Cheap, Vintage Yamaha Synths are the Best! [PSS-100, PSS-11, PSS-380 Electronic Keyboard Demos]

[@godfreyofboullion8349]

6:28 beautiful sound

[@AlexArvedal]

I just started playing keyboard and got my mom's old Yamaha Pss380. I have had a hard time finding good sounds but using your sounds helped!

[@cheapmusicgear]

Get creative with it! My 380 is not working currently, but I have always been able to find good sounds on it. When I’m just playing the presets without making any adjustments, then I would say the opportunity to find good sounds on it decreases by (possibly more than) 60-70%. Use the gliders to really get the good sounds.

[@ozzelot3349]

The PSS-390 was my first FM synth. Bought it in 2020 just before... Things Started Happening. It's a very fun instrument to tweak.

[@cheapmusicgear]

It’s a great instrument. I don’t know of anything else like it. I’ve since acquired a PSS-480 and a PSS-680. Both are similar in ways, and offer other sounds and capabilities, but they just don’t provide what the 390 does. I live the gliders on it, even if they work like little notches that stop at various setting levels as opposed to moving freely up and down. It’s so much more frustrating to have to make those adjustments via -/+ selection screen involving buttons and selecting each individual parameter to adjust. That show you do it on the other two synths. All that being said, my 390 stopped working lol. It’s a huge bummer bc out of all of my synths and every other instrument and music gear that I own, it was one of my absolute favorites. I essentially ended up getting it for free due to an error in shipping (that resulted in it needing some repairs to the exterior and a full refund). So I don’t know if I can ever get rid of it. I could probably sell it for relatively cheap to another enthusiast who knows how to repair it. I’m honestly just holding onto it until I can get around to actually figuring out how to fix it myself or who to take it to to repair it. It’s one of those instruments that I want to keep for the rest of my life. All of that being said

[@timfactorial]

this guy gets it

[@cheapmusicgear]

I get it it. Indeed.

[@timfactorial]

@@cheapmusicgear got a lowrey lk700 off of marketplace a couple days ago which i’ve been having a lot of fun with. it has little to no documentation online because the company that makes it is actually kawai but it’s a colab with lowrey from what i could gather. all i know is that it uses pcm cause it says on the front and that it sounds very cool. it isn’t even dated anywhere so i have no idea when it was made

[@timfactorial]

no idea why i thought to tell you this but idk who else i could tell that might have some knowledge

[@cheapmusicgear]

@@timfactorial That type of stuff is the best! Since this video, I’ve picked up a PSS-480 and a 680. I found the 680 at resale shop next to a local pizza place. I stopped in to get some pizza and thought I would just take a look at the resale store to see if they had anything worthwhile.

[@cheapmusicgear]

@@timfactorial Haha I’m sorry, but I have no information on the keyboard. KZbin is a great start though. Look into it on KZbin, and then comment on some videos. I’m sure there’s someone out there who is even nerdier than me and has the information you’re looking for

[@Am71919]

Just got a PSS 570 a few days ago, I've already done five or six videos on it, I have a PSS 80 coming in a few days, I'm going to do a lot of videos on that as well

[@cheapmusicgear]

They’re great!! I’ll be sure to check the videos out.

[@_OopsieDaisies]

I just got a pss480 and tho it doesn't have physical controls for the parameters but you can be a little more precise like for example you can set the attack or decay of both operators anywhere from 1 to 70 (or somewhere there abouts). I was considering getting a more pro grade hardware synth but found the 480 for $80 and i'm soooo glad i went with it. I think i work better with some restraints and it seems like you can appreciate the same things! Thanks for the video :)

[@cheapmusicgear]

That’s cool! It’s a great series of synths. I am definitely similar in that sense!

[@80ssynthfan48]

It's amazing that people could be having these conversations about these things so many years later. I'm not sure whether to go for this one or the 470. The custom drummer on the 470 could be useful on occasions, but maybe the 100 voices and 7 sliders of the 380 is better.

