Casio CT-401

Back in 1981, this keyboard dropped with a wild mix of 14 quirky preset sounds, including oddballs like "funny" and "frog," that captured the playful spirit of early digital experimentation when Casio was pushing boundaries on affordable home instruments.

It packs a 49-key keyboard with 8-note polyphony for the main section, powered by an NEC D773G CPU and D8049C for rhythms, alongside 16 analog-style patterns and a unique Casio Auto Chord system that handles up to 12-note fingered chords plus monophonic bass. Controls include locking rhythm buttons that sync at bar ends, individual percussion decay trimmers, a chord volume lever for dynamic tweaks, sustain, and vibrato options, all feeding a built-in 10-watt mono speaker through a hefty hybrid power amp. At 796 x 327 x 117 mm and 12.8 kg, it's a sturdy, portable beast with 35-watt power draw and dry, semi-analog timbres—from warm bass and bright organ to phasing effects when trilling notes—that stand out even today.

Vintage players dig its incredible, characterful presets and warm accompaniment, often calling out the phasing and volume swells as secret weapons for lo-fi jams, though some note the short sustain on plucked tones and limited real-time rhythm switching as charming quirks of the era.