Question For Casio Experts

[cgarges]

Hey, all you keyboard guys!

For years, I've been wanting to get some kind of tiny polyphonic keyboard with a built-in speaker that I can keep in the control room to reference specific pitches in a pinch. Something like that would be helpful for quickly figuring out chords or jotting down the notes of a specific harmony part before someone forgets it. It'd be great to have something small that I can just grab in a hurry. It doesn't have to sound good or even interesting, but it does have to be at least CLOSE to 440, if not pretty perfectly in-tune. Casio, Yamaha, whatever, it doesn't really matter.

So, again, here's the wish list:

Compact size (about a foot long or less)
Polyphonic (at least four notes-- more is better)
Built-in speaker (or two)
Battery-operated
Either tunable or reliably A=440

If it has fun sounds, even better. If it has a line out, even better. If it doesn't take a handful of esoteric batteries, even better, but the above stuff is what's really important. Oh, and I'm not looking to spend a handful of bucks on it, either.

Got anything specific to recommend that I should look for?

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[Gregg Juke]

Get a used Casio SK-1 Chris (they're all used now-- vintage stuff). Your criteria will be met. The on-board sounds are ridiculously quaint and lo-fi, but the real reason to have it is that it has a sampler (one of the first portable on-board consumer models).

Sick lo-fi sampler that I've used on several recordings. It is mini-key though (sometimes that bothers keyboard players or large-fingered people).

Try ebay. If there isn't an SK-1, there probably will be something in the SK series for sale. Many people mod them too with weird patchbay hacks and such for crazy circuit-bent sounds.

GJ

[joelpatterson]

The Casio Rapman clocks in at just under 19", but the bevy of sounds and percussion patterns and synth/bass/rhythm loops is actually quite groovy-- polyphonic, European police sirens and gamelan and church bells, in addition to all the usual suspects.

The SK-5 has two sample pads, which (I found through serendipitous experimenting ) are exactly the right duration to make your own version of "You Can't Touch This" from the original Rich James "Superfreak"-- not that I should really admit it.

[kslight]

Eh if you want to be really cheap the SK series is *usually* priced a bit high (anywhere from $50-100) on eBay, unless you find one locally you won't find one much cheaper... You can find Casio MT-140s very cheap and frequent on Craigslist...around $10-15, or the old Yamaha PSS-140, PSS-12, PSS-11....are all pretty cool and cheaply found also.

[cgarges]

And these are all polyphonic?

You guys rule.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[cgarges]

Any reason NOT to buy one of the comparable Concertmate models?

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[kslight]

And these are all polyphonic?

You guys rule.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

Yeah I've got a pile of about 20 or so from this era of Casio and Yamaha...

Concertmate = Radioshack rebrand so its the same thing with a new logo.

[A.David.MacKinnon]

There's almost always something like this at Value Village or the like. Usually with the toys and kids junk.

[winky dinglehoffer]

I happened to look at a Brandsmart ad today that had a Casio 32 key "mini" keyboard for $28.00--while supplies last!!! Probably has standard GM type sounds that are bland but not totally stinky.
Beyond that, I'm with whoever said Rapman.

[joelpatterson]

"Whoever"... I like that!

[syrupcore]

if you have one, pretty much all smartphones have free polyphonic synth apps.

[cgarges]

That's probably a bit TOO small.

[Brett Siler]

Any reason NOT to buy one of the comparable Concertmate models?

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

If you are talking about the Realistic Concertmate, no reason not to buy them. They are the exact same as some of the Casio series they were just sold through Radio Shack.

[ott0bot]

If you don't need sampling, then I'd avoid the over-inflated price tag on the SK series. The Casio MT-100 (or MT-140) sounds like it'd fit the bill. Has some great tones and is pretty durable. If you actually want do some playing with it, it's got some character. If you want to search a little more the mt-40's are pretty snazzy, but rarer.

But if you want something a little smaller I'd look for a Casio VL-5. It's a polyphonic version (not sure how many voices, though) of the vl-1 (or vl tone). I own a vl-tone, but a friend of mine had a vl-5, and that thing rocks. It's tunable, but I'm not sure if A will equal 440. My vl-1 goes out of tune, here and there, but it's not too bad. It's only like a foot long, has little button keyboards that are perfect for your fingers, and the speaker sounds fairly decent. Google casio vl-5(or vl tone) and you'll get some more info.

edit-
found this link on the vl-5: http://weltenschule.de/TableHooters/Casio_VL-5.html

[A.David.MacKinnon]

edit-
found this link on the vl-5: http://weltenschule.de/TableHooters/Casio_VL-5.html

and you can play Da Da Da by Trio on it.