Should I buy this Wurlitzer?

[colorbars]

I've been wanting a Wurlitzer for quite some time and a wurlitzer 200 just showed up in the local classifieds for $800 which seems like a pretty good price from what I've seen on eBay, but apparently 3 keys don't work... The seller says this is an "easy fix" but I'm still wary. What do you guys think?

[silikon]

"easy fix" is a catch-all phrase people say to get rid of their s**t when they really don't know, or don't care enough to get the stuff worked out. If it were an easy fix, one might assume that the seller could fix it BEFORE listing.

Caveat Emptor; I'd go look at it and probably offer him less than he wants. If you are wanting to get a Wurly to play immediately, rather than buy and wait for repairs to be made (at whatever cost, I would expect a minimum of $200 dollars in this case) I would hold on to your cash.

Just my opinion.

[space6oy]

i think this belongs in the buyer's guide section.

[garranimal]

These 200 models should be going for $350-500, depending on condition maybe less. Most of them need work and are money pit projects. I restored a couple of Rhodes MK1 models, and EPs are mostly mechanical, very few electronics components. So yeah they make good DIY restoration projects w/ lots of good resources for advice, tips, and parts being made for most everything. But get the price down to earth for sure. Sellers are asking the moon for everything these days. The latest trend I guess, they can keep asking it doesn't mean they'll ever get that much.

[analoglsd]

"easy fix" is a catch-all phrase people say to get rid of their s**t when they really don't know, or don't care enough to get the stuff worked out. If it were an easy fix, one might assume that the seller could fix it BEFORE listing.

Caveat Emptor; I'd go look at it and probably offer him less than he wants. If you are wanting to get a Wurly to play immediately, rather than buy and wait for repairs to be made (at whatever cost, I would expect a minimum of $200 dollars in this case) I would hold on to your cash.

Just my opinion.

+1

[nvining]

The Rhodes and the Clavinet are both super-easy to work on; the Wurlitzer is horrible bloody living h**l to tune, adjust, or repair.

Avoid unless you plan on sending it to Vintage Vibe or another reputable tech - and this is from somebody who likes DIY.

[garranimal]

The Rhodes and the Clavinet are both super-easy to work on; the Wurlitzer is horrible bloody living h**l to tune, adjust, or repair.

Avoid unless you plan on sending it to Vintage Vibe or another reputable tech - and this is from somebody who likes DIY.

This is good to know about the Wurlis, not that they're falling off trees around my part of town. I have used Vintage Vibe to source Rhodes parts and like them a lot. These old EPs are a labor of love and it's good that we can still find parts.

[synthRodriguez]

That sounds like a lot.

[WhinyLittleRunt]

Is it a 200 or a 200a?

Honestly, $800 is a lot of money for one of these if it's got issues. 3 keys not working can be anything from mechanical to pickup problems. They're not that hard to work on, they just require a lot more removal of components to get to stuff unlike the Rhodes which is pretty much remove the cover and you're there... But doing hammer replacement, key adjustments and tuning can be painful. Mine came out of a non-climate controlled garage and was sitting forever in there before I got it, and there were no issues with anything other than key strike-line adjustments which are easy enough.

Offer him $500 and see what he says. Ask him if it's such an easy fix, why didn't he fix it?