Let's Talk about My Wurlitzer 200

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I think I cut out anytime I mention the year of my piano, based on a date on the amp, I think its 1974.
Happy to just talk about my wurlitzer, its some of the repair work I'm most proud of. And just as a cool old thing, really happy to have it.
I wish I had mentioned, I can remember a podcast with Michael McDonald where he talks about his early gigging life being made possible by a wurlitzer. I think that was on Quest Love's Supremes.

[@roszyknuke]

I was a quality control test technician at the Wurlitzer plant in the Buffalo NY area in 1972 thru 1973. This brings back memories......

[@timbrundage3745]

How cool. I live in Rochester and never knew Wurlitzer was over in North Tonawanda. Looking at getting a 200a down the road.

[@oddObjekt]

I dig this style of video. Coming from a place of "this is my thing and here's why I like it" is a great place to come from with a video and sort of refreshing in its simplicity. I also like hearing about your restoration process. It would be fun to watch a video that takes us the whole way through an entire restoration process. Obviously that's not your day job and a video like that would be a long term project. Just saying though, it would be cool.

[@pooshNchums]

+1 just missing your usual intro 😂

[@JorbLovesGear]

I have been collecting footage of repair stuff I've been doing on a few projects, but both are stalled pretty seriously. I've considered tossing something up as patreon only, every time I work on something but that's really slowed down lately

[@bradleyboswell4875]

let’s talk about your Smooth Piano Jams

[@JorbLovesGear]

🙏Thanks king, hope you're good

[@bobdevore24]

Yes, I owned one in the early 70’s. I had to replace a couple reeds after I broke them. They were difficult to tune. Wish I still had it 😔

[@repeatdefender6032]

I love it! Beautiful little piece at the end. I like this format.

[@TheBigtrev1234]

"just me and something I love" - ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS!! You do such a great job with all your videos, and I especially love your work in this video. You're great 😊

[@PostingCringeOnMain]

“Just me and something I love” is a great jumping off point for any video 😊

[@watchaddicts1213]

More to the point and to be Helpful with you’re Channel Efforts: You are an excellent, thorough & patient teacher! Keep up the great work.

[@FrancisFleuronas]

Youve got such a nice touch that highlights the musicality i love in this instrument. Well done 👏

[@wyndgrove9452]

What a lovely sound that thing makes. These vids are always fun, even for those of us who have no intention of buying anything and are just curious about what people construct.

[@mechasartre3694]

As someone who has just about finished refurbishing a Rhodes, this was real enjoyable to watch. Thanks.

[@bertofletch]

Thx for plugging tropical fish!! Had no idea 😊

[@watchaddicts1213]

LOVE to hear that sound!! Thanks

[@mfurman]

Very good video. Great communication! Thank you 😊

[@Smoothsayer]

Always happy to talk about a Wurli 200 (or 200a)! 🎹 Always loved their sounds for being both warm and also punchy/dirty when needed. This was a very neat video to explain the basic mechanics and upkeep.

[@deirellbyrd6770]

I like this format a lot!

[@sailingwhisper149]

Yes! Loving this video already. I'm a huge Supertramp fan and I'm enamored with the sound, I wish to have my own one day! But for now plugins will do...

[@iNuchalHead]

"Me and Something I Love" is also a fine series name.

[@robt5818]

Thank you for sharing!

[@testohtoby]

I love the 200 😍🖤

[@georgegeez8708]

Another great video. I love the Wurlitzer. I was watching videos about it in the last few days, and yours came up. I would love to own one one day. Although I just discovered the Vintage Vibe 64 Deluxe, which is a sick sounding electric piano. Your video was very much appreciated, and I thank you for it.

[@michaelkraus8299]

Awesome 🎹 Rhodes doing great!

[@RoomAtTheTopStudio]

I had a quick mess around with the Wurlitzer 112 at Errol Brown's studio when I worked there last year. Definitely a different vibe to the standard 200/200A. I am trying not to fall down the rabbit hole of any more instruments and get on with creating nowadays, but I enjoy watching what you and other enthusiasts collect and do. Your passion is amazing

[@deancoyle]

Wurlitzer 200 pianos are just fun the play, the action just invites playing.

