Yamaha PC-100 with Playcard System - Full Review 

The level of information, history and just straightforward love you uncover and dedicate to these otherwise old, clunky keyboards is phenomenal and infectious - which is admirable. To make something most people would otherwise just overlook immensely interesting is hard, but with the talent you display in bringing them to life, it all seems so easy (I'm sure it isn't!). Bravo!

This was my first instrument!!

I have the PC100 in pristine condition that my grandma bought when I was a kid. I just took it out of our attic because my kiddo was asking to play it. I couldn’t figure out how to make the placard work, then I found this video, thank you!

This was my introduction to music. My Dad bought one when it came out. It begat my passion for playing music. I went on to study piano then major in guitar, went to music college to do a degree and have been a professional musician and teacher ever since. I look back so fondly getting up early aged 11 to come down and practice those playcards. Thanks for the memory! Great video.

I got one of these when I was about 10. I would say this instrument kickstarted and boosted my musicianship. Prior to getting this, I had joined band as a drummer/percussionist, but this gave me an idea how melody and harmony worked. By the time I was 16, I played the clarinet family, guitar, and bass as well. I’ve led an active life as a musician in my adult years. My favorite play cards were “Summertime” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” I’ve even released music available here on RU-vid as the “The Spread Eagle Sound System.”

I love the way you bring out the best of these synths. There's no such thing as a bad musical instrument.

I still have my PC-100. I bought it when I first left school and started my first job 👍

My dad bought this when I was a kid, I remember we would bring it out around Christmas time and play Christmas music!

the piece that you play in the look inside is amazing

This channel deserves 10x more subs.

Awesome, we just bought one that is in pristine condition from an OP SHOP, we had no idea that it was so old and would still work perfectly after 38+ years !

Back In the day and these are STILL NOT bad sounding keyboards ESPECIALLY putting them through an EFX unit. I’ve owned loads of keyboards over the years. These days I proudly own a STUNNING Genos Yamaha and others. Hey U play keyboard VERY VERY nicely. WELL DONE!

My first keyboard ever. Thanks for the memories.

I loved that keyboard as a kid.

I love it, and your background tunes are incredible. Time to visit your Bandcamp page again. :)

I'm so glad I've discovered this channel I have a few old Yamaha PSS and PSR keyboards I've accumulated over the past few years:) Great videos!

Lovely video! I love watching this!

Wow another channel that looks at old keyboards, thanks for making these videos.

the way you used the transposer to repitch/detune that chord in the final performance was madd clever! awesome work as usual 🔥🔥🔥

Your content is incredibly good!!

Awesome ending tune! The transposer trick is cool too. Cheers!

I'd love to find out more about the playcard data format. There's a simple mod you can make to the PC-100 to archive the playcard data, and a properly placed phone pickup suction coil driven by a loud amplifier can be used to inject such archived recordings back into the keyboard. I actually have an archive of 192 cards that exist as .wav files. Interesting stuff!

I know it has been said several times already, but big big kudos(ses?) for creating those amazing videos with those old keyboards. I love how you transport the knowledge about the inner workings, about how to restore those lovely little machines. And how you are able to create crazy good music with those. Really inspiring! Lots of Love!

Somehow i saved up around £300 for this as a child! That's easily probably a thousand pound in todays money. I think my mum was probably struggling to put food on the table back then - and i drop a grand on a keyboard (saved over years of birthday and Xmas donations)

My grandma had this which she eventually let me keep, it was about 20 years ago i reckon when it was handed over to me. a few days ago I thought of buying a new cheap piano but remembered that I have had one and ultimately thought of trying to restore it. Im so hyped watching your vid, having just fixed mine, albeit the minor damages from wear and tear.

Great video and great channel!

Fantastic Video as Usually.... History and Technology, the perfect balance!

The final performance is so cool! and very informative video!

Fantastic and in-depth review. Thanks for sharing. Subd!

sounds great!

Your video editing is very good....

This is clearly an analog synth. Just imagine they would have added controls for the synth engine, like VCO, VCF envelopes and filter control, instead of the goofy patches. This would be such a classic today!

