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Average Price: $16,500
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$500
$1501+
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Description
The CS-60 is a very scaled down light version of the CS-80. It's a classic and old polyphonic programmable analog synthesizer that has some potential. It does not sound as great as the CS-80 nor is it as programmable. You get a few preset sounds which are pretty useless and a mere 1 user patch. But there are just enough sliders, edit parameters and even an excellent Ring Modulator to get some interesting pads, drones, basses and other analog synth sounds. Oddly, sitting between the keyboard and those large Preset Switches is a long velvet ribbon controller which is pretty cool for doing wild pitch bends.
Due to its old age most CS-60s are in battered shape these days, difficult to service but in need of some. And they suffer common ailments of the analog domain - overheating, unstable tuning, it weighs a lot, etc... However the CS-60 is the cheapest way to get into some genuine CS-80 sounds of analog heaven with basic entry-level programming! It has been used by Air, Jean-Michel Jarre, Oshe and Bob Marley and the Wailers.
https://www.vintagesynth.com/yamaha/cs60.php
Product specs
| Brand | Yamaha |
| Model | CS-60 Polyphonic Synthesizer |
| Finish | Black |
| Year | 1977 |
| Made In | Japan |
| Categories | Analog Synths, Keyboard Synths |
| Analog / Digital | Analog |
| Key Size | Full Size |
| Keyboard Action | Synth Action |
| Number of Keys | 61 Keys |
| Polyphony | 8 Voices |
FAQs
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Is the Yamaha CS-60 synthesizer polyphonic?
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Yes, the Yamaha CS-60 is an analog synthesizer with 8-voice polyphony, allowing you to play up to eight notes simultaneously.
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What type of keys does the Yamaha CS-60 have?
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The Yamaha CS-60 features a full-size keyboard with synth action, providing a responsive and expressive playing experience.
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How does the Yamaha CS-60 compare to the Yamaha CS-80?
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The Yamaha CS-60 is a lighter variant of the CS-80, featuring a single synth channel and 8-voice polyphony, whereas the CS-80 offers two independent voices.
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What is the sound character of the Yamaha CS-60?
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The Yamaha CS-60 is known for its rich, warm analog sound, characteristic of 1970s synthesizers, making it ideal for creating lush, vintage tones.
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Is the Yamaha CS-60 suitable for live performances?
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Yes, the Yamaha CS-60's full-size keyboard and expressive sound engine make it well-suited for live performances, especially for those seeking classic analog tones.
Videos
Telekom Electronic Beats TV
Mathew Jonson Presents His Synthesizer Favourites: Yamaha CS-60 (EB.TV)
Reviews
PROS
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Unique poly-synth sound unmatched by later models
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Exceptional build quality and luxurious feel
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Custom ICs now cloned, reducing maintenance worries
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More reliable, doesn’t require constant tuning
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Can be lifted by one person
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Expressive capabilities rivaling the CS80
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Rewards skilled programming and performance
CONS
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Rare custom chips are prone to failure
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Requires significant maintenance
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Not for instant gratification; demands practice and skill to fully utilize
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Yamaha CS-60.
Features and functionality
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The Yamaha CS-60 includes MIDI capabilities, enhancing its integration with modern setups despite its vintage origin.
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The CS-60's presets are limited to colored buttons on the front, with only one user-editable preset, encouraging experimentation for sound creation.
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The synth features 8 voices, and playing melodies over sustained notes can create interesting effects by cutting off releases.
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Setup and maintenance
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Owners report occasional random bad notes and suggest a tune-up for calibration to maintain optimal performance.
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Comparisons
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The CS-60 is viewed as a smaller version of the CS-80, with differences like polyphonic aftertouch and additional on-board effects in the CS-80.
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User experience
Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 0 Reviews and 1 Rating
Artist usage
Add artist
In a 2016 Facebook post, Jimmy Edgar included the Yamaha CS-60 in his equipment list.
Visible in this photo used for the back cover of Music for Insomniacs and the back cover of Music for Insomniacs Part IV. It is also mentioned in this December 2020 Sound on Sound interview.
Around the same time, Berry began collecting then‑unfashionable analogue synths, picking them up incredibly cheaply through classified ads. “I got a [Yamaha] CS‑60 for 200 quid,” he marvels. “I got a CS‑10 and a load of analogue synths. What was always quite funny was that there’d be things like ‘Jupiter‑8. Will swap for a DX7’. You think, ‘Well, you fucking wouldn’t do that now.’
“But for me it was amazing. I wanted analogue synths because I’d seen Jean‑Michel Jarre surrounded by these keyboards that had loads of knobs, dials and sliders. That was the coolest sound. I didn’t think there was anything cool about a DX7.”
A CS-60 has been mentioned as one of the instruments used on Julia's 2024 album 'Something in the Room She Moves'
Listen on the equipment page of artist's website, also seen in studio photos and interview videos
Among the synths used on the album are an ARP 2600, a Yamaha CS60 and — delivered to Tarbox Road only weeks before the record's completion — the new Korg Microsampler. Needless to say, perhaps, all were treated and manipulated in various ways. "Of course,” Fridmann laughs. "You hear a sound and you're like, 'That's a great sound — can we get it a little better? Yeah, guess we're gonna have to do something weird to it…'
THE STUDIO EQUIPMENT USED ON THE LP
Yamaha Polyphonic Synthesisers CS80 & CS60 ~ Yamaha Symphonic Ensemble SK20 ~ Yamaha Monophonic Synthesisers CS30, CS150 & CS20M ~ Yamaha Electric Grand CP708 ~ Roland Monophonic Synthesisers SH1, PRO-MARS ~ Roland Digital Sequencer CSQ600 ~ Roland Vocoder VP330 ~ Roland Organ / String Synth. RS09 ~ Mini Moog & Moog Prodigy Monophonic Synthesisers ~ Godwin String Concert 649 ~ H/H Electric Piano P73
TRACKLISTING: Side One: 1 Wonderland In The Wilderness 2 Nature On A Knife Edge Side Two: 3 Sunken Tombs Of The Truk Lagoon 4 Magic Of The Dolphin
"Hi there everybody - just a little something for the keyboard people out there ! Here's a list of gear that I have owned from 1970 to now - all lot of it I don't have anymore but there's still quite a lot that I do have ! Click on the image to see all - Enjoy.......🙂" straight from Didge's Facebook page.
Album Usage
The Yamaha CS-60 has been featured on the following albums:
Something in the Room She Moves
Julia Holter (2024)
Feels Right (Gerd Janson Remix)
Roosevelt (2020)
american dream
LCD Soundsystem (2017)
Distance Between Dreams (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Junkie XL (2016)
Music for Insomniacs Part IV
Matt Berry (2014)
Music for Insomniacs
Matt Berry (2014)
69 Love Songs
The Magnetic Fields (1999)
Équinoxe
Jean Michel Jarre (1978)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Yamaha CS-60, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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