On Friday, Rhodes Music announced "the third drop in its Custom Shop series: the MK8 ‘Golden Brown.’ Inspired by the Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass that was popularized onstage by The Doors, this limited‑edition MK8 pays homage to one of the most charismatic instruments of the 1960s. With a shimmering Gold Sparkletop hood and a Chestnut Brown tolex base, Golden Brown reimagines that vintage legend through the lens of modern craftsmanship."
“Golden Brown is one of my personal favourites from the Rhodes Custom Shop. Inspired by the rare gold-sparkle lid and brown Tolex Piano Bass of the 1960s, the Golden Brown MK8 oozes class and cool without ever feeling overstated. It captures the essence of that sought-after vintage aesthetic while pairing it with the MK8’s innovative features and hand-built precision. Pure class.”
"Golden Brown extends the legacy of the Rhodes Gold Sparkle Piano Bass into a modern MK8, combining vintage inspiration with custom‑shop craftsmanship," they say. "Each instrument’s autumn‑toned finish is accented by hand‑assembled components and Rhodes’ signature analogue signal path. Like all Custom Shop releases, Golden Brown is made to order, individually numbered, and will not be produced again after the drop concludes on October 30th. Hand‑built by master builders in England, this limited‑edition piano embodies a golden era at Rhodes."
Key Features (directly from Rhodes):
- Gold Sparkletop Hood — A shimmering hood inspired by the vintage Gold Sparkle Piano Bass.
- Chrome Front Panel with Black Inlays — Polished chrome panel featuring black preamp and FX inlays.
- Harvest Gold Dial Caps & Logo Plates — Warm dial caps and matching black-on-Harvest Gold logo plates.
- Chestnut Brown Tolex Base — The first non-black tolex finish on a MK8, echoing autumn tones.
- 73‑Note Kluge Keyboard — Precision keybed crafted by Kluge Klaviaturen (Steinway Group).
- Custom Stereo‑Analogue FX Processor — Compressor, phaser, chorus and delay with true bypass and expression pedal control.
- MK8 Analogue Preamp — Parametric EQ, analogue drive, envelope control, wah and vari‑pan with multiple wave shapes.
- MIDI Optional — Available with or without MIDI; full MIDI integration is an additional £1299.
Golden Brown is available exclusively through the Rhodes Custom Shop for a limited time. Orders open on Thursday, October 16, at 3 PM BST and close on Thursday, October 30 at 3 PM BST.
Each piano is built to order, individually numbered, and will not be reissued once the window closes.
Pricing
- £11,995 GBP (+ VAT)
- €13,995 EUR (+ local taxes)
- $15,995 USD
