The Geoff Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 Wasn't someone looking for one of these Also, is this worth a look? Geoff "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace": Jimi Hendrix http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=738517&content=music The Geoff - blame Caevan!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCustom Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 I remember those Casio guitar synth things. IIRC it was awful. It didn't feel like a real guitar at all. I believe the strings were nylon/plastic. And the one I picked up they wouldn't get tight at all. The sounds come from pressing on the "fretboard". I saw one demoed and it sounded pretty cruddy, too. Born on the Bayou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Ellwood Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 If I can find the file Im gonna post on SoundClick some things I did with the guitarsynth set on B3... Im gonna go look now..it was live but the sound quality was not too bad if I remember now ..been a couple of years ago.UPDATE: Sorry you where looking for just CASINO comments...nevermind http://www.thestringnetwork.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Geoff Posted October 2, 2005 Author Share Posted October 2, 2005 Yeah, I think the Casino is the more interesting object her - in retrospect, I should've put it in its own thread. G. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace": Jimi Hendrix http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=738517&content=music The Geoff - blame Caevan!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chipotle Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 Casio made some guitar synths that were not toys. They took a regular late 80's style super strat, routed it out, and put an entire synthesizer (one of their pro line models) in it. I knew a guy that had one and it was a very cool guitar! You could switch from the regular guitar tones to the synth tones with no extra gear; straight into the guitar amp. The pro line Casio synth gear was actually pretty good at that time, at least it was on a par with what Roland and Korg were doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Geoff Posted October 2, 2005 Author Share Posted October 2, 2005 Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Very Interesting!!! G. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace": Jimi Hendrix http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=738517&content=music The Geoff - blame Caevan!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 The Casio guitar synth (there were two models...) was one of the better ones, in terms of playability and response. The latency was very low, and it drove MIDI gear just fine. So, used as a MIDI controller to control other devices, it worked well. But that was in 1988 or so, give or take. Today, it is easy to put a good MIDI guitar together, or to buy one already made. I don't know how the Casio would stack up today. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 Originally posted by LPCustom: I remember those Casio guitar synth things. IIRC it was awful. It didn't feel like a real guitar at all. I believe the strings were nylon/plastic. And the one I picked up they wouldn't get tight at all. The sounds come from pressing on the "fretboard". I saw one demoed and it sounded pretty cruddy, too. If it's the same one I'm thinking of, you're absolutely right. I tried one in about 1991 and while it was an interesting instument, but it certainly wasn't a guitar. The strings were like loose plastic... things that had no tension or 'feel' whatsoever. The entire playing experience was wretched in the extreme. Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 What I'm talking about was a regular guitar with regular strings. I saw a plastic guitar such as you describe, but I think that it was a yamaha. The time frame (1991)is about right for the Yamaha, for sure. I think that the Casio was earlier. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 Originally posted by bpark@prorec.com: I saw a plastic guitar such as you describe, but I think that it was a yamaha. Aarrrr.... Avast! Ye're net foolin' me, matey! Wid me own eyes I's seen it, with these very eyes that have served me, man and boy for twenty years before the mast. Seriously though, casio, yamaha and all those keyboard guys made ALL sorts of products from stuff that is pretty much a toy to real pro instruments. No reason why Casio couldn't have made more than one model. And the one I played looked just like the one in the picture and, believe me, it was awful. Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 The "pro" casio synth guitar was actually 5 different models released in 1987, the PG-380 being the top of the line. In fact, I saw one, in the flesh, early this summer at the local pool. They'd hired a one man band to play and sing tunes on the edge of the patio. He had a bunch of fun, vintage synth equipment. He was pretty good, too, but it was a bit hokey. Anyway, the PG-380 guitar was and is one of the better tracking guitar synths ever made that used a real guitar as a base. The toy shown at the top of this thread is just that; A toy. The beauty of the Casio over anything available from Roland, etc., is that it was the only real guitar with pitch-to-MIDI conversion until Parker's MIDI-Fly that completed the conversion onboard the guitar. The only connection between the guitar and synths was a standard, MIDI cable. This opened up the world of synth-guitar without the requirement of buying all the synth hardware from one manufacturer. Roland uses a proprietary cable that requires a separate converter or that you purchase a Roland synth (or modelling device, such as the VG-8 or VG-88) that incorporates the converter in its' own workings. I would love to get my hands on a PG-380, if possible. Here\'s a page with useful info about these Casio synth-guitars It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 I almost forgot! The guitar itself was built for Casio by a manufacturer who built Ibanez guitars at the same time, hence the relatively high quality of the instrument, regardless of the synth capabilities. Here are a few pics.. http://www.hendrixguitars.com/Images/Casio2.jpg http://www.jwband.s5.com/images/Casio-PG-380-1986-or-87-Synth-Guitar.jpg It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Geoff Posted October 3, 2005 Author Share Posted October 3, 2005 Gosh, I'd love to play around with one of those. G. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace": Jimi Hendrix http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=738517&content=music The Geoff - blame Caevan!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Geoff Posted October 3, 2005 Author Share Posted October 3, 2005 So, look at This. ..... I don't have the cash Geoff "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace": Jimi Hendrix http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=738517&content=music The Geoff - blame Caevan!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Flea Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 I had one of the plastic Casio guitars. I used it to track bass parts because there was no latency. Sorry I'm late. I had to tame a wild honeymoon stallion for ya'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 Originally posted by fantasticsound: The "pro" casio synth guitar was actually 5 different models released in 1987, the PG-380 being the top of the line. Thanks, the number '300' was rolling around in my head, but I couldn't put form to it. 380 it was, and it was a peach, with very low latency, compared to the available choices at the time. If you are looking for a nice choice now, consider the GraphTech Ghost MIDI pickup. Still uses the Roland cable and such, but it is prety nice. I don't use it a great deal, but it has caused me to put the GK-2a away. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 Oh.... and when the music stores dumped these things, they sold them for around $300 each. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Flea Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 The plastic version I had had zero latency because there was no pitch to midi conversion. The problem was that depending on where you held your fretting fingers, the note below or above could accidentally sound. I thought I had a defective guitar, so I tried another one. Same problem just less so. The fingerboards were not made very precisely, otherwise it would have been a half decent midi controller Yes the internal sounds sucked. I eventually threw it out and got a Roland system and never looked back. Sorry I'm late. I had to tame a wild honeymoon stallion for ya'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.