Editing Rhodes piano (section)

===Early models: Xylette, Pre-Piano ("Bantam Piano") and Piano Bass===
[[File:Prepiano.png|thumb|Rhodes's "Pre-Piano," first marketed in 1948]]
[[Harold Rhodes (inventor)|Harold Rhodes]] started teaching piano when he was 19. He dropped out of the [[University of Southern California]] in 1929 to support his family through the [[Great Depression]] by full-time teaching. He designed a method that combined [[classical music|classical]] and [[Jazz|jazz music]], which became popular across the United States,<ref name="obit">{{cite news
| title = Harold Rhodes, 89, Inventor of an Electronic Piano
| work = The New York Times
| first=Jon
| last=Pareles
| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/04/arts/harold-rhodes-89-inventor-of-an-electronic-piano.html?scp=1&sq=fender%20rhodes&st=cse
| date=January 4, 2001
| access-date=November 6, 2013
| url-access=limited}}</ref> and led to an hour-long nationally syndicated radio show. Rhodes continued to teach piano throughout his lifetime, and his piano method continues to be taught today.<ref name="rpm">{{cite web|url=http://rhodespianomethod.org/history.html|title=History|publisher=Rhodes Piano Method|access-date=November 5, 2013}}</ref> He continually refined and updated the design of the instrument up to 1984.{{sfn|Lenhoff|Robertson|2019|p=212}}

By 1942, Rhodes was in the [[United States Army Air Corps|Army Air Corps]], where he created a piano teaching method to provide therapy for soldiers recovering from combat in hospital. From scrapped airplanes, he eventually developed miniature pianos that could be played in bed.<ref name="obit"/>{{sfn|Lenhoff|Robertson|2019|p=230}} He was discharged from the Army Air Corps in September 1944.<ref>"Wounded Men Amused By 'Lap-Model' Piano." Los Angeles Times, March 19, 1945, 6.</ref> He named his (non-amplified) lap instrument the "Xylette,"{{sfn|Lenhoff|Robertson|2019|p=230}} and a 1945 newspaper described its materials and their source: "The Xylette is being constructed by patients in the craft shops of the convalescent hospitals. The [aluminum] xylophone bars are made from discarded hydraulic systems, the plywood from hatchways, keys from the fuselage spruce, and hammers from the hardwood of the propellor."<ref>"Wounded Men Amused By 'Lap-Model' Piano." Los Angeles Times, March 19, 1945, 6.</ref>

On March 18, 1945, Rhodes visited the Santa Ana Army Base Convalescent Hospital, in [[Santa Ana, California|Santa Ana]], [[California]], bringing with him eight Xylettes, and having visited seven similar military hospitals across the U.S.<ref>"Wounded Men Amused By 'Lap-Model' Piano." Los Angeles Times, March 19, 1945, 6.</ref> When Rhodes had visited the Army's Fort Logan convalescent hospital, in [[Fort Logan, Colorado|Fort Logan]], [[Colorado]], a month earlier, he supervised construction of Xylettes and provided instruction, noting that "exercise afforded by a keyboard instrument is effective in the restoration of neuro-muscular coordination of fingers, hands and arms."<ref>"Use Bomber Parts to Build Pianos." The Daily Times (New Philadelphia, OH), February 16, 1945, 3.</ref> A ''[[Popular Mechanics]]'' article in June 1945 pictured recovering veterans playing their Xylettes at the Army's Ft. Thomas convalescent hospital, in [[Fort Thomas, Kentucky|Fort Thomas]], [[Kentucky]].<ref>"AF Vets Build Midget Pianos and Learn to Play Tunes in 21 Days." Popular Mechanics 83:6 (June 1945), 16.</ref>