[@cheapmusicgear]

@@80ssynthfan48 Since this video, I’ve acquired a 480 and a 680 as well (I found the 680 at a local resale store for dirt cheap). These synths are still talked about bc of their potential. I’ll say this much about the 380. I love having the sliders. It’s the only one of the series with them, and you would think it doesn’t make a huge difference having them or not, but it’s a whole lot better than having to adjust parameters via buttons and a display screen. Some other things to consider are that my 380 has the most problems in terms of working. I don’t know how to service these things, so maybe if it had some work done on it, it would work normally. It just tends to give me issues that I don’t encounter with the 480 or the 680. Another thing to consider is that you can really tweak the sounds more on other models than the 380. That isn’t to say you can’t get anything good out of the 380. I love that synth. In fact, I would say that it can get the most unique sounds out of all three that I own, but it just sounds more limited. If you want my final opinion, here it is. As long as you get any of them in working condition, they’re great. You could get any of the ones you’re considering, and you will enjoy it and get great use out of it!

[@80ssynthfan48]

@@cheapmusicgear Somewhat surprised to hear that 100 preset sounds + 7 sliders cannot give you more tweakability than other models, but noted, thanks.

[@cheapmusicgear]

@@80ssynthfan48 My opinion was based on me comparing the PSS 380, 480, and 680. I don’t own a 470. I’ve never played a 470. If you were to ask me “should I get a PSS 380 or a 470?” My answer is hands down the 380. You can do a lot more on a 380 than a 470. You can’t quite do as much on a 380 as you can on a 480 and/or a 680. Does that make better sense?

[@jackispax1633]

I love collecting "Crap Keys", there are so many underrated gems out there. Just won an auction for both the 100 and 380, can't wait to enjoy them!

[@cheapmusicgear]

I am a big fan of them as well! I’ve acquired some more since this video, specifically a 480 and a 680. I actually feature the 480 in the latest Reface CS Looper demo that I posted! You should check it out! I plan on making demos on those eventually, when it will happen? I’m not exactly sure 😂 These cheap keys have character to them though! They also have quality and dependability that you could only get from an era such as the 80s and 90s. I think that’s an overlooked quality. Many of these things were marketed and sold as home keyboards, but they were manufactured by big game synth brands such as Yamaha. A lot of the ones I own are made by Yamaha, and they knew how to integrate quality and potential of “use” into the units themselves. I think that speaks volumes to their potential. I understand though that quality and potential are defined subjectively based on individual terms and expectations of quality, but I don’t expect any worthwhile musician, music producer, or songwriter to delve through the sounds and engage with the parameters on something like a PSS 480, and then conclude that it’s complete garbage. It’s just disingenuous for anyone to make those claims about some of the cheap synths out there. I think as well that we live in a golden age for music. Yes, the market is saturated as a result of the times/internet, but we are seeing many fresh takes on music these days. Without going on forever about it, I see a lot of creative potential coming to life within a lot of music these days, and with that, I think that the good and usable cheap keys have more of an opportunity than ever to be fully utilized.

[@avaderavrahamsa6725]

Pss 290 is so cool, PSs 680 is heaven

[@cheapmusicgear]

I own a 680. I found it at a thrift store underneath a pile of nonsense about a year ago. I couldn’t believe it. It has a power adapter soldered into the input and it’s covered in all of those dumb beginner stickers on the keys. Anyways, it’s a great synth. The whole series is great. I acquired a 480 since the video as well, but still, my all time favorite is the 380. I prefer adjusting the parameters via the gliders over the led/button selection of the 480 and 680. Plus, there’s just something to the sounds you can get out of the 380 that I love. Any of them from the series is worth it for any fans though.

[@dbmorton1114]

I've got a Yamaha PSR-90 and it's fantastic. Paid $30 for it.

[@cheapmusicgear]

Yamaha reigns supreme to all other home keyboard brands (past and present).

[@Mr.1.i]

Had a pss11 at 1 point. The strings are the best ,I use to owm a pss 280 that I unscrewed, a pss 790 and a vss 200 then I got a juno D, Yamaha W1 ,micro Korg xl finally a jdxi.....however the best yamaha pss is either a pss580 or a vss 200

[@DiffYT]

Thank you for sharing! :)

[@cheapmusicgear]

Thank you for watching! Please consider subscribing if you like what you saw!

