The sound of the electric piano was a vast departure from that of an acoustic piano, but it became increasingly popular for the studio as well for touring. Eventually the quest for greater portability led to the development of new electro-mechanical assemblies that use metal bars or rods to generate a tone, which is in turn captured by pickup and fed to the amplified speaker. While those were lighter than conventional acoustic pianos, they still weighed hundreds of pounds due to their soundboards. Sparkle-Top Models (1965-1969) The self-amplified Fender Rhodes Electric Piano first appeared with its silver harp cover in 1965. Early models were actually acoustic pianos with built-in magnetic pickups, which convert the motion of strings into electrical signals that can be amplified through a speaker. Harold Rhodes spent nearly two decades designing keyboards for educational use before inventing the Rhodes piano as we know it today. Electric pianos began to be developed almost as soon as humans harnessed electricity.

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