[@marslightsnoise]

I like this style of video!

[@hydrodragonn7385]

Love the vulf riffs

[@farty555]

Awesome video

[@NicolasMelis]

Sounds great man! Love my Wurlitzer too 🎹

[@JorbLovesGear]

An all-time classic, high key

[@seanspartan2023]

That is such a beating sound! I've always wanted a Wurlizer, a Hammond B3, or a Fender Rhodes. I make do with my Yamaha Reface CP.

[@SlaserX]

There are so many great hardware stand ins for these pieces of gear, thankfully I don't need to take out a mortgage on my house to afford an original

[@dmonkfunk]

Not to brag, but having all three (plus a clav) has been a labour of love over the past 20 years. I use a Midi controller, and leave the vintage stuff covered up. i get to beat on the plastic stuff and the VST sounds are satisfying without worrying about having to fix anything. Plus I can carry the whole mess in one trip to go jam with friends.

[@soul_Link12]

Nate Kinsella played one of these while also drumming in the band "Make Believe". Saw them in the early 2000's. That dude was amazing and the wurlitzer mixed perfectly with their guitar sound.

[@muulwarf]

I was not expecting Vulf lines to come in. sick!!

[@JorbLovesGear]

🙏🙏

[@MikeLindup42]

Nice, honest, no frills. Like it. Nice to see under the hood. I've never owned one, so it's always refreshing to come across one in someone's home or studio. I think of Donny Hathaway Live, Supertramp obvs, but it's been on so many records - andI believe the first time I noticed an Electric Piano on a record was on "Brandy, You're a Fine Girl" by Looking Glass in '72, and I'm pretty sure it's a Wurli. That song was also the first time I got hooked by a minor seventh chord (2nd chord in the verse). I'm happy with my Rhodes, but Wurli's are great. Thanks Jorb.

[@EricFrazierFRAZDOG]

I also have 1 of these that I came across at an Estate sale. Such a great instrument. I kind of prefer it to my Rhodes Eighty Eight, and I agree, they have different applications. This is such a cool video, and appreciate you sharing.

[@thedarkestrainbow]

I’ve always wanted a Wurly. I have a Rhodes. They’re both fantastic.

[@bmuhamad]

Very beautiful sounding.

[@SuperGinkgo]

Great sound, evocative of Supertramp for me, not sure if Blue Oyster Cult had one as well. The hi voltage piece reminded me of the reed from a harmonica.

[@aakash9058]

Love my Wurlitzer and my Rhodes. I’ve restored one of each and have another Wurly as a project. Ever play a Yamaha CP70/80? Played one last weekend and something about it made my heart open up.

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

Fantastic demo, Jorb. You commentate excellently and play impeccably. Even if I knew all the details of Wurlitzer’s “operation”, it would still be a mystery to me. Why didn’t they ever assemble a 73-note version the way Harold Rhodes did (along with the personnel at Hohner) or an 88-key version? Could Vintage Vibe build one?

[@JorbLovesGear]

This is an interesting question, I hadn't thought of it. Perhaps there is a functional limit in using reeds, and anything higher or lower isnt practical?

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

That question has got merit,@@JorbLovesGear. Wish I had the chance to play the Hohner Electra Piano which is built from similar reeds and whose key range matches the Rhodes 73. John Paul Jones is the most famous player of one; it’s on the untitled fourth Led Zeppelin record and the follow up, *Houses of the Holy.*

[@noisetheorem]

We had a couple of these in my high school music room. They were in poor shape, but still sounded really cool.

[@JorbLovesGear]

That's amazing, our music room just had a lot of chairs 😅😅😅

[@noisetheorem]

@@JorbLovesGear We had those too! the most horrible of metal folding chairs.

