Ck73 would be fantastic. Also a keybed weighting in between semi weighted and fully weighted, a good compromise for piano and organ. Anyone else thinking this?

i just bought a CK61 2 weeks ago and was blown away how great it is. I have a reface YC which is too small (octaves) and too quiet to be useful to play along with stereo or someone singing- but the CK61 is just perfect and loud enough on its own. the layout and functionality of the stage layout with the 3 sections is incredibly easy. I have a Nord Stage 3, crummar mojo, (sold my Nord Grand), and this little Yamaha wins for portability, fun factor, ease of use, and price. built in speakers that are loud, battery powered, perfect size, the 1/4 inch outputs sound good but the built in speakers are just fantastic and loud... a huge thumbs up IMO. ... The YC may have better sounds but it's HEAVY, no speakers, costs a lot more. I can throw the CK61 in the back of my car and have a keyboard that i can play anywhere at any time, it's so light i can put it on my lap and play it, try that with a YC?. The keybed itself on the CK is typical good quality Yamaha , and perfect for organ sounds, not too squishy and smooth, solid. HUGE smile factor with this keyboard. I have a stage 3, i don't need a YC, i need a great portable cheap travelling battery powered keyboard... would have preferred a reface with more octaves, but this CK will do. Your video on the organ sounds and you fiddling with the Leslie sounds great.. I wish keyboards were this good when i was younger... no tinkering with sounds and needing more keyboards. the stage layout with the 3 sections.. so good. Why i stumbled across your channel was because last month I got a used/brand new Crummar Mojo and was trying to learn more about making it sound good , searched and found your video, then found the YC video.

The Nord is more like ~ 4 times the price and well worth it. But I picked up a CK61 and love it. It is perfect for what I need: a rehearsal and gig machine. It has speakers and can be powered by 8 AA batteries so I can take it with me to a practice session just about anywhere. I plug it into the mixer at the gig without a fuss. I don't need an uber sounding machine. When I do I'd pull out all the stops with a laptop with 2 tb of sounds driven by Ableton Live, Reason VST, with a Push, Akai APC40mk2 and Launchpad and go to town, hell Mars. The CK with a Nord Drum 3 (using the Nord Beat 3 sequencer app on an iPad) is perfect for the basic gig setup to accompany singers and geetarists.

Great to hear again indeed, thanks Woody. Keep bringing up your visions for us, so inspiring too. Bless you 👍

I picked up one of these and love it for casual playing and production. Yamaha nailed the usability. I see it as the line 6 helix version of keyboards (owned by Yamaha also). Sure there are others that might sound better on this or that setting, but it sounds generally great in a mix and is so easy to tweak on the fly. Also the 88 key is perfect for those of us who dabble in both piano sounds and synth parts. The keybed is heavy enough but not too heavy for also playing non-piano sounds.

Thanks for touching on the DX7 sounds toward the end of your review. I definitely want the more realistic DX7 sounds that you say are on the YC61 as well as the more authentic organ sounds.

Great Joblin! Seeing all of these review on YT have been very helpful. I played this in a store and needed a bunch of "second" opinions. The value with this one is a bit surprising!

Not sure why this keyboard gets lot of hate. Yes, it's not a nord and not sure why it gets compared to the DGX and PSR line. It's not even in the same category. I just picked up the ck88 to give my yamaha YC a break and so far its been great.

WOODY on the CK61 check out the patch 7-4 2310 Orchestra !! it has wicked velocity sensitivity , different orchestra elements come out so smoothly plus the sound quality is UNFKN believable... really great for the price

Very interesting, that you put the YC organ above the Nord Electro. Seems that you self had to think about it. I like that the YC has three Hammond models and two rotary models (including the new Studio rotary) on the panel and thus gives a huge variety at hand. However, I liked the waterfall keybed of the Nord for being more weighted.

Thank you very much for your in depth reviews of this model, really considering the 61, for recording and songwriting,, your videos are very much appreciated!!!!🎹

I think if someone doesn't like the organ on this, you can connect your iPhone/iPad and use the organ sound there, which I think makes it highly flexible. Also, the speakers up top would make a DGX-type piano.

