The classic Fender Rhodes piano was based on The Army Air corps piano, designed by Harold Rhodes in World War II in an effort to provide a piano that injured servicemen could practice while in bed. The tone generating mechanism involves a stiff wire (Tine) being struck by a felt tipped hammer. The resulting sound is picked up with an eletromagnetic pickup (one per tine) and sent through to an amplifier. The resulting sound is bell like, not dissimilar to that of a glockenspiel.

 

It's distinctive sound can be heard on many Jazz -fusion and rock tracks.  The first model to be produced by Fender-Rhodes was the 32-note PianoBass in 1959. This was followed by the Sparkletop Fender-Rhodes Electric Piano or "Mark 0" (1965), Mark I (1970) and Mark II (1979). The final Rhodes electric piano was the Mk V in 1984 but the sound is still a popular preset sound on most modern Synths, electronic keyboards and various software base instruments.