[@alexk1683]

certified jorb moment

[@JorbLovesGear]

C E R T I F I E D

[@zsixtyfour]

Wurly is one of my favorite tones ever - in fact Steely Dan was exactly how I discovered wurlys as a teen, on CDs my dad gave me! I had heard tracks like "Your Gold Teeth" and had to know what it was. Would love to own one someday. By the way, a Model 24? I have one too! (edit: Ah, heard you say Model 16 in another vid) It's an interesting choice for solo producers, I think it was very clearly made expressly for the use case of live recording a classic rock band, and taking the mix home to finalize. It shows in some of its quirks, and the "workarounds" people have for doing sends and such, as well as the promotional material for it. Anyway - its a beautiful piece of gear! Hope to have it as the heart of my setup for a long time. I got it after I outgrew my Scarlett 18i20, which felt like it would never happen - but a couple stereo pieces of gear, and there goes your 8 1/4" inputs lol! How are you using it in your setup? Do you record to SD, or stream into a DAW?

[@niceheartwhitesuit]

I had one of the student models years ago, and we moved to a smaller place and I had to let it go. File that under "Ones that got away". I'd got it for like $400 and I'd never be able to get one for that price now 😞But the Reface does a good job filling that gap (in much less space too!).

[@bmuhamad]

There's another artist who I think used the 1011, I think. Sun Ra. I think around 1955-56, his recordings at that time.

[@sean_patten]

I also restored 200A that was in rough shape from being on the road then sitting in a garage for decades. One of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on! Anyone reading this should go listen to Donny Hathaway Live for some of the best Wurlitzer playing ever recorded.

[@Dani-El.]

I love the sound of Wurlitzers and Rhodes', but much prefer them with no reverb or chorus. Just dry, and sometimes tremolo depending on the use.

[@jonhollinsworth8785]

good work

[@anonymous_friend]

Careful if you are touching around with the cover off and power on. Theres a 100V rail going through there.

[@JorbLovesGear]

I realized that while I was in there lol

[@anonymous_friend]

@@JorbLovesGear My 200a keeps blowing fuses... I paid a guy to recap it too.

[@hotdogdog4740]

I love you -Patrick starfish

[@JorbLovesGear]

Thanks -Jorb

[@orchidsvoid]

Wow cool thing 😮 I wish I had space not only for small amount of small synths😂

[@UncleWalter1]

One of the worst decisions I ever made was selling my Wurlitzer 200

[@SOBINTAXIDRIVER]

It's such a charming electric piano, discovered it through Ginger Root.

[@JorbLovesGear]

LOVE ginger root. Have seen him use a reface CP for live gigs as well, wish I had mentioned that

[@bermudateenager]

Would love to see you get you hands on a Hohner Pianet T. I have one and love it but would love to see how you like it.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Thats been on the list, just looking for the right deal!

[@CillianEm7]

I first head the wurli on Runaway by Half Alive and was instantly in love. I far prefer it to the Rhodes but plugins just don't seem to do it justice

[@JorbLovesGear]

This is something I've actually heard a lot, that wurly plug ins dont nail it the way rhodes ones do.

[@Filomen7]

I love the wurlitzer's in keyscape . not like the real one but very close. really warm and full sound

[@hattree]

I was hoping you'd do the 70's mushy electric piano with overblown chorus and phaser.

[@bmuhamad]

Thanks.

[@JorbLovesGear]

More than happy to, thanks for watching

[@oupahens9219]

The label states Electronic Piano

[@LeoMrz]

I love the Wurly, its sound, I want one, I need it; but I hate watching my favorite instruments getting more popular and more expensive with each video or post

[@JorbLovesGear]

I would believe I can impact the used market occasionally, just because of how few of certain things are available. But wurlitzer prices are not going up because I talked about mine, this isn't some hidden gem.

[@LeoMrz]

@@JorbLovesGear Yeah, I meant that some instruments are hoarded by resellers apparently. I know you made a video about it but? If I'm so into EPs but low budget, do you think getting a Reface CP would suffice? I consider your approach to gear the most inspiring to explore and focus on what matters.

