Mine (bought new in '86) still works. I use it occasionally during live performances to add a little colour to my bands otherwise acoustic sound. Some of the voices are 'iffy' (especially the 'mandolin') but the organ effects are very plausible and the manual drum pads are fun. As a MIDI controller the patch lengths are a little limited (ie notes are cut dead after a few seconds if driving other instruments) but overall, a great, inexpensive 'toy' for it's time Ive had my moneys worth!
Excellent demo of a pretty hard-to-master thing, imho. Never did get into it properly - something to do with the feel, I guess. One of them has sat in or around my attic since I bought it new in the closeout sale for around $35. Take it out every few years and try it, but no joy ensues. Must be me, although I get on OK with a Casio MG510 and really enjoy a Roland GR1 on a Steinberger. Your DG-20 sounds really musical - well done!
I bought the DG-20 as my first guitar in late April '88, but as soon as October of that same year, I sold it to buy an electric. I don't regret the choice of swapping to a real guitar, but seen as later I've got interested in synths and samplers I started feeling sorry that I had to get rid of it as a MIDI controller. But you know, a 14yo kid's wallet is generally pretty empty. Thanks for waking up old memories, though : )
Not to shabby! Got to love the guitar re-made famous by the Flight of the Conchords!!! (wahoo inserted here!) When are you going to post some new sounds on this baby??
So I guess the PG-380 must have been introducted in 1988, together with the VZ line of synthesizers. Casio really had great instruments betwen 1985-1988.
AWESOME! I've been looking for one of these for a while now. Can anyone tell me a good place to look? I can't find any on ebay, craigslist or anywhere... Any suggestions?
i own many Casio music related products including the entire DG series, and whats funny is this guitar didn't get popular and so damn expensive until FOTC featured it, don't get me wrong, I love the show, but if you listen to the song, there's barely any of the guitar in the song at all.
yo press strings but the neck is rubber and presure sensitive so anything you press is transfered by midi data to the onboard computer, basicly you press strings
I used to have one of these. There is no reason why you can't play with a pick but there's no point. All the sounds are electronic and it would make no difference.
it doesnt, you dont. it works like a keyboard. whether you actually fret the string on this guitar doesnt matter, just as long as you're pushing down on the fret.
I love the synth sound from the 80's. NOW I WANT ONE!!! MOAR!!! DO WANT!!
They are great when hooked up to MIDI synths. :)
Why would someone thumb down this video? I mean the guy plays great and it's a pretty rare synth guitar. Giving thumbs down for this is pretty lame!
I sold mine 18 years ago! I can't believe how long has been since then! I wish I had it again now that I'm into midi stuff.
I love this guitar I'am getting one rather soon and I can't wait!
I miss my DG-20
Mine (bought new in '86) still works. I use it occasionally during live performances to add a little colour to my bands otherwise acoustic sound. Some of the voices are 'iffy' (especially the 'mandolin') but the organ effects are very plausible and the manual drum pads are fun. As a MIDI controller the patch lengths are a little limited (ie notes are cut dead after a few seconds if driving other instruments) but overall, a great, inexpensive 'toy' for it's time Ive had my moneys worth!
i love that you're playing sufjan stevens
Excellent demo of a pretty hard-to-master thing, imho. Never did get into it properly - something to do with the feel, I guess.
One of them has sat in or around my attic since I bought it new in the closeout sale for around $35. Take it out every few years and try it, but no joy ensues.
Must be me, although I get on OK with a Casio MG510 and really enjoy a Roland GR1 on a Steinberger.
Your DG-20 sounds really musical - well done!
That looks like a fun machine to just jam on. I might have to get one.
I bought the DG-20 as my first guitar in late April '88, but as soon as October of that same year, I sold it to buy an electric.
I don't regret the choice of swapping to a real guitar, but seen as later I've got interested in synths and samplers I started feeling sorry that I had to get rid of it as a MIDI controller. But you know, a 14yo kid's wallet is generally pretty empty.
Thanks for waking up old memories, though : )
Well done mate, sounds cool!
I like it, wouldn't mind one of those myself. Well demonstrated dude. :-)
Not to shabby! Got to love the guitar re-made famous by the Flight of the Conchords!!! (wahoo inserted here!) When are you going to post some new sounds on this baby??
