musicians started to use digital synthesizers instead of the
Wurlitzer. The last model, the 200A, was discontinued by 1983.[15] In total, around 120,000 instruments
were produced.[16] The Corinth factory finally closed in October 1988. Baldwin, who had bought
Wurlitzer the previous year, demanded that all of the plant's records, including designs for the electric
pianos, were destroyed.[17]
The Wurlitzer was popular with bar bands and amateur musicians, as it allowed pianists to use the same
instrument at each gig, instead of having to use whatever instrument happened to be available at the venue.
Its relative portability meant it was also a suitable instrument for practice or songwriting.[18]

Wurlitzer published trade advertisements featuring celebrities such as Count Basie, Marian McPartland and
Frederick Dvonch. Steve Allen featured in several Wurlitzer advertisements and recorded a series of
promotional albums for the company.[16]

Models
Most Wurlitzer electric pianos are portable, and have removable legs and a sustain pedal attached via a
Bowden cable; console, "grand" and "spinet" models were also produced with a permanently attached
pedal. The early models' sustain pedals attached through the right side of the instrument, with the pedal
eventually being connected directly under the unit in 1956, beginning with the model 112A.[19]

Portable models

The earliest versions were the "100" series; these had a case made
from painted fibreboard and were fitted with a single loudspeaker
mounted in the rear of the case.[1] The 120 was introduced in 1956
with a lighter cabinet, an improved reed system, electromagnetic
shielding, and, via an uncommon optional external "tone cabinet"
called the 920, a tremolo effect.[20]

The 140 was introduced in 1962. It now included an onboard

tremolo, which was incorrectly labelled "vibrato" on the control A model 200A next to a guitar
panel. It had a fixed rate but adjustable depth.[13][21] Models amplifier
produced until the early 1960s used vacuum tube circuitry
exclusively; the 140 was the first with a transistor amplifier. The
model 145 had a tube amplifier and was produced concurrently with the 140. The 145B, the final portable
tube model, was phased out in late 1965, while the 140B continued.[13] Around 8,000 140Bs were
manufactured.[22] There was a solid-state classroom variant, the 146B, later renamed the 146.[23]

In 1968, the plastic-lidded 200 was introduced, replacing the earlier wooden models.[16] It was a much
lighter instrument (56 pounds (25  kg) without the legs or pedal)[8] with a 30 watt amplifier and two
loudspeakers facing the player. This helped cut costs as the case could be moulded instead of having to be
sawn and joined together. The 200 featured a different keyboard action to earlier models, and a reworked
tremolo effect. The instrument's top was hinged at the back, which made it easy to service and repair.[22] It
became the most popular Wurlitzer model, with around 88,000 produced.[16] The 200 was available in
black, dark "Forest Green", red or beige.[22]

This model was updated as the 200A in 1974 and continued in production into 1983.[24] It featured an
improved shield over the reed and pickups to reduce mains hum, which had been a problem with the
200.[25] The last version to be introduced was the 200B in 1978. It was externally identical to the 200A but
was designed to be powered by a pair of high-voltage batteries and had no internal amplifier or speakers, in
order to reduce hum from the instrument.[26]

Console models
 One important role for the Wurlitzer piano was as
a student instrument in schools and colleges, and
non-portable console versions were made for this
purpose.[27] The teacher had a headphone and
microphone to be able to listen into each student
individually and talk to them without others
hearing. All students listened to each of their
instruments through headphones. Up to 24
individual student instruments could be connected
Model 214 Model 203
together. According to former Wurlitzer employee
Bill Fuller, 75% of all universities used Wurlitzer
piano labs in the late 1960s or early 1970s, and
some facilities were still in operation as late as
2000.[28]

Most student models resemble a beige or light green Model 200 mounted on a matching pedestal containing
a loudspeaker, headphone niche and sustain pedal. There is no tremolo (although earlier models simply
have the facility disabled). Some of these models were given the designation 206/206A.[23] Rarer than the
student models are the teacher consoles such as 205V and 207, featuring multiple monitor/mute switches
and, in some cases the facility to add a large illuminated display panel ("Key Note Visualizer") operated via
the keyboard.[29] Standalone classroom consoles were the 214/215 series, and home/stage consoles were
the 203, 203W and 210. An unusual, angular version was the 300, only available in Europe around early
1973.[30]