[@thomaspick4123]

To summarize, songs crafted in the decades, what keyboard: 1960s Wurlitzer. 1970s Fender Rhodes. 1980s Yamaha DX7 and Oberheim for analog synth. Wurlitzer = Richard Carpenter, Super Tramp. Fender Rhodes = Steely Dan. DX7 = DeBarge.

[@troublesomecorsair]

Wow. It's like a harmonica that you can play with your fingers.

[@JorbLovesGear]

..... Yeah exactly

[@nothankyou]

$800! Even with work needed that's an absolute steal - at least where I live.... I'd pay twice that for one in a heartbeat...

[@pooshNchums]

This was awesome and informative and I had zero interest in Wurlitzers 20 mins ago. Thanks dude

[@findmads]

Should I change the old amp to a Vintage Vibe Amp on my würlitzer200 or will the sound be changed drastically? or should I just buy parts to remove the hiss.... I currently get no sound from the AUX and only left head phone speaker. . . do you use a preamp to get AUX audio to your Volante? If you change the action hammer tips, should I do the whole mid section or is ok to change one or two (will their sound stick out too much from the others?) Thx for the video - love the channel....would you do a video about pros and cons to the Jupiterx and xm? Im curious about your opinion on those.... Cheers from Copenhagen

[@DangerAmbrose]

I wanted a Wurlitzer, Rhodes, and a Hammond B3 so I bought a Nord Electro 3.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Getting a rhodes and a wurly has me wanting a nord electro...hahaha

[@fatbobe1986]

I bought a nord electro 3hp about 10 years ago and it's by far the best thing I've bought for gigging. Great sound for all of the afore mentioned instruments, also lightweight yet extremely well made

[@shawnlennon1947]

have you ever had to add or take off solder to tune?

[@JulianChown]

Thanks for sharing this. Youve highlighted what i need to do to mine.... what lubricant did you use as i must sort my wurlitzer 200a's action which is a bit sticky in tge mid range

[@JorbLovesGear]

I cant remember, but it was specifically recommended on tropical fish or some other blog-type website

[@oraz.]

I didn't realize the reeds were that stubby.

[@VetleNr]

Do you have any tips on how to record the wurly 200? Recently got one! Compared to the 200a the 200 has a lower output right? Would love some thoughts on how to get the best sound from this thing!

[@JorbLovesGear]

I like it through an amp, direct to a DI works, the bravest souls mic the built-in speakers. Not sure about the 200 vs 200a output, my only real advice is find the right balance of gain / distortion in an amp or amp sim so you don't lose the dynamics / grit from its own amp.

[@evlosolve]

Would you ever consider making sample-packs/instruments? :)

[@JorbLovesGear]

I have done some multi sampled synths for the modern MPC's, and have started a few times to try and record my rhodes as a multi sample. But I haven't gotten any results *I* would use over a better library or a plug in. So I've thought about more experimental stuff, running the pianos through a bunch of effects, but we'll see if I can settle on a good way to do that.

[@whitebread940]

I got my mother’s old Wurlitzer out of the attic, still in good shape. How much should I ask for it? We’re moving and don’t have a dedicated place for it. I want someone to use it.

[@RikMaxSpeed]

Love the video and style. Have a real question for you: how does your real Wurli feel to you compared to the sampled/emulated versions from Nord, KORG, Roland etc.? Unlike a real piano, the sound comes out as a mono electric signal and there’s probably very little sympathetic string resonance - is it truly worth the extra care of having all this hardware?

[@JorbLovesGear]

It's harder to get right then the rhodes, I'll say that. But if course good emulations are available, my reface cp always does the job. Definitely not worth it for the sound, not for most people

[@RikMaxSpeed]

@@JorbLovesGear Yhanks for answering! I had the opportunity to buy a Rhodes piano some years ago, I was literally blown away by the sound from the huge speaker - but I sadly turned it down… 😢

[@JorbLovesGear]

@@RikMaxSpeed real speakers moving real air is special, guitar players def know this 😅😅😅

[@theheatstudio]

Awesome video!!! Question, can the AUX out that’s next to the headphone out be used as a line level signal? Is it Hi-Z or Lo-Z?

