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MitsuharuSan

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  1. Keep an eye on other Casio keyboards that look to be from around the same time (similar structure and construction, same number of sounds, etc). In the early 90's they recycled the same soundbanks in a lot of their keyboards, and I'm pretty sure that the CT-637 ToneBank is the same from other keyboards released around that time.
  2. IIRC, CTKs 711ex and 811ex are "upgraded" versions of CTKs 601 and 611. I had a 601, it's a nice keyboard with some limited editable parameters. Nothing huge, but thanks to the synth section it's capable of doing interesting sounds. It's definitely different from the CTK-1000, though (I had both at the same time to compare), but I would say that they're both nice instruments. A friend of mine repaired a 711ex when I still had my 601 - which is in his hands now, by the way - and I remember that it had the same timbres and rhythms plus more, so it's probably the same sound generator with extra features. For instance, it had a sort of "wah lead" sound (I'm not sure what it was actually called) that the 601 didn't.
  3. Any of the 1989 or so full keys Casio keyboards will give you the very same sounds (you can easily spot them because they all look similar). The most common 1989 model seems to be the MT-240, but any of the "40" keyboards from that time (or the MT-260) will have the same timbres with one or two differentials. They were very popular back in the day. The "oddity" among them is the DM-100, which is a two keyboard unit with equivalents of a MT-240 and a SK-8 on top (sans rhythms). It's interesting to note that when the 1989 line was announced, it was supposed to be Casio's "MIDI line" - including the DM-100, which eventually was released *without* MIDI. Even promotional material from back then had it as containing MIDI I/O. Did they remove it to cut costs?
  4. If it's indeed a CT keyboard and not a CTK one, then it's possibly the CT-670 or any of the keyboards from that same family. The 670 is the main instrument from said family, IIRC, with 5 octaves, pitch bender and editable parameters. There's also the CT-470 which is very similar but with a 4 octave keyboard. Also, the last MT (mini keys) from Casio, MT-750, is the same CT-670 but in a smaller version. There are a bunch of other CT models with the same soundbank but without pitch bender, editable parameters, etc. That family had quite good piano and organ timbres (lots of them), so that's why I'm thinking of it.
  5. I never saw a CZ-2000 and it's interesting to know that apparently such a thing exists. As for values, well, keep in mind that although there is an interest in Casio synths these days, most of the younger fellas who look for one aren't specifically after such a rare model, they just want a CZ synth, probably the popular ones like the 101 (especially that one) and 1000. Yes, it would be a collectors' item... but to who and for how much? I mean, surely there is someone out there who would go nuts at the sight of it, but at the end of the day it would be just another CZ synth with the same synthesis as the others. And if it's like you say, it's just a CZ-1000 in metal casing with a wall cord? 1000's are easy to find, so it wouldn't be such an unique item. Besides playing and collecting keyboards and synths, I also collect vinyl records, and to me this sounds like the usual situation of rare items that are only special to a select few, thus only being worth slightly more than the regular unit. Until a few days ago I had CZs 101, 1000, 230S and 1, and in all honesty that was too many so I ended up passing up the 1000 to a close friend. I almost sold the CZ-1 as well, but decided against it. Even if I have interest in collecting, I wouldn't justify paying much (or paying at all) for another CZ just because its model is rare, for instance. I'm under the impression that others may think similarly in such a case, as there's little difference between some CZ models. So: only slightly more than a CZ-1000 seems fair?
  6. Hey Chas, I'm glad that you finally received your gear/stuff! My wife's of Japanese descent (Okinawan, specifically) and she's always talking about moving to Japan - and while I love good ol' Japan, I simply can't imagine how it would be to move all my keyboards and records, haha! It must have made you feel afflicted, no? I've moved from places over the years, but never outside the country, and even when we moved to places nearby I always had to make sure that everything was OK with my things. I can only imagine how it must have been for you! Two years and seven months? Ouch. I hope that you manage to fix the gear that was damaged (and I'm sure you will, thankfully those old instruments are easier to fix). As for the HT series, I'm not sure what I'm hearing, but your theory about the speakers kinda makes sense. Some of the Yamaha PSS keyboards with similar presets between them also have differences in sound when their speakers are different or the plastic grids on the case above the speakers are in a different format (am I making sense? since English's not my main language, I may be not expressing myself correctly - let me know if that's the case). I always felt that the PSS-480/580/680/780 keyboards had muffled sounds compared to some earlier models, for instance, when it's clear that this is not true once you record them directly through line out outputs. But that's the impression I get once I listen to the sound coming from their speakers. Possibly that's also what happens with the Casio HT models, as I always had the impression that my HT-3000 (which I ended up selling after getting the 6000) didn't sound like a HT-700. It felt colder, while the 700 sort of have that old Casiotone feel to it (comparable to a SK-200 or a MT-520, for example). Go figure! My ears surely must be playing tricks on me. And, whoa, you're very lucky to have those RAM cards. I never, ever saw one of them around here, which makes me think that they weren't sold in Brazil back in the day! Surely at least one of them would have popped up by now. I love Casio, but I think it was a huge mistake to make such nice synth-keyboards like the HT models and make them depend on (rare) RAM cards or keeping them powered all the time. If it only had a couple of synth-like parameters, ok, it would be simple enough to recreate sounds every time, but the SD synthesis is deep enough to deserve an internal battery to save the patches, in my opinion. At the very least the HT-6000 deserved it! Sort of cuts the fun by half when you finally manage to find a sound you like and have to "save" it via paper and pen and recreate it all over again the next time you turn power on. :/