[@amari343]

Great video, where did you buy all these?

[@cheapmusicgear]

Thank you! Reverb and eBay. Please consider subscribing if you enjoyed that video.

[@billperkins74]

PSR-270 was my jam. I also has one with these attack and decay sliders but I don't recall the model. Only had like 11 voices but cool effects. I also have a DJX that I really love.

[@cheapmusicgear]

Cheap synths are the unsung heroes of some of the greatest pop songs of the past and present. It’s a bit of a shame to me to think these companies were putting out “good” quality “toy” synths full of potential just to have so many of them die in a closets and garages over the years.

[@FERLIXSHANECAMPUGAN]

got a pss11 for 4 dollars on a thrift store, it sounds great.

[@cheapmusicgear]

I wish I got mine for $4!!! I still agree though, it’s great.

[@fredhuybens2783]

Quincy jones used them on some of his productions (M. Jackson, Donna Summer...)

[@cheapmusicgear]

I love them. I think there’s a lot of cheap, analog keyboards and synths from the past that deserve more use in modern day music. Unfortunately, a lot of them are sitting locked up in storage and being regarded as old junk.

[@fredhuybens2783]

@@cheapmusicgear I have an old PS3 but I lost the power supply.

[@cheapmusicgear]

Get some batteries, my dude. …or take it as an excuse to spend some money on a different cheap, old synth that you want! 😂

[@butteo]

Don't forget Casio, they were cooler than Yamaha back in the day!

[@cheapmusicgear]

I haven’t forgotten Casio! I have CT-670 from the 90s that I plan on never selling. It’s great. It has the tone editor that allows you to: detune, add delay, adjust attack/decay, and adjust the release. There’s also tons of useable sounds. It’s great. I never got around to making a video of it prior to my recent surgery, but maybe some day when I can play instruments again with ease, I’ll make a video of it and show off some of what it does. There’s tons of great old Casios out there. I just have ended up finding more Yamahas that I enjoy.

[@ulvessens5902]

This is great, however they seem hard to find, and when I do they're way more than what several have reported here. Is this an inflation thing, should I be hitting thrift stores more often, wth?

[@cheapmusicgear]

Everything in this video was purchased on either reverb or eBay in the summer of 2020. I have since found a pss 680 at a thrift store. That was cool. I also bought a 480 on eBay maybe two years ago or so.

[@ulvessens5902]

@@cheapmusicgear Hmmm that makes sense. I came across a Yamaha PSR90 for 45 USD just before replying to your comment. I'm tempted to get it, however don't know about condition, will have to go inspect. Cheers from Australia.

[@cheapmusicgear]

@ulvessens5902 the condition is certainly something to be concerned about. 2/3 synths in this video currently do not work. You’re dealing with good synths that are not of the best quality and are decades old at this point, so keep that in mind while you’re shopping around.

[@doordedeur]

The PSS-11 is all PCM and not FM.

[@cheapmusicgear]

Thanks for clarifying that

[@keyhoarder]

​@@cheapmusicgearAWM means samples by Yamaha.

[@cheapmusicgear]

Interesting. That makes sense bc it has a lofi 90s samples vibe. I love the sounds on that little keyboard. I still use it more than most of my other cheap keys these days honestly.

[@keyhoarder]

@@cheapmusicgear the confusion is also there because some of the Yamaha keyboards from these period use both samples and FM (PSR 38, PSR 48 and some others). Always the best test is the acoustic piano sound. If it's quite natural it means it's AWM as with two or even four FM operators it's impossible to reproduce it accurately.

[@bikramls1118]

I want please

[@cheapmusicgear]

Www.eBay.com and www.reverb.com

[@jennjennjenn61992]

"I have a secret for all of you, I watched someone else's video and made this video about that video"

[@cheapmusicgear]

Is that supposed to be an impression of me? That wasn’t at all my approach to this video. I have always loved breaking out these types of synths when recording. I think they are and can be a secret weapon or a “missing puzzle piece” in a song. I own them, enjoy using them, and ultimately wanted to show that off to people. Do you typically like to think you know everything about everyone?