Question from an amateur: I currently have a Hammond C3 and Leslie L122, but I want a wider variety of sounds. I'm going to sell (or effectively trade) the Hammond/Leslie and get a Yamaha CK88, and a 49 key MIDI controller with after touch as a second keyboard (console organ style) and for playing synth type solos. This is all straightforward. But - what amplifier/speaker system should I buy? I only play at home in my 24x16 lounge, and (obviously) the 30 Watt valve amp Leslie FILLS THE ROOM. But what's best to buy to do room-filling justice to the wide range of sounds of the CK88? A stage keyboard amp? Studio monitors? HiFi Amp and Speakers?

Great review! I too own the MODX8 and have zero issues with the keys and think it is still the best value for money one can find in a synthesiser. I read on the forums of guys breaking the keys/keybed. I can only assume they are emulating, and playing a lot of, Jerry Lee Lewis songs…

Well done Woody. Always enjoing your reviews. Greetings from Germany

A great series of reviews, Woody. Very much appreciated.

Good wrap-up review. Content and production quality of your videos are excellent.

Very helpful and informative video man thanks a lot!

Very nice keyboard! looks like the best among Korg Vox Continental Roland V-Combo VR-09-B Studiologic Numa Compact 2x

Just found out the CK can only trigger voices from another controller. Doesn't take incoming midi control messages like for rotary controls. (from Yamaha Support) Wanted to use my Nord Electro as a controller. Bummer

One of the biggest issues is only one source for the mod wheel. Really limits what you can do when layering up synths sounds. Hope they add more in an update.

Is it possible for ck88 to connect it to a Bluetooth speaker to listen to it through the Bluetooth speaker? Also can you use the drawbar faders with other sounds except organs? Thanks

We question, can you set velocity scaling on any of the 3 layers?

I'm curious if the CK88/CK61 supports the addition of any external voices/sounds/patches (Yamaha or other) via USB A connection, like some other Yamaha keyboards offer? Also, is the included engine comparable to their Zencore, and is there a synth Arpeggio function?

Great review!

Could you describe the keyboard playing action please, it’s a toss up between a ck88 or Korg sv2. I’m torn what to go for

How can I get a ragtime or honky tonk sound on this keyboard? My previous Yamaha had a preset for Honky tonk.

Hey Woody I understand that there is a menu feature that redirects the speakers if its sittind on table...

How does it compare to the modx8+

Future Yamaha purchase twist.. its a jetski!

Thanks Woody !

I was really looking forward to replace my Roland Fp7f with this, but for me the facing down speakers is kind of …exact what Yamaha says, a last minute thing for quick rehearsals, even a p-125 has more quality and on top

The CK61 should have a blue colour like MX series or dark brown. New to the channel, Woody. Subscribed. Greetings from Brazil.

There are also Crumar Mojo 61 or Crumar Mojo Classic as Clone Tonewheel ("Clonewheel").

Im wondering how the 61 key version compares to a Roland VR 09, which has a very similar design and festures.

6 part reviews? Amazing

Hello Woody ! Great series! After watching this series I decided to buy the ck 61! It has just irrite but my pitch bend doesn’t come back to neutral from the top! Only from the bottom! Is this normal? Or it just came broken?? Thanks for your help! Continue inspiring other people like me!!

I was going to comment that I like the design of the knobs, much more practical than round ones, then you beat me to it.

Great job but how about wooly bully watch it now 😮

Very Nice Video. Have a nice Weekend ! 🙋‍♂️🎹

Battery powered 88 keys with speakers is the Casio PXS1100

Kurzweil PC and SP series might be worth considering.

I took the plunge after your reviews. The piano sounds are awe full, my 5 year old privia sounds lots better. On the plus side all the other sounds are great and should cover all bases when playing out. Also why they don’t include a music rest is bazaar ??

"Lashings" 😅. Showing your age with a bit of Enid Blyton there, Woody!

