DIY Stylophone Synthesizer Fits in Your Pocket
You can build this pocket-friendly reimagining of the classic Stylophone synthesizer.
The Stylophone is an iconic compact synthesizer operated by touching a stylus to a touch keyboard. In fact, the Stylophone is so iconic that I have a tattoo of one on my arm. The Stylophone was originally released way back in 1968 and new models are still available today at very affordable prices. But we’re tinkerers here, which is why you might want to build this DIY Stylophone that fits in your pocket.
Other than being more compact, this is very similar to the original Stylophone. It has the same kind of touch keyboard and sounds very much like the original, too. This is hardware synthesizer based on a 555 timer and the only real change made by Electro Retro was the addition of vibrato. Plus, it gets power from a lithium battery with USB-C charging through a TP4057, which is a nice convenience upgrade.
To build one, you just need to order the beautiful PCB that Electro Retro designed. Then you’ll need some SMD soldering skills to populate the board. A 3D-printed back shell provides some protection for the battery and keeps it secure.