Jazz+ Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 At video timestamp 04:18 the CT-S1 exhibits a Fender Rhodes clean tone vintage electric piano. I'm impressed by the sound quality of this vintage-sounding Fender Rhodes, without gimmicky effects baked in. A vintage Rhodes stands up as a solo keyboard instrument, almost like solo piano does. Jeremy's "Over The Rainbow" sounds full-bodied and warm on the new Casio CT-S1 "Stage E Piano". Weight 10 lbs, stereo speakers, $199. The acoustic piano tone is also warm and intimate, full-bodied, not thin. [video:youtube] Quote Find 660 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 "Nails" is a strong word, I wouldn't go that far. For instance, I don't hear much dynamic variation. But the basic tone punches way above its weight. I'd say this is the only giggable rhodes sound in the ultra-light bottom-dollar keyboard category. Quote Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Number Four Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 Nice. Seems like a decent clean Rhodes is relatively easy to implement, compared to acoustic piano, Hammond etc. But they probably don't expect their target consumers to be interested in it at that price range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Mullins Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 Nice. Seems like a decent clean Rhodes is relatively easy to implement, compared to acoustic piano, Hammond etc. But they probably don't expect their target consumers to be interested in it at that price range. I think their target audience is exactly those that care about this. There are dozens of consumer keyboards in this price range and all are of the variety with LED screens, hundreds of low-quality sounds, built in rhythms, etc. I think this was made precisely for "real" keyboard players who have wanted a highly portable unit with decent standard keyboard sounds (i.e use the memory for a few quality sounds rather than hundreds of mediocre ones.) This wouldn't compete in the "I don't know anything about keyboards but I want to buy this for 8 year old to put under the Christmas tree" category....more buttons and lights are what will attract those folks. Quote Yamaha CK88, Arturia Keylab 61 MkII, Moog Sub 37, Yamaha U1 Upright, Casio CT-S500, Mac Logic/Mainstage, iPad Camelot, Spacestation V.3, QSC K10.2, JBL EON One Compact www.stickmanor.com There's a thin white line between fear and fury - Stickman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoken6 Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 It does compete in the "I want to buy something for my 8 year old that doesn't have distracting auto-rhythms and flashing lights to distract" - it sounds like something I'd recommend as a starter keyboard. Cheers, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Mullins Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 It does compete in the "I want to buy something for my 8 year old that doesn't have distracting auto-rhythms and flashing lights to distract" - it sounds like something I'd recommend as a starter keyboard. Cheers, Mike. Completely agree. Quote Yamaha CK88, Arturia Keylab 61 MkII, Moog Sub 37, Yamaha U1 Upright, Casio CT-S500, Mac Logic/Mainstage, iPad Camelot, Spacestation V.3, QSC K10.2, JBL EON One Compact www.stickmanor.com There's a thin white line between fear and fury - Stickman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 That's a nice Rhodes on the Casio, for sure, though I'd swear there's some tremolo/vibrato effect in the video. Quote ____________________________________ Rod Here for the gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorSilver Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 Jeremy See's review here stated that most presets have the effects like chorus, delay and "DSP effects" hardwired and cannot be turned off. I'm guessing this is the case with the Rhodes preset. [video:youtube] Personally, I can live with it. I am not a professional keyboard player. Piano is not my main instrument. The reason I want one of these is to work out keyboard parts for my own music. A high-end digital piano or keyboard workstation is overkill for my needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz+ Posted June 11, 2021 Author Share Posted June 11, 2021 Is it Scarbee EP88, no. But it is very gigable to my ears. I don't need lots of dynamic tonal distinction, i don't want pahser, tremolo, or chorus effects, nor bark, nor overdrive. I simply want a warm robust medium-fi vintage Rhodes sound. My real suitcase Rhodes was very low fi on the gig. In the old days when you bought a real Rhodes they did sound all about the same: relatively low-fi, not voiced to perfection. The CT-S1's Stage E. Piano Rhodes is not a funk Rhodes tone nor a customized L.A.dynamic beauty Rhodes tone. It's a medium-low-fi warm full-bodied clean tone vintage workman's Rhodes tone. Excellent for straight-ahead jazz blowing. Without a good basic fat Rhodes clean tone, all the other bells and whistles don't mean a lot. The vintage clean tone is like a dull-toned Jim Hall Gibson jazz arch top guitar. Quote Find 660 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorSilver Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 While others are entitled to their opinions, there are some things I can't wait to try with the E-Piano tones on the CT-S1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz+ Posted June 11, 2021 Author Share Posted June 11, 2021 The default "Stage E Piano" is robust, not thin and tinkly. It is the basic factory clean tone vintage Rhodes tone. The Reverb level is variable. They also include a "Phaser" version of it and some sort of "Dyno" EP. Quote Find 660 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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