The Fender Rhodes is one of the most iconic electric pianos ever manufactured. So, naturally, in the age of digital music production, producers everywhere search far and wide for a VST that accurately emulates the classic Rhodes sound.
Well, thankfully your search can end here because in this guide, I will go over the 5 best Fender Rhodes VSTs so you can incorporate that iconic warm e-piano sound into your modern day productions.
What Are the Best Fender Rhodes VSTs?
While there are many Rhodes-inspired VSTs out there to choose from, after lots of testing, comparisons, and research I've narrowed down the list to these 5:
All of these plugins do a great job of faithfully sampling and recreating the sound of real Rhodes pianos, although they each have slight differences in tone and functionality. With all that said, let's dive into our list of the best Fender Rhodes VSTs.
Cost: $99
Free Trial: 7-day free trial
Lounge Lizard is one of the most popular options out there when it comes to Rhodes VSTs. At $99 it's pretty affordable for a top-notch synth and has a rich and warm low end, exactly what we're looking for in Rhodes emulation plugins.
This VST comes loaded with tons of great presets and also offers useful tone customization options such as compressors, EQs, reverb, distortion, and more while still maintaining a simple and user-friendly interface. Also, in addition to the Rhodes presets, there's also some Wurlitzer presets available which will allow you to expand your library of classic 60s and 70s electric piano sounds.
Here's a helpful video which shows the VST in use:
Click the button below to learn more about Lounge Lizard and to download your free trial!
Cost: $79
Free Trial: 7-day free trial
The Electric 88 from Waves is the cheapest option on this list, but you'd never know it after hearing its sound. Waves did a great job of capturing the true vintage character of the classic Rhodes and other iconic electric pianos.
With each key sound painstakingly sampled in a "non-linear" way, this VST has an authentic and unmistakable human feel, perfectly reminiscent of how e-pianos actually sounded in the 60s and 70s. There's also tons of customization options to dial in the exact tone you're looking for such as compression, tremolo, autopan, and much more. For those looking for a great Rhodes VST at a reasonable price, look no further than the Electric 88.
Here's a helpful video which shows the VST in use:
Click the button below to learn more about Electric 88 and to download your free trial!
Cost: $399
Free Trial: No free trial
Keyscape is a bit different than the other options on this list because it's a full-blown 77 GB piano sample library with acoustic pianos, mini pianos, and much more in addition to their vast electric piano/Rhodes library. Because of that huge and high-quality library, it's the most expensive option on this list at $399.
Before the price tag scares you away, just know this will likely be the only piano VST you'll ever need. With that huge piano library, tons of fantastic presets, and endless customization options, all your future piano needs are more than covered with Keyscape. For each piano model available in the library, the software team did a painstaking job of making sure all the subtleties of the pianos are expressed, such as mechanical noise, pedal noises, and more. You can also send each model through a variety of vintage amps and effects to create unique combinations.
Here's a helpful video which shows the Rhodes model in use:
Click the button below to learn more about all Keyscape has to offer!
Cost: $199
Free Trial: 7-day free trial
Arturia is a world-renowned synth software developer, and they put that experience to good use with the Stage-73 V Rhodes VST. Featuring faithful digital recreations of both the Rhodes Suitcase Piano and Stage Piano, this plugin is about the closest you can get to the real thing.
The developers were hyper-focused of accurately emulating each component of the Rhodes pianos (pickups, circuitry, etc.) that in totality add up to that warm vintage sound we all know and love. The interface is simple and clean while still offering lots of presets and customization options, making it an easy and fun VST to pull up and just start playing. It also allows you to create your own signal chain with various stompboxes and vintage amps to choose from.
Here's a helpful video which shows the VST in use:
Click the button below to learn more about Stage-73 V and to download your free trial!
Cost: $99
Free Trial: 7-day free trial
The Velvet 2 is one of the lesser known Rhodes VSTs, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hold its own against the other synths on this list. It features 5 separate e-piano emulations: Fender Rhodes Suitcase, Fender Rhodes MK I and MK II Stage Pianos, Wurlitzer 200A and Hohner Pianet-T.
It comes jam-packed with over 350 presets, providing you with a huge e-piano playground as you explore each one until you find one that catches your ear. There's also tons of effects that allow you to customize your sound such as a phaser, flanger, compression, chorus, and much more. At $99 it's one of the cheaper options on this list, which makes it a great value for those looking for a solid Rhodes VST with lots of presets.
Here's a helpful video which shows the VST in use:
Click the button below to learn more about Velvet 2 and to download your free trial!
I hope this guide helps you learn about some of the top Fender Rhodes VSTs available! Enjoyed this guide? Make sure to check out our Bedroom Producer Essentials Guide or some of our other reviews/buyer's guides.
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