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Description

The Electra Piano is one of the lesser-known keyboards designed by Ernst Zacharias for Hohner. A patent for the action design was awarded to him in 1969, and the diagrams show what is in effect a fusion of a Rhodes and a Wurlitzer. It has individual tuning fork-style tone generators, but with a reed instead of a tine. Each assembly is mounted on rubber, and an electromagnetic pickup is mounted on a section of the tonebar which bends down to the side of the vibrating end of the reed. This can be bent towards or away from the reed to determine volume and dynamics. The action design is very similar to that of a Rhodes, with the hammer cam sliding over strip of felt on the back of the key as the key is depressed. A screwhead protruding from the back of the hammer cam can be adjusted from a slot in the rear of the case to set the escapement.

The Electra Piano has a few design flaws, the most significant being the dampers: as they damp directly onto the free ends of the reeds, they tend to wear out as the vibrating reed cuts the felt to pieces. The upper reeds tend to lose sustain, possibly due to the degradation of the rubber mountings, which are difficult to replace. After changing the felt dampers for a more durable material (rubber or even leather are more appropriate), and voicing the pickups, the Electra can a beautiful-sounding piano.

There was also a portable version of the Electra Piano called the Electra Piano T.

Grall Olivier

Grall Olivier

HOHNER Electra piano demo

Video thumbnail for HOHNER Electra piano demo by Grall Olivier

HOHNER Electra piano demo

Grall Olivier

Grall Olivier

Video thumbnail for Hohner electra piano by epservice

Hohner electra piano

epservice

epservice

Video thumbnail for Hohner Electra PIano by epservice

Hohner Electra PIano

epservice

epservice

Video thumbnail for Hohner Electra piano - Led Zeppelin (fender rhodes) by guitar master

Hohner Electra piano - Led Zeppelin (fender rhodes)

guitar master

guitar master

Video thumbnail for HOHNER Electra-piano. Zwischen Fender Rhodes und Wurlitzer EP-200.. by Dominik Bednarz

HOHNER Electra-piano. Zwischen Fender Rhodes und Wurlitzer EP-200..

Dominik Bednarz

Dominik Bednarz

Video thumbnail for Hohner Electra Piano by PreparedRhodes

Hohner Electra Piano

PreparedRhodes

PreparedRhodes

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Hohner Electra Piano.

Mods and upgrades

  • Incorporating a series 100k resistor on the return path significantly reduces noise when using pedals with the Hohner Electra Piano.

    Source

Setup and maintenance

  • Ground lifting the return channel can lower noise levels in a DIY FX loop setup on the Hohner Electra Piano.

    Source
  • Owners highlight potential difficulties in finding parts and repairing units like the Electra Piano, suggesting the need for technical skills or a second unit for parts.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • The flapping noise issue may not be related to the pedal's power supply filtration, as high-quality isolated PSUs were used without resolving the problem.

    Source

User experience

  • Power cycling either the piano or pedal chain temporarily stops the noise, but it usually returns after a varying period of 20 seconds to 5 hours.

    Source
  • Some users with large gear collections, including 28 guitars and multiple amps, express frustration over the lack of hardware modules for vintage electric piano sounds, indicating a niche demand.

    Source

Comparisons

  • The Hohner Electra Piano is mentioned alongside the Pianet N and Pianet T as vintage electric options similar to the Wurlitzer and Rhodes.

    Source

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Artist usage

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See how Paul McCartney uses Hohner Electra Piano

Paul McCartney

Singer, Bassist

The Beatles

...
Verified via Soundonsound

According to Sound on Sound, a Hohner Electra Piano was played on the Beatles' track "Come Together":

The instrument was used on some famous tracks: the Beatles’ "Come Together" has a brief Electra solo, and Led Zeppelin used one on number of tracks including "Stairway To Heaven."

According to The Beatles Bible, it was Paul who played the electric piano solo on this track.