Rhodes, in California, next developed an electrically-amplified 38-key instrument, again without strings—instead, using carbon steel rods and advertised as "never needing to be tuned." It was labeled the "Pre-Piano," also being advertised as the "Bantam Piano" to broaden its appeal.<ref>"Lyon & Healy introduce this fascinating new Bantam Piano for the home, the school, the club" (advertisement). Chicago Tribune, July 18, 1948, 5.</ref><ref>"See The World's Newest Baby Grand! The Bantam Piano" (advertisement, Campbell Music Company). Washington (DC) Evening Star, November 8, 1948, A-3.</ref> Its public debut was in Los Angeles on May 21, 1948, at the Broadway department store.<ref>"Twenty-Pound Bantam Piano Put on Show." Los Angeles Times, May 22, 1948, 3.</ref> Rhodes was present as demonstrator, as was songwriter [[Jimmy McHugh]]; by that date, Rhodes had built 100 of the instruments in his factory space at 2370 E. Foothill Blvd. in Pasadena.<ref>"Want to be a Piano Mover? Inventor Here Makes It Easy." Pasadena Independent, May 23, 1948, 18.</ref> 

By mid-1948 the Pre-Piano was being used for teaching in the Los Angeles public school system,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Seidkin |first=Phyllis |date=June 18, 1948 |title=Ex-Marine Enjoys Playing Tiny Piano in Show Window |work=[[The Press Democrat|Santa Rosa Press-Democrat]] |page=13 |publication-place=[[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]], [[California]]}}</ref> and was eventually adopted in other cities, including Chicago. Among Rhodes's promotional appearances away from Los Angeles was Chicago's Lyon & Healy music store, where he demonstrated the instrument between July 21 and 23, 1948.<ref>"Lyon & Healy introduce this fascinating new Bantam Piano for the home, the school, the club" (advertisement). Chicago Tribune, July 18, 1948, 5.</ref> During the summer of 1948 pianist and song-stylist Gwen Bari was Rhodes's representative and demonstrator in Philadelphia,<ref>"First Showing in the East, and Only at Gimbel's: The Bantam Piano" (advertisement). Philadelphia Inquirer, June 16, 1948, 14.</ref>—including a local television broadcast.<ref>"Demonstrations Daily, 1 to 3 p.m., by Gwen Bari" (advertisement, Kelley's furniture store). The Desert Sun, December 17, 1948, 9.</ref> She likewise appeared for promotions in Cleveland, New York, and Chicago.<ref>"Village Musicians Return From East." August 17, 1948, 5.</ref> Her husband and violinist-partner Gene Bari was Rhodes's sales agent in Palm Springs (CA), advertising the instrument at $189.50 with amplification either built into the instrument or as an outboard unit, though it "also plays without amplification."<ref>"Pre-Piano: The World's Smallest Baby Grand" (advertisement). The Desert Sun, May 7, 1948, 4.</ref> The instrument weighed twenty pounds by itself, and thirty pounds including its tubular base with attached seat, and the Baris were then using it in performances at Palm Springs' Desert Inn.<ref>"Midget Piano Delights Inn Guests." The Desert Sun, May 11, 1948, 8.</ref>

In 1958, Rhodes began a business affiliation with [[Leo Fender]] to manufacture instruments.<ref>Smith, Don. "Countian Produces Compact Instrument: Technical Ingenuity 'Shrinks' Bass Fiddle." The Register (Orange County, CA), April 15, 1962, 6.</ref> For Fender, Rhodes developed a 32-note [[keyboard bass]] approximating the string bass's range (E1-B3), known as the Piano Bass.{{sfn|Lenhoff|Robertson|2019|p=218}} The instrument introduced the design that would become common to subsequent Rhodes pianos, with the same [[Tolex]] body as Fender amplifiers and a [[fiberglass]] top. The tops came from a boat manufacturer who supplied whatever color happened to be available; consequently a number of different colored piano basses were produced.{{sfn|Vail|2000|p=266}}

Some recent, undocumented sources place Piano Bass manufacture as early as 1959. Actual production (for retail sale) in Fender's Fullerton plant, however, began early in 1962—following manufacture of prototypes that "[had then] been in use throughout the Southwest for more than a year."<ref>Smith, Don. "Countian Produces Compact Instrument: Technical Ingenuity 'Shrinks' Bass Fiddle." The Register (Orange County, CA), April 15, 1962, 6.</ref> The earliest-known national advertisement for the instrument was in Down Beat's July 1962 issue.<ref>"New: The Fender-Rhodes Piano Bass" (advertisement) Down Beat, July 1962, 38.</ref>