1974 Wurlitzer 200/200A hybrid electronic piano
This Wurlitzer is stamped 200A (but it has 200 style speakers)! The 200 and 200A have the same action, reeds, keys and lid. When Wurlitzer switched over to 200A, they started with the amp and used the remainder of the alnico speakers they had. This isn’t just a collectors’ piece—the 200-style speakers and 200A-style amplifier have real advantages for playing and recording. Plus, we restored some key parts deep inside this piano so that it is ready for the studio or the stage.
This Wurlitzer is stamped 200A (but it has 200 style speakers)! The 200 and 200A have the same action, reeds, keys and lid. When Wurlitzer switched over to 200A, they started with the amp and used the remainder of the alnico speakers they had. This isn’t just a collectors’ piece—the 200-style speakers and 200A-style amplifier have real advantages for playing and recording. Plus, we restored some key parts deep inside this piano so that it is ready for the studio or the stage.
This is a very special keyboard because it has two of our favorite features that you usually don’t see together: rail-mounted 200-style alnico speakers and an original 200A amplifier. Rail mounted 200 speakers are less prone to vibrational noise, and they have a cool alnico tone that we love. The 200A amplifier has a lot of vintage character, but—thanks to a dedicated aux output circuit that offers more volume and less noise than previous Wurlitzer amplifiers—it is modern enough that it plays nicely with new gear, like mixers or external amplifiers.
We have restored this Wurlitzer for studio-ready sound and playability. It has been fully tuned, the original 200A amplifier has been serviced, and we also replaced jack springs and key bushings.
What is a jack spring? In a Wurlitzer, the jack spring is a tiny spring that helps the hammer hit the reed with consistency and good tone. There is one jack spring for every key. After 50+ years, all original jack springs are worn out in every Wurlitzer electronic piano, because they are constantly under tension. (It’s safe to say that nearly all jack springs are still original—in ten years, we’ve never acquired a keyboard with even remotely fresh jack springs.) In our opinion, replacing jack springs is essential for truly responsive, piano-like playing. It’s a time-consuming process, but it is absolutely worth it if you play repeating notes or anything with dynamics on your Wurlitzer (who doesn’t?).
What is a key bushing? When you hit a key, it rocks up and down on two metal posts (called key posts). The key posts fit into two holes on the bottom of the key, and they are cushioned with little pieces of felt called key bushing felt. The key bushing felt prevents the keys from moving side-to-side, so they don’t slip around under your fingers when you’re trying to play. The friction associated with this motion causes wear over time, but, thanks to the key bushing felt, all of the wear happens to the felt, and not the irreplaceable wooden key. After 50+ years of playing (not to mention temperature/humidity fluctuations), the key bushings are ready to be replaced. This is another time-consuming replacement: it takes several days to complete because each of the 4 pieces of felt in the bushing need to be clamped in place so that they can dry properly. We already did it for you, so this keyboard is truly ready to go.
Features of this Wurlitzer:
Vintage Alnico speaker tone (less bass, more mids and highs)
Better aux output from the 200A amp! Connect to any amplifier or record direct
Original keys buffed and polished to that classic off-white Wurlitzer color
New jack springs
New key bushing felt
Recapped original 200A amplifier
Replaced alnico speakers with NOS alnico speakers
Fully tuned, regulated and voiced
Lubricated all action center pins
Notes on shipping / pickup:
Pickup at our workshop in Mount Vernon, NY can be arranged at no additional cost. Alternatively we can ship this instrument anywhere in the United States, or deliver to addresses within 30 miles of NYC. For shipping outside of the US, please reach out for a quote.
All of our keyboard are shipped in correctly sized boxes and packed extremely well. Large keyboards, like this Wurlitzer, are shipped in double wall boxes.
Please note that we will do a final inspection after purchase, so the keyboard will be available for shipping or pickup for 2-5 days after purchase. Please let us know if you will need the keyboard sooner, and we can expedite the process.