Casio SA-1 & PT20

[Circuitbenders]

the sa-65 has the same size circuit board as the mini sized sa's, it just has a big case and larger keyboard! i'd guess all the keyboards in the sa range have the same basic setup with other features added on.

I'd suspect its more of a case of every keyboard being the same but with features disabled for the lower numbered ones as opposed to added on. I remember bending a very surreal SA-40 (you haven't lived until you've experienced its 'magical singer' effects) and discovered a load of extra sounds that weren't accessable from the front panel but could be accessed by shorting disconnected pins on the sound chips.

[andy_wheels]

the sa-65 has the same size circuit board as the mini sized sa's, it just has a big case and larger keyboard! i'd guess all the keyboards in the sa range have the same basic setup with other features added on.

I'd suspect its more of a case of every keyboard being the same but with features disabled for the lower numbered ones as opposed to added on. I remember bending a very surreal SA-40 (you haven't lived until you've experienced its 'magical singer' effects) and discovered a load of extra sounds that weren't accessable from the front panel but could be accessed by shorting disconnected pins on the sound chips.

nice! so the chip in the little sa's is probably the same one used in the 'nasa sa-2001 alien communicator'.... just with some features disabled and that's where the 'deep crash' feature comes from... well, it's a theory...hehe 

[Signal:Noise]

Can I just say thanks to everyone who's posted pictures and tips in here, Modde my SA-1 today and I'm really happy with teh results.

[djsynchro]

Can I just say thanks to everyone who's posted pictures and tips in here, Modde my SA-1 today and I'm really happy with teh results.

Welcome to the club! I took my SA-1 to a gig switched it on today and it's screaming without me doindg anyhing.
Maybe the batterries are low, maybe I need to fix it...

[EDIT] opened it - everything seemed alright - replaced the batteries... works as (ab)normal again 

[voodoolikeudoo]

Can I just say thanks to everyone who's posted pictures and tips in here, Modde my SA-1 today and I'm really happy with teh results.

So happy you had to immediately sell it on ebay as 'modified by me for the purpose of selling on'?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38071&item=7419197037

[Signal:Noise]

  pwaned.

Need to pay for a holiday, and besides, I enjoy modifying the things more than playing them. Better to let someone else enjoy it rather than it sit gathering dust on a self. It's not like I can't make another one.

[sn7ke]

Dear Benders,

Im new to this forum. Yesterday i bought a small Casio SA-1 toy-keyboard. I started looking around at the internet to see if there were any modifications possible. I found this site, and the mods seem really cool. My only
problem is that i have ZERO knowledge and experience with electronics. Its all hard for me to follow all these steps,
but i really want to modify this keyboard!

I can start poking around, use some of the pics posted as a reference. More handy would be a small step-by-step guide about the mods for the SA-1?

Also i didnt noticed anyone talking about a pitch mod for the SA-1. Is it possible??


Thanks in advance!

[Signal:Noise]

I found a pitch mod for the SA-21 which is basically teh same circutry, not sure where it'd be on teh sa-1 though cos it's layed out differently.

[nochtanseenspecht]

yeah ! me also like to thank everyone who has shared what they've found
on sa1 keyboard....al credits for Crusty Paul, DJ Synchro, Groove Criminals
and all the rest... absolute wicked what you found there! personaly i like best
DJSynchro's howling distortion and-of course- the deep crash; never heard something like that before....amazing

By the way, i guess you all saw these too;     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/benders/files/Casio%20SA-1/
includes high pass filter (haven't tried)

so..thanks guys, if i found interesting bents on things, i will share it with
you also in these pages

greetz, nochtanseenspecht

[sn7ke]

I found this

http://www.johannesson.dk/SA1.htm

Someone who modified it, you can see the different options. Too bad its in dennish, but we get an idea what the SA1 can do!

nochtanseenpecht, can you tell me alittle bit about what you did (step by step)
Now, i still dont have a clue how to install any of these mods....so any help would be apriciated!
Right now i cut the wire for the voltage drop, so  i will "try" to install that mod by myself...
Hope it work O_o

Ok, if someone has some time to tell help a n00b bender, i would greatly apriciate it!!!