Excelente video! Thanks for Share!! ♪♫

丁寧に分解清掃して生き返らせてあげて、PC-100も嬉しそう。😊

Made me buy one. 10/10 video

I impulse bought this keyboard yesterday at a second hand store, and I found this video very helpful. Thanks!

excelente video colega saludos desde tijuana

Thanks

I still have this from new in '82...with a bunch of cards...(Greensleeves, Cielito Lindo etc.) about 45 cards...It is still in its hard plastic case with storage room for them cards...

Ending song is greate

Ah, the soundtrack of my childhood. I had a Ps400 which sounded exactly the same but it lacked the playcard bit. Even the case was the same.

I love the intro, you should review something from Zoom!

That headcleaning card for sure still works if it was stored in the box....Just a slightly(!) abbrasive, material....Just like cleaning cassettes...way softer than the heads so no issues..

LIKE SOUND OF ORGAN, PIANO, CLARINET, OBOE, HARPSICHORD & PICCOLO

Thanks for restoring these old toy keyboards they deserve it. These where the introduction to keyboards in the 80's/90's for many of us that play the big advanced synths today. Wish I kept my old Yamaha PSS keyboards. Watching these demonstration and restoration vids of those old boards make me long for them again.

I've enjoyed a number of your painstaking efforts the last month, and this time I must say: I'm surprised you didn't degauss that read head! 🤨😉 Are you going to do the Yamaha VSS-30 at some point?

@13:48 Nice!

The quality of your videos is just amazing ! I just subscribed ! A little question ? I find hard to figure out Whitch series are analog vs fm synthesis Is the PCS and PCR series also working with this analog core ? So PC 100, PC 50 are analog, the PS series is also analog for the most part, the PCS seem to bee analog to in the continuity of the PC? Thanks Leo

Quick question: what do you use to clean the key contacts? And also what do you use to grease the keys? I'm buying one of these on the weekend and think I might go ahead and give it a quick restoration, thanks to your fantastic video!

hello, thank you for this very informative video. In the third part "Sounds 7:20", the musics are they improvisations or known musics? In that case, would you have the name of each of them? Thanks again.

I remember when I was 8 years old I just follow the lights to play Summertime and Night Fever without knowing how to read the partiture

Mine came with the stickers as well...

4:42 "PICH" :D

The form factor reminds me of a CS-01.

Can you do a review for the pcs-500 as well?

MY FIRST KEYBOARD! I got it for Christmas 1982. Still have it, it's sitting in my closet. Do you know if the mini-keys are the same ones used on the Yamaha DX-100? One of my B keys is cracked and I'm trying to find a replacement for it.

I had the PCS-30

my brother in law has one of these still in the box, and it's bascially new, coz he never played it as a kid. i've been bugging him for years to let me have it, before he gives it to his kids, coz it'll be in 35 pieces within minutes.

8:44🔥

Im trying to figured out if this old mpdel can be connected to pc to directly record or do I really need a good mic?

Can anbody tell me please what the keyboard at 0:07 is ?, the one with the ASDR function....

How much...

Music for Dendy play

Love the theme of your channel. Subbed. But please, lower the music volume. It completely overpowers your ASMR delivery. Thanks.

hi, that can be used with batteries?

Hey. Thanks for the nice video. PC-100 was my first keyboard in my childhood years. Playcards were very instructive things. I want to add one thing to this video. :) In those years, my friends had their keyboards. Most of them had FILL-IN button on them and I was sorry about why my PC-100 had no FILL-IN function on it... One day, I don't remember the moment but I accidentally discovered how to do a FILL-IN while playing. Actually yes, there was no a FILL-IN button or something but there was one "technique" to make PC-100 a fill-in while playing. >> This step is kinda risky and don't try this at home (if you still have PC-100)

this prodact no hav in Bangladesh

Is this FM synthesis or not? I would like to buy this PC-100 but it sounds pretty like cheap 2 OP FM synth. So is this Yamaha's PASS synth? Or PS-3 has PASS ? I am very confused.

I think that thing sounds only good with the cards, otherwise nope

Work on your audio mix ... makes it hard to hear commentary if music is overpowering it!!