Although Kawai began manufacturing synthesizers under the company name of Teisco, they soon took over as Kawai which resulted in synths like the S100-F above which can be found labeled either Teisco or Kawai (as pictured above). The Synthesizer 100-F is a very good and classic single-vco monophonic analog synth. It has a small but usable 37 note keyboard. Sawtooth, square and noise waveforms and external sounds can be run through the synth's filters and envelopes and mixed with the oscillator.

Although there is only one oscillator, there's plenty of modulation ability to really liven up the sound. There's an LFO which can modulate the VCO, VCF and VCA. The VCF resonant filter is good and can be modulated by the LFO, Envelope 1, the external input or even the VCO! There's also a VCA section with Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release controls and finally there's a Hi-Pass filter. There is also a portamento effect for that final crucial analog synth effect! A typical analog synth with just about all the features and functions you'd need. It's got the classic wood side panels and a front panel layout that leads to very straight forward programming resulting in good analog bass, lead and synth sounds.

15 VISITOR COMMENTS

daden

February 6, 2012 @ 9:42 am

@ian i don't know who did this review,but i'm sure he is happy with his microkorg.
this synth is not perfect, but it is a way underrated one. the filter is really great and the single oscillator is one of the best sounding one ever put in a 1osc synth,the overall sound is really huge. it has plenty of character. got mine for 200 euros and i won't part with it...NEVER. if you compare with let's say a sh101 the sh101 is more polished and sweet and has many good features but in terms of "balls" and sonic possibilities it can't even get close to the 100f. buy one if you can find one under 400 £.

ian

October 3, 2011 @ 8:39 pm

I did flirt with the idea of buying one off ebay the other day. It went for £320 and my max bid price was £300 which I think is plenty of money for this synth.

Also I got put off by this Retrozone review in Sound On Sound magazine:
..."an intriguing but ultimately disappointing single-oscillator monosynth. The S100F's sound is about as engaging as last week's lunch." LOL!

plex

July 29, 2011 @ 4:12 pm

A friend of mine once gave it to me about ten years ago as he had no use for it. Like it.

Green

May 13, 2011 @ 2:57 am

This synth is also used by the french electro-swing band Caravan Palace, mainly for funky bass lines. Check out their song "We can dance" for some impressions of the machine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_vl_bW6heA.

alessandro_

April 22, 2011 @ 9:03 pm

@ian yes for sure i spent exactly 600 euros for this machine...and i would repeat it again if necessary cause its one of the best machine to make CRAZY uplifting stuff... i got 24 analog synthesizers and this is one of the best in its genre

<321>

 

Post Comment!

Your Name: (required)

Email Address: (required)

Image verification: (required)

Message:

 

Posting Rules:
Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

I have read and understand the posting rules.