Stylophone synthesizer at Restoration Hardware

Invented in 1967, the Dübreq Stylophone is a small synthesizer played by touching a built-in stylus to the metal keyboard. It was famously used on David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and Kraftwerk's "Pocket Calculator." I just spotted it in Restoration Hardware's catalog for $29. I was slightly surprised to see it there, but not too much as Restoration usually has terrific gadgets and toys for sale along with their classic (and costly) American home furnishings. For more Stylophone fun, check out the below video of Brett Domino performing a "1980s Hits Medley" on the device. (UPDATE: They're only $20 at ThinkGeek!)

Previously:

David Pescovitz is Boing Boing's co-editor/managing partner. He's also a research director at Institute for the Future. On Instagram, he's @pesco.

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TheCarpetMaker

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Anonymous

They can also be found at Urban Outfitters for $20.00.
Homegrown Evolution

Check out freaky LA evangelist Miss Velma’s stylophone solo towards the end of this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSOPakHFt1M&feature=player_embedded
MustrumRidcully

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzm8WpTSe-M

This is video of a book store concert of They Might Be Giants I took a couple years ago.
At the 5:55 mark John L. pulls out a Stylophone and they play Particle Man.

I apologize for the shaky cam, but I was holding my camera straight up and it was hard to keep it steady.
dragonfrog

Oh my gosh I love how awkward the fellow in that video is – that’s so endearing!

Kinda SX-150ish, but with a very approachable price tag…
oasisob1

Even cheaper at ThinkGeek: http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/musical-instruments/aa64/

Momentarily out of stock, though. :-(

They are fun fun fun to mess around with.
- David Pescovitz
  
  Thanks, oasisbob1! I updated my post. I love ThinkGeek.
mitchelka

Love my Stylophone! Paid more to ship it from UK than to buy it on eBay. Performing on Stylophone-based Crutch and Spring in Harvard Square:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mitchelka/4144618632/
EH

You’re just jealous because I’ve been chatting online with hot babes all day.
Karlos

Just gotta get one classic Stylophone and a Stylophone “beatbox” then that’s the whole band taken care of!

Excellent Brett Domino Trio vid using the new model here…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hELTtsBRie4

awesome
Piers W

British Stylophiles will be happy to know you can get them in Maplins.
adamnvillani

It’s also featured in Orbital’s song “Style” (naturally).
Ian Mackereth

Ah, yes, I remember Rolf Harris using and pushing these in the 70s!

He still gets a big mention on stylophone.com
Anonymous

Wow, looks like an external USR/3com dial-up modem!
juepucta

Yo nerds: The Raconteurs (Jack White et al) have been using and making these cheapass toys cool for at least a couple years now. They used to even sell their own Raconteur version of the thing.

-G.
apoxia

I can see no rhyme nor reason for the songs chosen in that medley. Despite this, that is a pretty cool instrument.
kaiza

Someone with a Stylophone and more musical talent than me might be able to confirm whether a Stylophone was actually used in this annoyingly catchy song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feA64wXhbjo

It certainly sounds like one, but I can’t get it to sound right on this virtual Stylophone: http://www.playthestylophone.com/
Anonymous

The amazing Molly Lewis uses one of these in her version of Poker Face. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mf7cQfhJSA
sluggo

I wanna point out that the last song is ‘Without You’ and was released in 1970 by Badfinger. It’s been covered to death, but most notably over-sung by Mariah Carey. The original is my fav.

I’ve got a Stylophone, and have been using it in a live cover of ‘Space Oddity’ in my band, The Schmoejoes. I’m afraid I have no vid or audio to show off, but it’s a crowd favorite. Everyone wants to know ‘what the hell is that thing’…
- juepucta
  
  You mean “Ken Lee”? :P http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RgL2MKfWTo
  
  And yeah, Badfinger’s version is the original – slightly less crappy. The one song of theirs i skip because it sounds like motherhumpin’ Air Supply.
  
  -G.
bingbongboinger

OMG! I have one of these I got new back in the late sixties. I saw it advertised on Canadian TV and crossed the border into Canada to buy it.

I was ripped off bu US customs when I returned. They made me pay duty on it. I tried to explain, “But, but you can’t buy these in the US!” I had to pay anyway.

The stylophone still works fine.
Canadian

I picked one up at Urban Outfitters and a friend harshed me out for buying the remake and not the analog original. My friend is a doofus but he sort of has a good point. Search out an analog model for the real sound heard in those classic songs.
- Chris S
  
  As far as I have been able to tell, the remake is still analog. The original used discrete components, but the remake only uses a 555 timer chip – an IC, sure, but still analog all the way.
  
  If someone *has* an original, it would be nice to post some raw waveforms, so that we can compare. As popular as the original was, I’ve typically don’t see them on ebay that often.
  
  As for “only $20″ at Thinkgeek – they have been out of stock for more than a month. They were supposed to be back in on Nov 17th – maybe they were – but they were then almost immediately marked as out of stock again.
  - oasisob1
    
    Yes, they are out of stock, which makes me sad. I feel like my earlier post only satisfies half the craving. I got mine from TG when they first began carrying them, and the whole family got a kick out of noodling around on it. You could always build your own:
    http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/04/build-your-own-stylophone-be-slightly-more-like-david-bowie/
    or buy an original:
    http://www.stylophone.com/
    or even go crazy and spend $55 on the SX-150:
    http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MKGK8&ampClick=19209
Anonymous

Then there is this little ditty from 1992 tangentially related to the stylophone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNO4EZU8GSQ