Short answer- ‘need’ is a strong word, but your synth tracks would certainly benefit greatly from a preamp.  Simply put, adding a preamp to your synth lines will make them come through a little stronger and have more impact on the mix.  Any preamp, whether they be solid state or tube are designed to make your signal louder.

We have done some A/B testing with one of our favorite analog synths, the Korg Minilogue, and found that a preamp or external tube amp helps the synth to stand out.  It goes without saying that you will be using a wide range of synth voices so where and when a preamp adds the most will vary. 

After restoring Wurlitzer electronic pianos for over a decade, we have seen amplifiers in varying condition, ranging from pristine to biohazardous. Sometimes we repair the amps, and sometimes we just replace them.

If your Wurlitzer 200 (200a, 203, 206, 206a, 210 or 214) is starting to crackle, buzz, hum, or pop, it may be time to take a look at it’s amplifier. And having a fully functional amplifier in your Wurly is essential to keeping it happy: after all, it is an electronic piano.

If you are psyched about your new keyboard or synth and need a way to amplify it other than going direct to a PA, there are options for you! Amplifiers come in many shapes and sizes and have varying features. If this is the first (or only) amp you are purchasing for your keyboard, it is first a good idea to decide what your needs are and what you will be using it for most.  

Here are some uses you might have for a keyboard amplifier.  

This Dynavox was originally a so-called widowmaker amplifier. We completely rebuilt it with all-new components, installed a power transformer, and revised the circuit to eliminate the obsolete widowmaker tubes. It is now a safe, functional 1.5 watt practice amplifier. It can be used alone for bedroom practice, or plugged into a second amp for interesting tube overdrive tones.

Here’s some details on how we redesigned this amp.

A widowmaker amplifier has no power transformer or fuse. Instead, the two-prong, non-polar power cord is wired directly to the rectifier tube. It is very unsafe, because under even minor failure conditions (such as a shorted capacitor or even - in some models - plugging the power cord in backwards), the mains voltage might end up on the guitar strings and the user will be shocked/electrocuted.

On the plus(?) side, power transformers are expensive so widowmaker amps could be manufactured and sold at a lower price. This ensured that every aspiring guitarist in America could own a low-fi death trap if that’s what they really wanted.

This vintage tube hi-fi-turned-guitar amp is one of our favorite past restorations.

How do we restore a Wurlitzer electronic piano? Here’s a list of all the issues we commonly address.

This Allen & Heath GS3 - currently in use in the studio - is an analog mixing console from the mid-90s.

When we received our Allen & Heath GS3, it was caked in dust but otherwise in great working condition. We wanted it to sparkle like the technological marvel it was when it was released in 1994, so we took it apart and gave it a deep clean.

Having trouble deciding which Wurlitzer model is right for you? Take a look at our handy infographic!

This infographic is an at-a-glance guide to the features of common Wurlitzer models. All models of Wurlitzers are excellent instruments, and with the right restoration any one of them can become a functional, professional piece of gear. However, all Wurlitzers were manufactured 40+ years ago, at a time when standards for recording were much different. And, anyway, professional musicians weren’t necessarily the most lucrative target audience: that would be schools, who bought keyboards six at a time. So, some features that would be standard today - such as an aux output - are absent from many models.

We recently added a few more books to the live room at the studio, so we decided that it was a good time to take new photos.

We’ve all heard that vintage amplifiers contain high voltages. However, there are other hazards that a collector should be aware of, particularly if your piece is sourced straight from a barn, shed, or other quasi-outdoor place. These risks can be managed by thorough cleaning and/or servicing. If you’re a DIYer, you should be aware of them so you can take adequate precautions, such as wearing gloves or using a respirator.

At Tropical Fish, we are pro-electronics safety. We don’t want anyone to get hurt working inside a tube amplifier. At the same time, we hate to see people writing online who overstate the dangers of working on a tube amplifier. It really seems like certain factions want to discourage people from opening their amps up at all. This is a bad thing.

Wurlitzers have a lot of moving parts under the hood, many of which can be adjusted to the player’s taste. Regulating your own Wurlitzer means that you can dial in the feel and touch-responsiveness that you prefer, making your keyboard truly your own. Of course, the first step to regulation is taking off the Wurlitzer’s lid.

If you’ve read Part I of our guide on how to clean an electronic piano, you’re familiar with the general technique. (Spoiler alert: Take everything out and then start cleaning.) In Part II, we’ll discuss how to tackle some more specific and serious messes.

Of all the repairs and restorations we do on vintage keyboards, cleaning them is by far the most important step. As much as we prefer recapping amps to scraping mouse poo out of them, cleaning is what transforms a gross piece of junk into a beautiful, functional instrument that will neither give you a disease nor make your studio smell like a thrift store. After all, excessive hum and out-of-tune reeds might be annoying, but they never gave anyone hantavirus.

The last iteration of the Rhodes Mk II, released between 1981 and 1984, is one of our favorites. Despite having more plastic parts than previous models of Rhodes, we find that keyboards of this period tend to have a dynamic, modern feel and excellent timbre. Plastic has a bad reputation these days - which it deserves - but this model of Rhodes is a rare case of plastic manufacture improving a product’s consistency and longevity.

Here’s a list of the details that are unique for the last years of the Mk II.