So I guess the PG-380 must have been introducted in 1988, together with the VZ line of synthesizers. Casio really had great instruments betwen 1985-1988.
@flyhi94 it can plug straight into an amp. it also has a midi out
nice run through of all the sounds. I didn't think the guitar work was so sloppy :)
Ahh I wish I had one of these. freakin sweet.
This guitar has just been made famous by The Flight of the Conchords. Could imagine they will be worth quite a bit of coin in the future!
AWESOME! I've been looking for one of these for a while now. Can anyone tell me a good place to look? I can't find any on ebay, craigslist or anywhere... Any suggestions?
I heard that on the DG-10, you could bend notes by fingering three frets on the same string. I wonder if this is true on the DG-20?
wow...that is actually kinda cool :O
i love it!
Sounds like Hot And Cold at the beginning!
is that first song box of rain by the grateful dead?
it has output and a built-in loudspeaker
is it possible to tighten the strings or will not make not pick up well
I want one of these...Can they be found easily?
does it need an amp and if you know do you know where one can be purchased
So how much are these things worth? I would love to get one.
who wouldn't want to compose music for an 8-bit video game?
I mean seriously - that's pretty much the pinnacle of all musical achievement.
Great - but I would have like to have seen more techniques for playing this guitar....
Nice GYNTH !!
@ansomatica
can i use it like a midi keyboard? for ableton, reason, logic, vst etc etc...
I NEED IT!
Are you plugging the strings with your fingers because these things can't be played with a pick?
at least it has a pretty badass clav
Were you able to program the patches with MIDI, and, if so, how?
You can't change the built-in patches unfortunately - it's only a preset synth
Do you need anything else to run one of these or can you plug it straight into an amp?
i own many Casio music related products including the entire DG series, and whats funny is this guitar didn't get popular and so damn expensive until FOTC featured it, don't get me wrong, I love the show, but if you listen to the song, there's barely any of the guitar in the song at all.
a must have in good condition though.
Freaking righteous.
some chiptune band needs to use this
Fairly sure Dubmood does, I think I've read somewhere he uses either this or the DG-1. Dunno if he uses it primarily for chiptune though.
what if i need a little mandolin?
dude one question the DG20 can do the same sounds like the DG10?
Haha the Flight of the Conchords have one, and in one gig they said "We got this from a porn shop in the future"
Just letting you nerds all know I own one now and its goin down. Horse the band.
I kinda agree...
That's cool.
this guitar work in reason?
You have to use a small Allen key.
The guitar sounds sound buzzy and Casio-y, but otherwise extremely realistic in terms of strumming & attack.
and with of a press of a button, its a glockenspiel!
does it output midi so it can be recorded?
Yes, for sure
haha i just came from the concord video to this to see what it could realy do lol
yo press strings but the neck is rubber and presure sensitive so anything you press is transfered by midi data to the onboard computer, basicly you press strings
gynth. nice one
YOU LIEK BOOM. AND I LIEK BOOM.
They sold those at Macy's in the 80's.
I used to have one of these. There is no reason why you can't play with a pick but there's no point.
All the sounds are electronic and it would make no difference.
Set that bad boy to mandolin
You will order a fancy Boom
I have one with a Grateful dead sticker on it :D
it'd be good if you ever wanted to compose music for an 8-bit video game.
Sufy!
organ and clav tones arent bad
Oh damn, flight of the concords????
me three!!
Oh that definitely makes more sense hahahahaha
so future
I guess your only option is to order a new string from Casio.
it sounds like music from the Nintendo game Zelda!
I haven't seen that episode but im guessing he said pawn, not porn
Me too :D
it doesnt, you dont.
it works like a keyboard. whether you actually fret the string on this guitar doesnt matter, just as long as you're pushing down on the fret.
great video dude! are you an elf?
any ordinary acoustic nylon guitar string with the same diameter will do.
haha
you're totally right
some one made this video way too serious. its like in rememberance of the dg or something. like it died.
that's how guitarrists start to make real music! :)
tricked you! ha! :D
...i want your junk.
simply cos this guitar is sexy.
and i want one ever so badly.
:(
Nope, it doesn't.
all the strings do is measure the amplitude. they don't make any real sound. they're plastic.