106P

A rare version, and the only known model not to

have 64 keys is the 106P (P for "Pupil"), a 44-note
classroom model with a plastic case, no controls,
one loudspeaker and no sustain pedal.[32] The
106P was available as a set of eight on a folding
frame, forming a portable keyboard lab. They
were attached by a cable to a full-size teacher Model 106 classroom Model 207 teacher's
piano with controls to feature each pupil piano.[33] piano. console for music
This model appears to date from the early 1970s Note: Two knobs on the labs.[31]
and was available in orange or beige. Page left are not the originals.
McConnell, of the rock band Phish, has played a
customized 106P with an additional vibration
circuit.[34]

Other models

Since production began, small numbers of wood-cased spinet-style instruments were made for domestic
use.[35] The model 700 was the same amplifier and action as the portable 120, and featured a 12-inch
(300 mm) internal speaker that emphasized bass frequencies better.[13] The longer-keyed model 720 was
the spinet version of the 145 tube model.[13]

The 200A had a domestic sister model 270 called the "Butterfly Baby Grand",[36] a semicircular, walnut
finish wooden-cased piano with twin quadrant-shaped lids angled above horizontally mounted 8"
loudspeakers.[37]
Maintenance
The most common maintenance and service task on a Wurlitzer is replacing broken reeds. In order to sound
the correct pitch, each reed has a blob of solder on the end, which must be filed off to produce the right
weight. Reeds have elongated screw holes, which allows fine tuning by moving it backwards and forwards
in the assembly before fastening.[38] It is still possible to buy spare reeds, or take them from another
instrument that has broken.[39] A further issue is debris between a reed and the pickup causing distortion or
pops. The easiest way to fix this is to repeatedly press each key in order to dislodge the dirt. Failing that, a
more comprehensive solution is to open the instrument up and spray compressed air at the affected area.[23]

In contrast, Wurlitzer purposefully over-engineered the piano action, as it was designed to resemble that of
an acoustic piano to help teaching. Unlike the hammers on a Rhodes, which can develop unwanted
grooves from over-hitting, the action on a Wurlitzer has been seen to operate well into the 21st century.[27]

Clones
The Wurlitzer is emulated in several modern digital keyboards,[40] though its electromechanical sound
production is difficult to emulate in a synthesized instrument. The Korg SV1 has been critically praised for
its accurate emulation of a Wurlitzer.[41] The Nord Stage includes the emulation of a Wurlitzer.[42]

In 2012, Arturia released the Wurlitzer V, a Virtual Studio Technology (VST) software emulation of the
original instrument.[43] Apple's Logic Pro X includes an emulation of a Wurlitzer 200A.[44]

Key releases
 Model name Years
Image Description
/ number produced
Pilot product. No more than 50 were made, if that. Only
100 1954
known from archival marketing photographs.[11]
1954–
110 Test-marketed portable model.
1955[11]

112 1955–1956 First mass-produced portable Wurlitzer. [11]

Sustain pedal attaches underneath the instrument, as

112A 1956 opposed to the side on earlier models.[45] Redesigned Pratt-
Read action.
First model to feature tremolo (in external optional amp, the
120 1956–1962
920).[20]
140, pre-A, A First to feature a solid-state amplifier. First model to feature
and B 1962–1968
internal tremolo ("vibrato"). Action redesign.[13]
variants.

200 (pre-A
The most popular models produced. Plastic-topped. Lighter,
and A 1968–1983
variants) more portable, more compact. Dual speakers.[46]

206/207/214
(pre-A and A 1968–1983 Student, Teacher and standalone "Classroom" models
variants)

Notable users
Jazz pianist Sun Ra may have been the first to release recordings using the instrument, on 1956 singles later
compiled on his album Angels and Demons at Play.[47] Ray Charles began playing a Wurlitzer, as he
preferred to take a portable instrument with him instead of using whatever piano was at a venue; his 1959
hit What'd I Say featured the model 120 prominently. Joe Zawinul borrowed Charles' Wurlitzer for a gig
backing Dinah Washington, and liked the instrument enough to buy his own model.[18] He played a model
140B on "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," his 1966 hit with the Cannonball Adderley Quintet.[47] Spooner Oldham
used a 140B Wurlitzer on Aretha Franklin's 1967 single "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)",
playing a riff that runs through the whole song, while Earl Van Dyke played one on Marvin Gaye's "I
Heard It Through the Grapevine".[18] The Small Faces used a 140B Wurlitzer on "Lazy Sunday".[40]

