Casio MT220, Yamaha PSS120

samspike · September 04, 2010, 01:24:03 PM

Bought these today for 5 (including a PSU, but it's the wrong one - but I can use it with something else), and 3 quid respectively at boot sale today.

Anybody previous bent these?

Timodon · September 04, 2010, 05:17:58 PM

Yeah I've done and MT-220! sadly I did mine a mischief whilst adding my second set of bends. It still sort of works as long as you only use the higher notes!

If you're careful there's some fun stuff in here. The basic sounds are pretty nice and I found tuneable feedback (oscillating fuzz, whatever you wanna call it) lead distortion and a lo-pass filter cutoff. There's also some pulsing noise-gate style stuff where you can control the time of the pulses with pots. Lastly I found an infinite sustain/ reverb effect but this is the one I broke mine adding so be careful - it may just have been my rubbish soldering skills but keep your wits about you!

I would not be at all surprised to learn that you can do a pitch bend on this baby with a 555 or similar too but I never tried it.

A pointer just to get you started - finding the bends yourself is half the fun! - but the two chips next to each other on the bottom right (circuit board up, keys towards you) are a good place to start probing.

jamiewoody · September 27, 2010, 06:07:38 AM

mt220, if you poke around w/jumpers, there is a cool "piano smasher" sound! make a switch between those. either push button, or get creative...i connected a brass cowbell, because my keyboard needed MORE COWBELL! ;-)

jamiewoody · September 27, 2010, 06:08:47 AM

whoops! mine is a mt205...i just looked...sorry! i assume they are similar though...

Timodon · September 28, 2010, 12:42:07 PM

Yeah Jamie according to tablehooters both are paired down versions of the MT-520....
http://weltenschule.de/TableHooters/Casio_MT-520.html

jamiewoody · September 28, 2010, 03:40:38 PM

ah...cool! i want to do more to mine...i think i will try that lfo mod on it. that is the coolest mod there is anyway!

Timodon · September 29, 2010, 01:51:55 PM

I think these keyboards are underrated. How did you get on with it Samspike?

samspike · October 03, 2010, 10:00:29 AM

Haven't started yet! Just not had the time.

I'm planning on starting with the casio. The Yamaha sounds cool and interesting even without any bends.