Rhodes Music has officially announced the Stage 61, a fully passive 61-key tine piano that captures the signature touch, feel, and sound of a Rhodes in a compact, gig-ready design.
Built for touring musicians yet equally suited for studio environments, the Stage 61 will be available for preorder starting March 25, including a special Launch Edition limited to 61 units.
Since the Rhodes brand resurfaced in 2020, the company has continued to build on its rich heritage while introducing modern innovations. The Stage 61 is the latest addition to Rhodes’ legacy of handcrafted instruments, following the flagship MK8 piano in 2021, which has since expanded to include MIDI functionality.
The Stage 61 simplifies the Rhodes experience, returning to a stripped-down, classic design inspired by the original Rhodes pianos of the ‘60s, ‘70s, and early ‘80s. With a focus on playability and portability, it offers musicians a pure, unprocessed Rhodes sound in a format that stays true to its roots while catering to contemporary players.
“The new Rhodes Stage-61 perfectly embodies the classic Rhodes Stage tone, now housed in a compact and portable retro-future shell designed by Axel Hartmann,” said Dan Goldman, Chief Product Officer at Rhodes Music. “Utilizing the exact same (Kluge) keyboard, precision components, and technology found in our flagship MK8 tine piano, it’s the ideal choice for both stage and studio performers alike.”
Limited Launch Edition. To mark the launch of the Stage 61, Rhodes is introducing a limited Launch Edition, with just 61 units available worldwide. Axel Hartmann, renowned for his decades of experience designing musical instruments and the creator behind the MK8’s exterior, crafted this edition, which features a khaki green ABS hood with a premium wear-resistant vinyl finish, a black front panel with orange accents, and exclusive design details.
The Launch Edition’s aesthetic draws inspiration from classic ‘60s and ‘70s racing decals, blending vintage influences with a modern design approach. Previous limited-edition Rhodes releases — such as the MK8/75AE, which sold out instantly, and the MK8 Earth Edition, which is also now completely sold out — have proven highly popular among collectors and musicians alike.
Rhodes Stage 61 Key Features:
- 61-Key Kluge Klaviaturen Keybed – Precision-crafted by Kluge Klaviaturen GmbH (Steinway Group) for an expressive, piano-like feel.
- Classic Passive Circuitry – No external power required; delivers a pure analog signal path with volume and tone controls. Designed to be used with an amplifier, DI box, or preamp
- Compact and Portable – At 59 lbs, the Stage 61 is the most compact and portable Rhodes model to date.
- Authentic Sound & Feel – Tines, pickups, hammer tips, and the cable-driven sustain pedal are taken directly from the MK8.
- Studio & Stage Ready – Single jack output for seamless connection to amplifiers, interfaces, or pedalboards.
- Durable Build – Tolexed wooden case with a protective ABS lid ensures resilience for touring and studio use.
Pricing and Availability:
Preorders for the Rhodes Stage 61 will open on Tuesday, March 25, exclusively through the Rhodes website.
The Rhodes Stage 61 sells for $6,495 USD / £4,995 / €5,995, and the special Stage 61 Launch Edition (Limited to 61 units) is $6,995 USD / £5,495 / €6,495.
Customers may place a 20 percent deposit or pay in full; those who pay in full will also receive a complimentary instrument stand (valued at $500). Orders are expected to ship approximately six months after purchase.
It’s about 3k too expensive…
It’s a mechanical instrument.
In line with MrMidi’s response, you aren’t going to get an electric (not electronic) piano for much less new.
Well up until about 10 years ago you could get an old wurli or rhodes for a reasonable enough price. By reasonable we’re talking ~ €1000-2000
Those days are gone. The price is almost 3 or 4 times that now. I almost bought a rhodes several times over and then realised how big and heavy they are and how I’m not very good at playing. Plus they almost always require servicing and maintenance
I settled for a Yamaha Reface CP. MIDI’d up to a larger keybed. It’s compact, sounds great, has all the well known classic electric pianos, has like 128 voice polyphony iirc, has cool tweakable built-in FX, doesn’t make me feel guilty I can’t play very well and was pretty affordable. It’s not perfect but it does really well for me
agreed. Reface was an excellent set of synths.. love the CP and YC the most. i do miss the mechanical marvels though. so much subtle variation. hope to own a piano one more time before i go.
Sadly I sold my Wurly after graduating from college (‘82) for $600!
More like 5K…
outside the jazz world, isn’t the rhodes bass the most recognizable as the Doors bass sound? i wonder if they’d do a reissue of that which was actually affordable like the original. It’s like Moog reissuing D’s in this price range . . . at the time of release in the 60s and 70s, those small ‘add-on’ keyboards sat on top of a full b3 or rhodes and were known as the affordable ones. They were affordable and that’s why musicians had them and created with them! I still love seeing them, i’d just lik a chance to own one too sadly.
“now housed in a compact and portable retro-future shell designed by Axel Hartmann,”
that looks like a bobby car or a plastic bucket to potty train the children ^^
srsly, what are they thinking?
Which octave range is it? A low C range is good for singing along to. A high C range is good for comping and solos. It would be nice if they offered both ranges.