The instrument was used extensively by British band Supertramp in the 1970s, in songs such as "The
Logical Song", "Goodbye Stranger" and "Dreamer".[18][47][48] Queen's John Deacon played a Wurlitzer
on their hit "You're My Best Friend", and Pink Floyd's Richard Wright played one on "Money".[18] Part of
the iconic sound of the early Carpenters' hits was Richard Carpenter's Wurlitzer electronic piano.[49]

Eddie Van Halen played a Wurlitzer through an MXR flanger and Marshall amplifier on "And the Cradle
Will Rock..." on Van Halen's 1980 album Women and Children First.[50][51] Norah Jones has regularly
used a Wurlitzer on stage. Her preferred model is a 206 (a student version of the 200) repainted in a deep-
red finish.[52]
References
Citations

1. Palkovic 2015, p. 156.

2. Shepherd 2003, p. 32.
3. Collins 2014, p. 308.
4. Sussman 2012, pp. 27–28.
5. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, pp. 97, 99.
6. "Rhodes vs Wurlitzer : Comparing classic electric pianos" (https://reverb.com/uk/news/rhode
s-vs-wurlitzer-comparing-classic-electric-pianos). reverb.com. March 6, 2015. Retrieved
December 1, 2017.
7. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 97.
8. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 107.
9. Chronicle, Augusta (September 2010). "Paul Renard Obituary" (http://www.legacy.com/obitu
aries/augustachronicle/obituary.aspx?n=paul-s-renard&pid=145604377). Legacy. Retrieved
March 18, 2018.
10. Grant, US (April 1959). "Electric Piano Amplifier" (https://patents.google.com/patent/US2881
650). Google. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
11. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 108.
12. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 109.
13. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 114.
14. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 121.
15. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, pp. 98, 121.
16. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 99.
17. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, pp. 111–112.
18. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 98.
19. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, pp. 101, 108.
20. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, pp. 112–113.
21. Vail 2000, p. 276.
22. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 115.
23. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 119.
24. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, pp. 115, 121.
25. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 116.
26. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, pp. 117–118.
27. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 104.
28. Vail 2000, pp. 276–277.
29. "A Rare Breed Indeed: The Wurlitzer Student Model Classroom" (http://chicagoelectricpiano.
com/a-rare-breed-indeed/wulitzer-student-model-classroom/). The Workshop Blog. The
Chicago Electric Piano Co. June 26, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
30. Vail 2000, p. 277.
31. Electronic Piano Series 200 and 200A Service Manual (http://manuals.fdiskc.com/flat/Wurlitz
er%20Series%20200%20Service%20Manual.pdf) (PDF), DeKalb, Illinois: The Wurlitzer
Company
32. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, pp. 100–101.
33. "Custom Shop: The Wurlitzer 106P" (https://chicagoelectricpiano.com/wurlitzer/wurlitzer-ora
nge-106p/). Chicago Electric Piano. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
34. "44 key Wurlitzer 106p" (https://pagemcconnell.com/gear/rare-44-key-wurlizer-106p/). Page
McConnell. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
35. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 113.
36. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 106.
37. "Wurlitzer 270 'Butterfly' Electronic Piano c1960s" (http://www.pianopavilion.com/wurlitzer_2
70_butterfly_grand.htm). Piano Pavilion. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
38. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 118.
39. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 120.
40. Ashworth 2008, p. 230.
41. "Korg SV1" (https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/korg-sv1). Sound on Sound. October
2009. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
42. "Wurlitzer" (http://www.nordkeyboards.com/sound-libraries/nord-piano-library/electric-piano/
wurlitzer). Nord Keyboards. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
43. "Arturia Wurlitzer V" (https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/arturia-wurlitzer-v). Sound on
Sound. December 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
44. "Logic Tutorial: Using Vintage Keys" (https://www.musictech.net/tutorials/logic-tutorial-using-
vintage-keys/). Music Tech. January 4, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
45. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, p. 108-9.
46. Lenhoff & Robertson 2019, pp. 99, 117–118.
47. Burgess 2014, p. 76.
48. Shepherd 2003, p. 302.
49. John Tobler. The Complete Guide to the Music of the Carpenters (1997); Omnibus Press,
London; ISBN 0-7119-6312-6; p.67
50. "Sure, Eddie Van Halen was a guitar god. But what made his music divine was his quest for
the perfect sound" (https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/eddie-van-halen-g
uitar-god/2020/10/07/c1c5abd8-0890-11eb-a166-dc429b380d10_story.html). Washington
Post. October 7, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
51. "Eddie Van Halen goes deep on the playing and tone secrets behind 10 iconic Van Halen
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