Yamaha KX1

Remote keyboard

Yamaha KX1 keytar
Buy one (2 on sale)

1983 (July)
Initially sold for ¥186,000

Yamaha's first full-sized remote keyboard controller, aimed at keyboard players on stage. The idea wasn't new at the time, the Moog Liberation popularized the concept a few years earlier, and the much lighter Roland SH101 and the Korg Poly 800 were already on sale.

The KX1, however, was just a controller, there was no sound engine onboard. And this wasn't received very well considering it costed more than a DX9 while not being a synthesizer. Yet it had a MIDI OUT on the back (made to be paired with a DX7 or DX9), plenty of controls to also send out program change signals, and the pitch bend ribbon was an exciting new feature.

It was available in white and red.

Yamaha KX1 on One Two Testing, Aug 1984
Yamaha KX1 on One Two Testing, Aug 1984

Buy a used
Yamaha KX1

USED Yamaha SERVO AND LINEAR DRIVE KX1-M2284-020 30W 200V MOTOR

Buy used USED Yamaha SERVO AND LINEAR DRIVE KX1-M2284-020  30W 200V MOTOR
$495.00
Open Ebay

Yamaha KX1 with case - 1980's - White

Buy used Yamaha KX1 with case - 1980's - White
$1,749.99
Open Reverb

If you're looking to buy a used Yamaha KX1,
check out these listings pulled daily from Ebay and Reverb.

See more (2 on sale)
Links to Ebay and Reverb are affiliate links: which means I receive a small percentage of the revenue made from purchasing products through these links. This really helps to maintain the website.