Vintage Vibe | |
Type: | Private |
Genre: | Music |
Location: | Rockaway, New Jersey, United States |
Area Served: | Worldwide |
Industry: | Musical instruments |
Products: | Electric pianos |
Vintage Vibe is a manufacturer of mechanical electric pianos, based in Rockaway, New Jersey.[1] The company also offers repair and restoration services for electric pianos, keyboard instruments and amplifiers, brand new parts for vintage electric pianos, and manufactures a modern tine-based electro-mechanical piano.
The company started in 1997 as an instrument rental business, before switching to repairs due to difficulties competing in that market.[2] In 2011, they started manufacturing electric pianos, similar to those manufactured by Rhodes in sound and Wurlitzer in appearances.[1]
Vintage Vibe debuted their tine based piano, at the 2011 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California.[3] The electric piano combines the sound of a Rhodes with a body that resembles a Wurlitzer Electric Piano. The Vintage Vibe Piano was designed to be half the weight of traditional tine-based electric pianos. The action and tone are inspired by the early Fender Rhodes.The piano uses American swaged steel tines and hand-wound pickups along with a choice of active or passive electronics to achieve its tone.[4] The Vintage Vibe Piano is available in a number of different variants.
The Vibanet was introduced at the 2013 NAMM Show.[5] Unlike the tine based Vintage Vibe Piano, the Vibanet is modeled after the Hohner Clavinet, which is a string based electric clavichord. However, like the Vintage Vibe Piano, the Vibanet was made with a modern approach. Also half the weight, the Vibanet's exterior has been redesigned for a sleek look and quick access to tuning pegs.
The Vibanet features 60 keys, an autowah preamp and a revolutionary dampening system using a polymer gel rather than the yarn used by Hohner.