[@JorbLovesGear]

It's an unbalanced line level signal

[@theheatstudio]

@@JorbLovesGear thanks! Is that how you connected the Volante?

[@JorbLovesGear]

@@theheatstudio yup !

[@jamesdefrancesco7765]

Colleges have piano labs with 8 to 30 pjanos in the same room. I was in music college in the 80s and my college had a piano lab of avacado colored wurlys. I also owned one in 1981. Now, colleges use midi keyboards.

[@reallyoldcob]

where do I get a I < 3 Jorb beanie

[@JorbLovesGear]

sounds like i gotta add more merch

[@gregbeaudry]

New series “Me and Something I Love”

[@alexcristian2593]

how did you get rid of the mains humming?

[@JorbLovesGear]

When I refurbished the amp? Replaced all the capacitors, transistors, & voltage regulators

[@user-Wqir29482]

Is this the model that they use on pink floyd's money?

[@daneguitarist1]

i dont know if everyone knows this, but "jorb" actually made it to nationals in checkers

[@JorbLovesGear]

big day

[@daneguitarist1]

@@JorbLovesGear i dont remember if you took gold or silver, my brother was the other one... he kicks my ass in checkers

[@johngordonsongs]

Hi there. My EP 200A volume on/off pot just seized. Do you know what /where for a replacement? I'm in Australia. thanks

[@JorbLovesGear]

not sure if they ship to you, but vintage vibe is great for parts

[@francoisphong6024]

Hello Nice vidéo, I have a Wurlitzer too and the same buzz as yours at 9:36…How did you do to have a perfect sound with no buzz ?

[@JorbLovesGear]

It gets mentioned at some other point in the video, but I replaced all the electrolytic capacitors & voltage regulators in the amplifier

[@francoisphong6024]

@@JorbLovesGear great job ! Thank you for your answer… unfortunately I’m not a good repairer…;-)

[@F0nkyNinja]

So the Wurlitzer reed is just a fat accordion reed without a reed plate which is struck instead of excited through air pressure. Interesting.

[@JorbLovesGear]

....i want to say no, but high key i dont know enough about accordions

[@000AllLitUp000]

Which oscilloscope do you have?

[@JorbLovesGear]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZnJfnWMisRpqrM

[@bmuhamad]

Didn't Ray Charles play this, or similar on "What I Say?"

[@JorbLovesGear]

Exactly right. I think that was a 112 or a 140

[@stopmikeandjim3196]

Feels wrong to not have the bubble letters at the beginning

[@JorbLovesGear]

oh my god i forgot. LOL this was about 6pm to 1am working all in one block, ALLOW ME THIS TRANSGRESSION

[@bmuhamad]

😊

[@parkerstang1342]

did I hear MEGALOVANIA or am I just a confused man

[@JorbLovesGear]

😅When?

[@jonathanosborn4800]

You don't have enough space, you should give me your Wurli, it will have space to roam free

[@LordTufi]

You're a musician?

[@JorbLovesGear]

Not really

[@LordTufi]

@@JorbLovesGear You seem to be sliding about those keys quite well. Any professional/amateur training? Love the vids.

[@erwe1054]

150 вольт на пластине!

[@tubetime345]

Oh come on! there is only one rate a wurlitzer trem SHOULD have

[@verkehrsteilnehmer-berlin]

63 keys. So the bass isn't low.

[@user-ys1mb9ho2m]

americ anfootball

[@urwholefamilydied]

damn... sold mine about 15 years ago for $700. Just went on ebay... ummmmm, ya.

[@urwholefamilydied]

5:15 wait, just saw this part... $875?? Either you're doing a thing where you don't look like the idiot who paid 3 grand and everyone who owns like 8 of these is going to call you a "noob" or whatever. OR, you actually found the killer deal of a lifetime, but with every other guy who does youtube videos or blogs... you guys are the only ones who magically find great gear for 1/4 of what they're worth. Ebay prices now are at 3,500 on the low end. I can't imagine 3 years ago it was that much less.