Casio SA-1

It can't be easier! select your instrument or rhythm and play - that's all, you can't go wrong with it.

32 mini keys. Two note polyphony, but it can be most likely upgraded to 4, because the decay (or reverb - what you want to call it) can play at up to 4 different notes simultaneously. No midi, no pressure sensitive keys, but it's the smallest keyboard I have ever seen :o)

Well, when I have to say, it sounds like crap, but nowadays that crappy sound has something to it! All instruments sounds "lo-fi" with digital distortion and when you play only one note the output is 6-bit (because the DAC is 8-bit and it must not distort even when all 4 notes play simultaneously) - lots of white noise. The digital volume control further reduces the bit resolution (try Wood bass with min. volume at lowest key, lol!), so for this purpose I have added a "real" volume control pot.
My favourite instruments are "elec organ", "sitar" and "pop lead". There are also some nice techno effects (lasers, computer, cosmic...)

I think that this thing is quite bomb-proof, I've opened it up and all I found was single small CPU and amplifier chip with minimal external components. The only thing that IMO can wear out are the buttons and key switches, but mine is about 15 (20?) years old and still works perfectly, just the case has changed its shape a bit for some odd reason (maybe its previous owner left it on sun?)

Ha ha when would you ever need customer support?

If it was lost, I'd try to find it or get another. I don't consider if it was stolen as an option :S
I think I have quite rare instrument - it's WHITE! I have seen black ones on web (even one red), but not white.

TIP: try disconnecting batteries (with main switch on) and reconnecting them in a moment - sometimes you'll be presented with some bizzare sounds or melodys :D

Easy just click which instrument you want and you're done.

I LOVE THE DEMO! WAKE ME UP B4 YOU GO! lol

2 polyphony haha. no midi just 1/8" headphone jack

The sounds are cool I really like #78 (Computer sounds) which has a looped sequence almost which is really kickass i was expecting some beeps but no this thing is cool

I doubt this thing will break down just change the batteries, hell it's lasted this long

I agree Casio would laugh at you

It works, it's cheesy yes but works for figuring out the notes in a melody and will make good for a song or two.
Check out multoc.com and go to the news section and eventually you will see this little keyboard being used in one of our studio update videos.

Click your tone and play. Click your rhythm and away it goes.

Terrible polyphony. Of course no velocity sensitivity. 100 sounds though. Some are screeching and amazing. Features are what one would expect from a toy keyboard.

I like a lot of the sounds. I rewired the speaker into a 1/4" output so I can run it through a delay pedal and into an amp. It sounds great! The various beeps and lasers and other silly sounds with lots (I mean LOTS, when amplified) of white noise drowning them out sound great.

It's old, and I messed with the wiring, so it's pretty fickle. I can always get it to work, sometimes I just need to shake it or hit it. Absolutely charming.

I could imagine getting laughed at if you called casio about this keyboard.

Worth $2.50 for sure. Worth $10. Someone offered me $15 and I turned it down. I like it.

One hundred presets on this one! Yes, that's right one hundred sounds, and all of them are bad. The joys of 8-bit PCM! There are also a number of rather groovy rhythm patterns and "super accompaniments". No editing facilities. No manual. But you don't need one: yr dog could operate this.

Top tip: you need to hit "stop" after setting a voice unless you want to start playing a rhythm or accompaniment as soon as you hit a key.

Duophonic. Two key chords, ladies and gentlemen. Even back in 1989 when this came out that was unimpressive. No built-in effects as such but some of the voices have rather natty vibrato or reverb. MIDI? Don't be a prat! Of course it doesn't have MIDI! No sequencer, no expansion - but why would you *need* to expand it?

The SA-1's PCM sounds are truly dreadful. Mechanical, abrasive, cold - all this and more. If you listen carefully you can hear nasty granular breakup as the sounds decay. Most of the sounds barely resemble their names, but having said that there are some real gems on here: Cello is grindy and oppressive, Wind Ensemble sounds like a deeply cheesy reggae horn section, and Synth Brass has a mad nasal bass tone. Some of the organs are cool too. Also, in the "super accompaniments" the New Age accompaniment is the spitting image of Philip Glass - try it with the Wind Ensemble and you too can be a moody minimalist composer.

