Scored a Casio CZ-101

[immigrantboy]

I scored a Casio CZ-101 yesterday! The media center supervisor in charge of the sound studios at my school is a drummer/synth player who, a while ago tried to clean an extra CZ-101 he had, but the cleaner he used roughed up the case. So he gave it to me.

The most important thing is that it works. The only functional problem it has is when the pitchbend wheel is up all the way, the output becomes a really distorted, high pitched squeal. Not sure why, maybe the pot needs to be cleaned? Cosmetically, its pretty rough. The front panel is scuffed and etched as if it were bleached, something rattles around inside, some of the buttons feel flimsy and some are too firm, and the keys feel akwardly springy (not sure if this is normal or not). But everything works. I might try to clean it up a bit and figure out what is rattling around inside, but if I fail to restore the case, I might paint it anew.

The sound is great! I don't think I need to tell you guys that though. Now I just need to sit down with it for a couple hours and figure the thing out. Must find a manual.

[clubbedtodeath]

Hmmm,

We've had quite a lot of these "Scored!" threads recently.

Just in case you're not aware, Jack mentioned previously this is not the place for personal blogs. I sort of agree with him.

Also, if you are asking for help with the synth, ask in the Help section:

http://www.vintagesynth.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=5

That way, useful answers can be easily found in future via the search function, which I hope in vain people will actually start using...



(Forgive me, it's been a long night.)

[supermel74]

Must find a manual.

http://www.jz-server.de/casiology/PDF/C ... MANUAL.pdf

[CZ Rider]

[quote="immigrantboy"]The only functional problem it has is when the pitchbend wheel is up all the way, the output becomes a really distorted, high pitched squeal. Not sure why, maybe the pot needs to be cleaned?
/quote]
The pitch bend glitch is usually due to the CZ not being powered up for some time, and the CZ engine needs to be initalized. There is a small opening in the bottom labled "P" that needs to be pushed in during power up with a pen or similar object. Initalizing will rewrite the factory patches to the user memory section, re-center the wheel, and set the transpose to C. Don't forget the batteries are the memory backup. Without them you will loose memory and have to initalize again.

[Alex E]

Any pics?

[ascdi]

it makes the CRAZIEST sounds if you power it down without the batteries and then re-power it. all the patches are randomized, which comes out sounding AMAZING on this synth for some reason. i think it's because of the super-long breakpoint envelopes. seriously crazy sounds that keep doing different things for many minutes. superb.

[immigrantboy]

Sorry for posting here, just got excited.

Thanks for the link to the manual, supermel. Already found that on last night and got some research in. Never would have known about that glitch CZ. It stopped doing that on the pitch wheel, but then the vibrato started to glitch out too. I'll try initializing it.

You'd be too horrified by the white residue to want any pics. Maybe after I clean it up or paint it (last resort to make it look nice). It was free, and I'm sure so long as I'm careful, I can bring it to better shape than it was in.

All I can say right now is that I love the sound this thing can make! I could spend hours making tones on this thing, and inevitably I will. Programming seems extensive and overwhelming. Not that I don't get the concept, but perhaps I'm getting too comfortable with tweaking on the Micro Preset's knobs. I'm satisfied with the sounds I can get from three step envelopes, but I'm really going to have to wrap my mind around eight steps!

I could totally use the DCO envelope for one trigger pads. This thing makes some incredibly fat bass sounds when both DCOs are implemented, nice stringy pads, metallic chimes, proper eighties synth sound, and much more I'm sure.

I just wish I could tweak the sound manually. Most parameters seem to step. At least it has a pitchbend wheel with an incredible range (one octave I think). Very theremin.

And best of all, you can play it like a keytar...