Looking a bit like a toy, it has the reputation of being used by Vince Clarke, The Lysergic Dream, Moby, and They Might Be Giants. With such a roster of users, what makes the CZ-101 so appealing?

For starters, this early programmable poly-synth was affordable to the average schmuck. It runs on nine-volt AC/DC power but also runs on 6 D-cell batteries. If you had a yen to strap one to a guitar and do a bit of electro-experimental noise making as many mid 80s and early 90s bands were wont to do, this was a very portable and decent-sounding solution.

The CZ-101 weighs only about eight pounds, so only a minor amount of duct-tape would be required to slap it to a guitar or even a larger keyboard.

In spite of the CZ-101's limited programming, the analog-sounding qualities of this eight-note polyphonic, 49-key mini-keyboard are fairly attractive. It has built-in noise and ring mods, three eight-stage envelope sections: one lets you modify DCO pitches, another to modify phase angle in the DCA section, and another in the DCA amplifier for volume manipulation.

The CZ-101 also has MIDI. You get four monophonic parts, 32 patches, and can use an external cartridge to store data.

Today, the CZ-101 is popular as a circuit-bending keyboard because there is plenty of space inside the unit for modifications. Some like the CZ-101 for the stability. The unit has a reputation for being instantly restarted if it becomes hung up due to the "aftermarket improvements" causing glitches in the system.

The CZ-101 sells around $150 or higher. Yes, you need tiny, tiny fingers to use it properly unless you like to play with your pinkies and middle index fingers, and it is not the powerful synth monster that Moog and E-Mu keyboards have the reputation of being. But the CZ-101 is handy, battery-powered, and MIDI capable. You can spray-paint it red and cover it in decals without feeling too cheesy about things, and the ring mod and noise generation possibilities are quite lovely. Just ask They Might Be Giants.