Hey there! Just subscribed, love the channel! So I have a CK88 and absolutely love it; I've always played 90% piano and 10% EP and love the GHS action. But I've started getting very interested in playing Hammond; I know the sound quality on the YC61 is better, but wanted to ask your thoughts on the key action (for someone used to GHS weighted); how important to hammond organ playing is it really to have the semi-weighted waterfall keys as opposed to fully weighted piano keys? I really wish someone would make a waterfall style midi controller (I don't think any exist, not sure why . . . ) because then I could just connect that to my CK and have the best of both worlds.

4:52 It's a GHS keyboard... it would be helpful to know if it feels as if it's implemented in the exact same way as in the P-125 or MODX8, but these 3 are probably either/or keyboards for most people. I've tried the CK61 (not the 88), and the keys were identical to the $300ish PSR arranger keyboard nearby... but the springs may have been adjusted for the worse, or else I preferred them to be broken in a bit (that PSR was in the shop much longer than that CK). The PSR was lacking the quality sounds and user interface controls, in comparison, unfortunately. I didn't like the key action that much. Was hard to consistently trigger low velocity notes. I like the GHS for a cheap light piano action. It's not my favorite in the world, but I'm used to it now. I wish they made a 73 with the BHS action (same as the top octave of GHS, but the same weight over the entire keyboard, instead of progressively getting heavier as you go down the keyboard. That's what YC73 uses. Actually, I wish for that in a waterfall shape, in a 73 or even 61, instead of the CK61 keys in a waterfall shape, as I've heard the YC61 is, tho I haven't tried that one in person, so that's only heresy from a forum post).

The main competitor that the CK88 is aiming at is the Roland RD88. I’m tossing up between these two. RD88 doesn’t have the drawbars, but is expandable with Roland Cloud. Yamaha sound is very clear and authentic. Roland has a lot more synth stuff. Similarly priced

Great review , is the 61 better than an used electro 4D ?

thx, mate! :)

Hmm.. from Yamaha.. not a keyboard but an outboard maybe. Have you bought a boat, Woody? :) Seriously though thanks for a great roundup review of the CK88. That screen 'auto off' feature would be a great help if you were powering the CK with batteries.

I think you meant "laden". ;o)

Any drum sounds?

How can you recommend it, especially that you have NI Kontrol?!

Got one after your recommendation and after 2 days returned it Total CRAP

I love Yamaha keyboards

Yamaha have given you a motorbike? Nah, I can't see that. A midi wind controller? Guitar? Violin? Drum(s)? Brass? Electronic audio gubbins like mic or recorder? Right, I'll stop guessing now before I list every product Yamaha make. Anyway, whatever it is: wear a helmet!

It's just a sample player, with mediocre samples. Yamaha have been recycling their own sounds for 30 years or so, and they even manage to make things worse with every new launch. If I want a cheap sounding piano or organ, I'll just stick with my midi keyboard and free sample-based VST's, some of which actually sound better than this Yamaha. Thanks for your thorough review.

It's ... "Cheerio!" Woody at the end ... come on, it's your catchphrase, get it together man! 🤣. Thanks for the series review on this 'board. I've got the Numa-X Piano GT so I'm good to go there, but there's defo a market at this kgs/£ point especially being a Yam which I'm a big fan of (if you saw my 'over' populated Studio here!!) 🍻

P r o m o s m

Poor man…you don’t have money to buy a nord stage 👎👎👎

Overall the sounds on the CK are disappointing 🫤 I don't care about organ/harpsi/clav, though they sound fine to me. The pianos and EPs are fine as well. Nothing to make me go "wow", but definitely usable in a performance. But most other sounds are a disappointment. I hear a lot of loop points in strings and pads, I hear clipping on some sounds, and resampling of some sounds as I go up the keys. I get Yamaha don't want to put their most expensive sounds in here, but surely that doesn't mean they have to use 35-year-old samples? Heck, I think even Korg's M1 from 1988 has better versions of some of these sounds. The biggest saving grace is the effects and easy interface, which you can use to help mask the poor quality of some of the samples.

…and we didn’t hear a thing, what a waste of time!

Great review!