The beauty about this piano is when you use it in true stereo; sound 1 left and sound 2 right, slight detune: wide stereo sound! I have changed all the capacitors in mine and brought it back to life.
That was my first keyboard when I was 15 years old beyond the upright I had played for 10 years already. We had to take the arm rests off the rear doors of Mom’s car to get it in the backseat so she could take me to gigs w/ my wedding band in the mid 70’s. Very cool video!
I had a CP-30 back in the 1980's...wish I still had it. I wanted something portable (sort of), and I liked that it had touch sensitive keys so it would play more like a real piano. In the early 1990's, I upgraded to a Yamaha C3 grand piano which I still have.
Had one of these for about three years, bought as a replacement for a Rhodes 73 that I missed but couldn't afford. Excellent keybed, feels about as real as any acoustic piano I've ever played. Touch sensitivity is way advanced for the age. The sound is ... well, you find your way with it. I've thought of selling but every time I sit down with it I love it more -- a true underappreciated classic. Thanks for showing the CP30 some love!
Such delightful playing. I'm sure those old dusty circuits were thrilled to be singing again under the control of such a talented musician, thanks Kris!
I had one in the 1980s. The twin oscillators slightly detuned was a great feature as was having 88 notes weighted keys, quite unusual at the time. It was ultra solid and ultra heavy. The flat area on the top allowed you to sit another keyboard on top, which in my case was a Roland strings keyboard. I had a monophonic Roland SH5 at 90 degrees to complete the set and toured around NZ with a band. Good times.
Welcome to the CP30 club: I scored mine at a Goodwill a few years back for $60; backbreaking weight and oddly voiced, but that late seventies-Christine McVie vibe is lots of fun - you may want to hold on to it. Thanks for your great demo and playing!
had one way back in 1981 or so, learned how to play Bloody Well Right intro on it, the sound was a bit odd, but lots of variables to play with, cheers...
Loved that Stride piano technique! I had a CP 30 from 1983 to 1993. Great to hear it again. Christine McVie played one on the Tusk album and onstage too.(Mirage Tour VHS-L.A Forum gig).
For a real trip, unscrew the (2?, 3?) screws that go upward under the front edge, and the entire top tilts up with a hinge on the back. Every. Single. Note. has a complete individual circuit running from the front to the back - a big long line of resistors, capacitors, transistors, and each circuit just slightly different from the one next to it. (I sold my pickup truck to buy one of these in 1979, gave it to a friend many years later before moving, and heard from him long after that that he had dumpstered it when *he* moved :-( )
I can just imagine that you have found a taker for this CP 30 by now, Mr. Nicholson. Whoever they are, they are pretty lucky. I can imagine that if I didn’t already have too many instruments in my own, I would definitely want one like this. Wonder if the case/stand is 30 enough that, as I wrote below another demonstration of this model, it could support the weight of a classic analog polyphonic synthesizer.
BTW it's actual wood (with veneer on). The schematics are online. The keybed is the same as in the legendary Cs-80, and the lever/pivot length is (i understand) similar the one in a grand piano; that's why it's such a big case, and i guess that explains the good action.
Just bought an old Yamaha cp10 for $300 off gumtree here in Australia and am on the hunt for the cp30 because of how in love I am with the way it plays and sounds
What a great video! Hell of a player! Quick question where you able to sort the noise out? I just picked up a cp-20 and it makes the same noise, just wondering if it’s quirk or a fault? Any help would be much appreciated:) Peace
Hello Kris! I just received one of these. Unfortunately it is missing the metal rods and the fuse that goes next to the power cable. Do you by any chance know what type of fuse I need to buy? I found the manual for this piano, but it doesn't specify
Haha so funny thing, I found one locally for a good price-musician that says it plays great but the wood is a little beat up. How did you clean/shine this?
To open it up, the top opens up like a car hood; you need to unscrew rhe 4 screws underneath the keyboard at the left and right of the keybed (2 on each side).