Greetz

[nochtanseenspecht]

Hi sn7ke,
the voltage drop is a good start and quite easy.
i just followed the photographs in this treath...
i think when you do that also, not much can go wrong.

it is a good thing to test the sa1 funktion after each step,
so if it doesn't respond, you know where is the problem.

for the rest i'd say: use a small soldering iron, like 25 watts or so,
anyway not more than 40 watts
heat up the soldering points first (few seconds) then add the
soldering (just a little), if it flows well, it is probably allright
be carefull with heating up components to much,
if you mess it up, better let it cool down before you continue.
soldering on ic legs will be the difficult part, if you're not so experienced
a handy toy is a "soldersucker" (don't know the english name)
if you soldered a bit to much

check also the "How To" pages in this nice forum!

I am not such an experienced bender myself, but of course i like to help
you with what i know so far.just ask.

just do  to your SA1 as the other guys explained, and for sure you won't
be disappointed : it's realy amazing! Good Luck!

[sn7ke]

Wow! Thanks a lot for your reply. However, my first bending experience wasnt that good so far O_o

I tried installing the voltage drop. Got myself a 1K Potentiometer, and cut the small wire next to the speaker cables.
The potentiometer has 3 points to connect, so i routed one to the middel, and one to the outer right. After failing to wrap the cable ends to each other, i tought that soldering would be a good idea. However  the main board of the SA1 doesnt seem to hold any of my solder, and i also burned one end of the wire i cut....Wich end up in a 2MM wire, wich will be hard to connect with a wire now, lol.

Basic question is, is the routing of the wires good? (i know: very basic knowledge this is, but i lack of that!)

I tried it, on the kick ass demo song afcourse, but as soon as i turned the knob of the potentiometer a little bit, the machine just died without making noise. Ok: i admit that there was a little bit of noise, but the volume was sooooo low that no-one ever can notice that. If this is the so superfamous-SA-Lowvoltage-drop....then you guys suck ..lol

Next to that, how to install the other mods and what do they do? And are there some interesting body contact points??

Thanks in advance,

If someone likes to help, you can add me under sandervw_@hotmail.com in MSN messsenger!

Ok bye!

[sn7ke]

Ah, another question regarding safety

While modding and testing, should i use the 6V adapter, or mess around until i got the batteries connected (since they are in the back case wich is crewed of.....

Im a bit scared powering my  SA-1 with a 6V adapter pluged into a 220V channel...O_O

[nochtanseenspecht]

okay: there is no problem testing with an adaptor while sa1 is open,
it is not dangerous, but better take it out while soldering i guess.

perhaps the value of your pot is to high, i forget what i used, but
something like 500 K should work. The way you connected should work to,
but it is better to do like this : lay it down in front of you with the shaft pointing upwards, the 3 legs point to you. one connection goes to the
left and middle one, the other to the right, now when testing turn it
counterclockwise and you should hear a kind of saw wave, wich
modulates if you turn it more. the keys don't function when you do this,
but thats normal
if you got that working, i higly recommend DJSynchro's distortion bent
couse its real nice in combination with the voltage drop

an absolute must is the deep crash (pushbutton), but if you do that,
make also a reset button (break contact) in line with (before) the
voltage drop

the low pass filter is good to keep your partner happy while deepcrashing

the synth swich is also fun, but only combined with the voltage drop
(maybe nice as body contacts instead of switch ?)

body contacts you will discover by touching the cicuit board while it is on,
don't worry: 6 volt won't kill you

i recomment you practice soldering first on an old circuit board
try to make loose some usable parts etc until you get the feeling
of soldering. don't worry, you will learn
And get yourself a cheap multimeter (quickly see the value of a resistor,
check howmuch volt comes out your adaptor for real etc.)

good luck !

[sn7ke]

Ok, thanks a lot! I will try those mods, hope they work. Deep crash seems verrry interesting.
I think a set of various Potentiometers and some wires/screws will be all i need?
And, do i just need to drill some holes in the casing to put the meters/screws in?
seems ok! Will try! and uhm...if im stuck i will be here

Oh btw for the Potentiometer i cheked it:

If you connect only the middle with one wire, and the end with one wire is used for volume control
Variable control is the middle+left end to the first wire and right end to the other..
I love wiki..

Bye!