Normally, you’d think a tube amp would be preferable, but those who have played both instruments tend to prefer the solid state amp. The 140B had a near-twin, the 145B, which is identical except that it has a tube-type amp. It’s almost like having two different electric pianos. But running it through the Twin Reverb gives it a nasty, metallic sound - and adds a lot of bark. If you like the Wurlitzer 200, the 200A is a great pick - the action and reeds are completely the same, with only the improved circuit differentiating the two.
#WURLITZER PIANO VALUE USED UPDATE#
The internal amp and speaker have a beautiful mellow sound. Straight from the '70s, the Wurlitzer 200A electric piano provided an update to the original model 200 with a new and improved amplifier circuit, complete with speaker. I now take the output from the headphone jack on the piano to the box, and out to my Twin Reverb. So, I got one of these Radial ProRMP reamp boxes. There are mods that can be done to add one, but I did not want to alter the piano.
This model does not have a line-level output jack to use with an external amp. But that’s gone since I re-built the amp (replacing the electrolytic caps, the high-value resistors, and subbing low-noise transistors for the originals). Its early solid state amp is also known for being noisy - and mine had some significant hum. The downside of this model is that it is the heaviest portable Wurli EP ever built (not an issue for me, since I won’t be gigging with it).
#WURLITZER PIANO VALUE USED MANUAL#
And the seller even had a copy of the original schematics and a Wurlitzer warranty envelope with the the owner’s manual and, believe it or not, the original hang tag. The sound is generated by striking a metal reed with a hammer, which induces an electric current in a pickup although conceptually similar to the Rhodes piano, the. Complete with lid, pedal, music stand, legs and matching bench. The Wurlitzer electronic piano is an electric piano manufactured and marketed by Wurlitzer from the mid-1950s to the early 1980s. I like the way it looks, too.Īnd this was a very special one: Virtually flawless cosmetically. There are nuances in the sound that I don’t hear with the thicker reeds on my 200A, and hitting the keys a little harder rewards you with a very cool bark. The 140B is, in my opinion, a high-water point for the Wurlitzer electric piano: The best action and tone of any Wurli I’ve played, and optically controlled vibrato that will bring tears to your eyes. This was the last Wurlitzer electric piano before the company decided to save money - and weight - by building the plastic-topped 200 series.
But a few days later, after a long drive, it was mine for a reasonable price. The piano was mis-identified as a Wurlitzer 112. This came into my collection in December 2013 in a very unlikely way: It was listed on Craigslist at a location 200 miles from my house.