See how John Paul Jones uses Hohner Electra Piano

John Paul Jones

Bassist, Keyboardist

Led Zeppelin

...
Verified via Photo

The Keyboards of Led Zeppelin & John Paul Jones website covers John Paul Jones's use of the Hohner Electra Piano:

Jones preferred recording with the Hohner instead of the popular Rhodes and Wurlitzer pianos, as he liked its stiff keyboard action better. John Paul Jones didn't use the ElectraPiano live; only in the studio. This is because its wooden casing was more like home furniture, and was not too portable. It's sound was not clear live. "It didn't really cut through. Plus, it wasn't really built for road work. It was the sort of thing you'd have in your front room. I think that's what it was designed for," said Jones.

"Stairway To Heaven" is Led Zeppelin's most famous track, and the Hohner piano is played in a supporting role beginning at 2:14. Jones recalls playing directly into the console and using the Hohner for the piano chords with left hand bass. The part is very subtle, a supportive texture underneath the guitar tracks that follows the chord progression.

Following "Stairway To Heaven" on Zeppelin's fourth album is "Misty Mountain Hop," a bouncing heavy rock song that is based around a strong syncopated ElectraPiano riff. The riff continues throughout the song and is heavier sounding than the "Stairway To Heaven" piano, as it was recorded through its amp and speaker, not directly to the console.

Led Zeppelin's most obvious "keyboard" song comes from the Houses of the Holy album. Beginning with a long electric piano instrumental, "No Quarter" was Jones's featured solo section in the live show for many years. The Hohner is processed through an EMS VCS3 synthesizer to create a 'wobbly' sound. In concert, Jones extended the song with lengthy improvisations and duets with Jimmy Page on guitar.

"Down By The Seaside" is another Hohner ElectraPiano song, with Jones playing a traditional country-pop piano arrangement.

See how Chick Corea uses Hohner Electra Piano

Chick Corea

Keyboardist

Return to Forever

...
Verified via YouTube

In this video, Corea can be seen playing a Hohner Electra-Piano at the Isle of Wight Festival with Miles Davis in 1970. Corea can be seen throughout the video, but there are some good close-up shots around the 9:00 mark.

See how Sun Ra uses Hohner Electra Piano

Sun Ra

Keyboardist, Composer

Sun Ra & His Arkestra

...
Verified via Photo

Sun Ra can be seen playing an Electra Piano in this ad from Hohner.

See how Gordon Beck uses Hohner Electra Piano

Gordon Beck

Keyboardist, Composer

...
Verified via Photo

This Hohner ad reads “Gordon Beck plays the Hohner Electra-piano.”

Sound on Sound’s piece on inventor Ernst Zacharias claimed Beck performed the most definitive Electra Piano recording:

The definitive Electra Piano recording features the British jazz pianist Gordon Beck playing a long solo introduction to ‘Ariadne’ on the Nucleus album Labyrinth from 1973. Here, we encounter in full the gorgeous harp-like quality of the Electra.

The article later had this to say about Beck’s deal with Hohner:

One story we heard from a student of Gordon Beck was that Beck had an endorsement from Hohner to use the Electra Piano. He devised his own portable chopped version of the Electra, which he claimed Hohner copied for the T. When he was presented with the factory version he was so disgusted with the way his design had been adapted that he gave up playing Hohner instruments and from then on used Rhodes pianos instead.

See how Richard Hewson uses Hohner Electra Piano

Richard Hewson

Guitarist, Keyboardist

...
Verified via Muzines

Hewson Mentions using a Hohner electric piano in this article. A Hohner Electra piano can be seen in the background of the article’s photo.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Hohner Electra Piano, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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1 alternative for Hohner Electra Piano, curated by the Equipboard community.

Hohner Electra Piano T

 

Vintage or Discontinued newer similar sound

The Hohner Electra Piano T was designed to be a more portable version of the console Electra Piano.

More Hohner Vintage & Electric Pianos

Community setups

  • Added to Equipboard on by

    haas123
    haas123

    Gear IQ 21966