I came for the CP30, but stayed for your incredible playing! I used to play one of these in a new wave band. I sold my Rhodes to get this. The Rhodes just wouldn't cut through like this did when the channels were detuned. Here is me playing this on a video from 1978: ua-cam.com/video/DvYSXFdwCB4/v-deo.html I bought one ago a few years ago for nostalgia. It suffers from low output and is a little noisy, but not as bad as yours. I find that a DI box helps quite a bit, but probably needs to be recapped. I still prefer it over a Fender Rhodes. Wish I still had my Wurlitzer electric piano, but mostly my Vox and Farfisa organs.
I wouldn’t call this “Electric”. It’s more an “electronic piano”. Real electric pianos have electromechanical parts…so actual percussion is occurring by the keyboard activating hammers that actually strike an element that sends vibration that can be amplified via electromagnetic pickups. This is electronic in that sound is actually generated by integrated circuit functioning as an oscillator…just like a synth. No real vibration is occurring like in real electric pianos.
I bought mine in 1979. My daughter has it at her place now. Ludwig Goransson ( composer "Black Panther" and "The Mandelorian") has one in his studio
Very nice demo. Thanks.
I love how Electric pianos turned into a distinct instrument of its own.
The beauty about this piano is when you use it in true stereo; sound 1 left and sound 2 right, slight detune: wide stereo sound!
I have changed all the capacitors in mine and brought it back to life.
😀
That was my first keyboard when I was 15 years old beyond the upright I had played for 10 years already. We had to take the arm rests off the rear doors of Mom’s car to get it in the backseat so she could take me to gigs w/ my wedding band in the mid 70’s. Very cool video!
I had a CP-30 back in the 1980's...wish I still had it. I wanted something portable (sort of), and I liked that it had touch sensitive keys so it would play more like a real piano. In the early 1990's, I upgraded to a Yamaha C3 grand piano which I still have.
Had one of these for about three years, bought as a replacement for a Rhodes 73 that I missed but couldn't afford. Excellent keybed, feels about as real as any acoustic piano I've ever played. Touch sensitivity is way advanced for the age. The sound is ... well, you find your way with it. I've thought of selling but every time I sit down with it I love it more -- a true underappreciated classic. Thanks for showing the CP30 some love!
Such delightful playing. I'm sure those old dusty circuits were thrilled to be singing again under the control of such a talented musician, thanks Kris!
🎩🧐
I had one in the 1980s. The twin oscillators slightly detuned was a great feature as was having 88 notes weighted keys, quite unusual at the time. It was ultra solid and ultra heavy. The flat area on the top allowed you to sit another keyboard on top, which in my case was a Roland strings keyboard. I had a monophonic Roland SH5 at 90 degrees to complete the set and toured around NZ with a band. Good times.
Welcome to the CP30 club: I scored mine at a Goodwill a few years back for $60; backbreaking weight and oddly voiced, but that late seventies-Christine McVie vibe is lots of fun - you may want to hold on to it. Thanks for your great demo and playing!
had one way back in 1981 or so, learned how to play Bloody Well Right intro on it, the sound was a bit odd, but lots of variables to play with, cheers...
cp-80やyc-30も素晴らしいエレピだと思いますが、自分の中で一番好きなのはこのエレピです！ I was moved you play the Electric piano .
Loved that Stride piano technique! I had a CP 30 from 1983 to 1993. Great to hear it again. Christine McVie played one on the Tusk album and onstage too.(Mirage Tour VHS-L.A Forum gig).
That thing sounds amazing
For a real trip, unscrew the (2?, 3?) screws that go upward under the front edge, and the entire top tilts up with a hinge on the back. Every. Single. Note. has a complete individual circuit running from the front to the back - a big long line of resistors, capacitors, transistors, and each circuit just slightly different from the one next to it. (I sold my pickup truck to buy one of these in 1979, gave it to a friend many years later before moving, and heard from him long after that that he had dumpstered it when *he* moved :-( )
I can just imagine that you have found a taker for this CP 30 by now, Mr. Nicholson. Whoever they are, they are pretty lucky. I can imagine that if I didn’t already have too many instruments in my own, I would definitely want one like this. Wonder if the case/stand is 30 enough that, as I wrote below another demonstration of this model, it could support the weight of a classic analog polyphonic synthesizer.