  7. I think Casio did very well with most of their instruments between the early 80's and mid-90's. I've been collecting and playing toy/home keyboards from these days and I always find something interesting to use even in the (originally) cheaper ones. I know this is the Casio forum, but I feel the same about Yamaha toy/home keyboards from back in the day - the quality standards for both companies apparently were set very high. Some people (music elitists, usually) may be fast to dismiss such instruments, but in all honesty I believe that they're gems, and in the right hand they hold the secret to some very special musical textures. Although we Brazilians are not as lucky as you good people from other places like North America and Europe and have to pay way more for our used instruments (seriously, our prices are usually about 3 times what you pay and consider fair), I'm very grateful that I have around 25 or so Casio keyboards/synths. Chas' post sums it up nicely, and I would add that the thing with the CZ-101 is because it's been gathering an online following as a cult/alternative instrument. Sort of like with the Korg Poly 800, which is a nice analogue synth but limited (8 note polyphony which even cuts to 4 notes if you layer stuff). I've been collecting vinyl records for more than 10 years and it's the same with those: once a record gains an online following as a "cult record", prices get insanely inflated, even when it's not worth it. Most of the time it is more about status/having something hailed as "cool" than actually having something unique and/or special. I think that the CZ-101 is a very cute instrument indeed (and, of course, who wouldn't like to have one), and yes, it has wonderful CZ sounds, but the CZ-1 has it all plus velocity and aftertouch. Don't underestimate those features, they're valuable resources to expression when present. As far as the HT models go, I don't want to sound crazy, but I think that there are subtle differences in the sound texture between the three of them. For instance, I'm under the impression that the HT-700 can do these "old Casiotone sounds" better (not perfect, but better) than the 3000 and 6000. The 3000 always sounds cold/"wet", and because of its options and parameters, the 6000 ends up sounding more complex (and cold). Nevertheless, if you absolutely have to pick one of them, go with the HT-6000. Same synthesis but it has more options overall speaking, synth parameters and its keyboard is touch responsive (velocity, which you can also edit according to the patch so it'll do different things). The HT-700 will probably be the most expensive of the three in a few years, though, as it seems to be gaining the same following as the CZ-101 because of its size.
  8. Hey, you're all welcome! I'm just happy to be able to share it. As a huge Casio fan, I wish that they would follow Yamaha's example and build an online archive with the manuals for their past instruments (even better if they could offer the service manuals). Most keyboards are straightforward to use indeed, but sometimes there are smaller things that aren't so clear, plus I think it's nice to have the PDFs so we can print it if we desire to do so (here in Brazil it is rare to obtain a keyboard and/or a synth with the original manual). And there's always the "odd case" - imagine using a HT-700 or a HT-3000 without the manual! Agh! I'm sure they could do it, and we longtime fans would be thankful. Did the miracles cease, Casio? C'mon. PS.: Bill B: I'm aware of the website you mention and I have to say that I find it very unfair for someone to pay U$5 for a scan of an old manual and not even a good one at that. I bought a manual from that website in the past (Casio CK-500) and I don't think it was worth it. The scan wasn't even their own. You can be sure that if I manage to get more manuals not freely available online, I'll be sharing.
  9. I just found this thread. Amazing that there was such a mystery behind this song and that it was mislabeled or something! When my fiancée (a Nisei) first heard that demo song in one of my Casio keyboards (MT-18, I think, with the ROM pack that came with it) she immediately recognized it and started singing the Japanese lyrics along with the melody. To be honest, it never crossed my mind that "Unterlanders Heimweh" wasn't its title - I just thought that it was how they called the song in Germany. Nice detective work. While we're at it, does anyone know if the fantastic CT-700 demo song is a Casio original or based on another song? It's truly beautiful and I really think that it does a good job of showing what the keyboard is able to do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF0fBDSE290
  10. Hello, everyone! I'm aware that the CTK-1000 (1993 or so) manual is hard to find online, so I'm sharing a PDF copy here for those who didn't have it and may find it useful. I still don't have the keyboard, sadly, but I was able to get this digital copy through someone who has it. I reckon that some of its features aren't super clear, so I'm sure that having the manual helps. Enjoy! https://mega.nz/#!rpwWjSza!1TKyDG-ctUmj3SP0-WFoLl0IKqJDZViytiE352iXHcU
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