Wurlitzer

The other electric piano — warmer, grittier, beloved

If the Rhodes is silk, the Wurlitzer is denim — warm, honest, slightly rough around the edges, and utterly beautiful in its imperfection. The Wurlitzer 200A electric piano has a bark and bite that the smoother Rhodes can't touch, a reedy, slightly nasal quality that cuts through a band like a conversation you can't ignore. Supertramp, Ray Charles, and every honky-tonk dreamer in between — the Wurlitzer is the people's electric piano.

History

The Wurlitzer company's history stretches back to 1853, when German immigrant Rudolph Wurlitzer established a musical instrument import business in Cincinnati. Over the following century, Wurlitzer became famous for jukeboxes, theater organs, and all manner of coin-operated entertainment devices. Their entry into the electric piano market came in the late 1950s, when the company began developing portable keyboard instruments for the education and home markets.

Unlike the Rhodes, which used metal tines and electromagnetic pickups, the Wurlitzer electric piano used vibrating metal reeds struck by felt-tipped hammers, with electrostatic pickups sensing the reed vibrations. This fundamentally different mechanism gave the Wurlitzer a completely different character — warmer and reedier than the bell-like Rhodes, with a more aggressive bark on hard-played notes and a nasal, almost vocal quality that made it immediately distinguishable.

The earliest Wurlitzer electric pianos — the 100 and 110 series from the early 1960s — were functional but unrefined. The 140 and 145 improved the action and sound. But it was the 200 series, introduced in 1968, that defined the Wurlitzer electric piano's legacy. The 200, 200A (with a harp cover), and 206/206A (student model) shared the same basic tone-generation mechanism and were the instruments that appeared on thousands of recordings from the late 1960s through the early 1980s.

The Wurlitzer 200A became a favorite of musicians who wanted an electric piano with more edge and character than the gentler Rhodes. Its built-in amplifier and speakers made it genuinely portable — you could carry it to a gig, plug it in, and play without any additional equipment. The tremolo circuit, while simpler than the Rhodes Suitcase's stereo tremolo, added a pulsing warmth that became a signature texture. The Wurlitzer also responded brilliantly to external effects — run it through an overdriven amplifier, and it produced a growling, distorted tone that could hold its own against electric guitars.

Wurlitzer ceased production of electric pianos in the early 1980s as digital keyboards took over the market. The company itself went through various ownership changes and eventually became part of the Gibson family of brands. But the 200A's distinctive sound has ensured its continued relevance — it has been sampled, modeled, and emulated more times than anyone can count, and original instruments remain in high demand among players and producers who prize its unique voice.

Notable Instruments

Wurlitzer 200A Electric Piano

The 200A is the Wurlitzer at its best — the same reed-based mechanism as earlier models, but with a refined action, improved electronics, and that handsome harp cover that protected the reeds during transport. Its sound is impossible to mistake for anything else. Where a Rhodes chimes, the Wurlitzer speaks — there's a vocal, reedy quality to the midrange that makes it sit in a mix differently from any other keyboard. Soft playing produces warm, rounded tones with a gentle breathiness. Hard playing produces a barking, almost angry attack that can be startlingly expressive.

Supertramp were the Wurlitzer's greatest champions. Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies used 200As extensively, and tracks like "The Logical Song," "Dreamer," and "Breakfast in America" feature some of the most iconic Wurlitzer performances ever recorded — that bright, slightly nasal piano sound driving some of the catchiest pop songs of the 1970s. Ray Charles used a Wurlitzer on "What'd I Say," one of the most important recordings in rock and roll history. Steely Dan's Donald Fagen used one on "Do It Again." The Zombies, Pink Floyd, and Radiohead have all featured the Wurlitzer's distinctive voice.

The 200A also became a secret weapon in modern production. Its reedy, slightly distorted character lends itself beautifully to lo-fi aesthetics, and producers in hip-hop, indie, and neo-soul have embraced it as a way to add warmth and character to digital productions. There's a reason the Wurlitzer keeps coming back while dozens of other vintage keyboards fade into obscurity — its sound occupies a unique frequency range and emotional space that nothing else can fill. The Rhodes may be more famous, but the Wurlitzer might be more loved.

All Models in Archive (2)

Electric Piano

• 145

Portable Keyboards

• 200A Electric Piano - 1968-1982