I played one of these in high school jazz band. Good times.
BTW it's actual wood (with veneer on). The schematics are online. The keybed is the same as in the legendary Cs-80, and the lever/pivot length is (i understand) similar the one in a grand piano; that's why it's such a big case, and i guess that explains the good action.
Just bought an old Yamaha cp10 for $300 off gumtree here in Australia and am on the hunt for the cp30 because of how in love I am with the way it plays and sounds
I really like its analog tones! Simple, but with personality. The detuning sounds nice, as does the tremolo.
This piano is super funky I like it!
Great playing👍👍👍❤❤❤
this guy is insane... amazing
Some really nice sounds!!
what a great thing!, excelent review btw...
The case being also the stand is something I wish was done more with these monsters :D
Incredible hands❤❤❤
13:52
What a great video! Hell of a player! Quick question where you able to sort the noise out? I just picked up a cp-20 and it makes the same noise, just wondering if it’s quirk or a fault?
Any help would be much appreciated:)
Peace
indeed quite a funky keyboard
If one can play it obviously does mot matter if the tone is "just" generated with analogue circuitry.
Wow, that’s nice! Even back then Yammy was making great stuff! Sweet.
Yamaha is an excellent company, they have never let me down with gear and instruments.
I really wish I had one of those
Featured on Gary Numan's album 'Dance'.
nice sound
I found a cp 30 in an old rental and it works not perfect shape how much is it worth?
Hello Kris! I just received one of these. Unfortunately it is missing the metal rods and the fuse that goes next to the power cable. Do you by any chance know what type of fuse I need to buy? I found the manual for this piano, but it doesn't specify
Haha so funny thing, I found one locally for a good price-musician that says it plays great but the wood is a little beat up. How did you clean/shine this?
Lemon Pledge always works great on wood - and plastic too! Works great on the keys too.
MAN I gotta start asking if people have these laying around when I go to tune
Why do keyboard demos on UA-cam feature 'look how fast I can play'...?
To open it up, the top opens up like a car hood; you need to unscrew rhe 4 screws underneath the keyboard at the left and right of the keybed (2 on each side).
longde that video will be coming next I’m taking a week of in Miami
Keep 'm alive! Put a few good stereo effects on it and it will really start to shine.
I’ve got a 1983 Yamaha YP-40 Clavinova I’ve been trying to sell.
How did you get such a nice shine on it?
懐かしい。これ使ってました
Really cool
How much?
You're lucky! i love my cp30
Were you able to sell it?
I’ll buy it if you still have it!
I came for the CP30, but stayed for your incredible playing! I used to play one of these in a new wave band. I sold my Rhodes to get this. The Rhodes just wouldn't cut through like this did when the channels were detuned. Here is me playing this on a video from 1978: ua-cam.com/video/DvYSXFdwCB4/v-deo.html
I bought one ago a few years ago for nostalgia. It suffers from low output and is a little noisy, but not as bad as yours. I find that a DI box helps quite a bit, but probably needs to be recapped. I still prefer it over a Fender Rhodes. Wish I still had my Wurlitzer electric piano, but mostly my Vox and Farfisa organs.
Can anyone recommend the output cable? I'm trying to learn how to play the piano and I happened to stumble upon a CP-30.
You just need a normal guitar lead plugged into an amp
Ahhhhhh! This version of The Might Has A Thousand Eyes is utter madness! Who's playing it? Also, cool CP30.
*night
I bought one brand new in the early 80's.
“Old Vintage CP” 💀
I wouldn’t call this “Electric”. It’s more an “electronic piano”. Real electric pianos have electromechanical parts…so actual percussion is occurring by the keyboard activating hammers that actually strike an element that sends vibration that can be amplified via electromagnetic pickups. This is electronic in that sound is actually generated by integrated circuit functioning as an oscillator…just like a synth. No real vibration is occurring like in real electric pianos.
You did not resell that… cmon you can’t take your hands off it lol