Velocity, aftertouch? Pah! What do you need those for?

The volume is operated by "up/down" buttons and makes a white noise click as it moves up or down an increment, it does the same thing when selecting sounds - really distracting if you're selecting a new sound while playing.

I believe in this keyboard implicitly. It would not fail me in a live situation. It is my friend.

I think Casio probably ceased customer support on this particular model in the early nineties. But you'll never need support with this keyboard, apart from psychological counselling.

If it were stolen I would track the thief to the ends of the earth and nail their liver to a tree. So don't think about it, sonny! Lo-fi equipment like this doesn't sound like the real deal but if you want harsh abrasive noises to cut through the mix Casio 8-bit PCM is what you are looking for. A couple more voices of polyphony might have been nice, and I believe one of the later SA series with ostensibly the same innards plays four voices so it might be possible to upgrade it.

I am using the Sa-67 music keyboard with Lcd
The presets sound great the Pipe organ sounds Huge and sinister
It has no editor
I didnt get a manual with mine

It has 4 note polyphony they keyboard action is smooth
the Fx are easy to use 100 PCM tones And 32 paterns and 9 song bank tunes
No midi
No seqencer
no expansion

The sounds sound realistic
Any music
Good FX
It reacts to my playing
No sensitivity

I can depend on it
I can gig on it without backup

Have not had repair work
nor upgrade or problem

If It were stolen I'd buy it used again
I have been playing any music instruments for an unknown time
I love the PCM sounds I am trying to make a song about Pulse code modulation (I am Dumb)
I wish it had MIDI and headphone jacks and Mic or sustain jack
It helps me make
I own the Casio Lk-43 keyboard
The Casio Pk-1 16 pcm sounds and nice rhythems
The HMP-139 teaching keyboards natural sounds could be less cheezy if it filtered better
the casio sa 67
The Gran prix keybard with 2 tones Piano and organ and volume and vibrato swich 10 demo songs (monophoni)
kids station keboards
First act elec guitar
toy trumpet
unimasx keyboard I want to modify
And another playschool kyboard I want to modify in a new case
Elenco Ek-900 keyboard "stopped working because of wiring problem need fixing I loved that horn sound with vibrato
It souns great my SA-67 newer varient still availible from casio with LCD Casio still makes erlier variants Even the SA-5

you'd have to be either two years old or retarded to be confused by this one... the buttons are all pretty self-explanitory.

hmm... duophonic, which is better than monophonic, but not great.

You'll never run out of sounds, 100 is a lot...

no MIDI, but i'm sure you can hack that. you can even use it for your beats!

it has 100 of them and (using the headphone out) if you plug it into some effects pedals you have a literally unlimited range of possible sounds.

the beats are pretty cool, my personal favorite is Pop 3...

Well, mine's been around forever and shows no signs of ever breaking... if i had a reason too, i would gig with it 24/7 and never even consider it's breaking as an option.

i dunno, i just got mine, i assume its about 12 years old.

I would CRY FOR DAYS if this thing died/was lost/stolen. i keep mine beside my bed for the random moment when a melody pops in my head and i have to express it. I LOVE MY SA-1

VERY VERY easy to use. The presets are neat. This has no midi on it but it would be nice if it did.

The SA-1 is one of casio's cheapest keyboards out there. I've had it for a number of years at least 10+. It has 100 PCM tone instrments on it and 33 rhythms. I really enjoy playing this thing through an effects processor or pedals because you can pretty much make any kind of sound you want. There is no midi on it but its only about a foot long. There is no sequencer on it.

100 PCM instrments and 33 rhythms. The demo song is pretty funny, 'wake me up before you gogo' hehe. You can change the speeds of the rhythms but thats about it. There are all kinds of instrments on it. They do sound recorded but eh for the price/performance its great.

I've used it for many shows. It works perfectly on 4 AA batteries. There is also a headphone out so you can patch it into just about any other processing gear. One little speaker on it.

Never had any problems

I would be really sad if my SA-1 was stolen or lost. I've had this little keyboard for a long time and I've used it for many shows etc...

I picked up this thing for like $30 back in the 80's it was a great value.

Its pretty neat. Im shure you might be able to find one at a thrift store or garage sale.