Now this instrument sounds pretty good only thing that I would have to give as far as them not happy is I don't like how the pen tip is metal and then the instrument keys are metal so the metal clicking kind of takes away from the overall sound in my opinion they could find a way to make this work to where it had a rubber tip and we're still able to register that'd be cool

Batteries seem to last for a long time. No complaints, it works just like it should.

The media could not be loaded. Like ~100 million others, I watched the Stylophone shorts on YouTube. I became intrigued. It straddles the line between gimmick and instrument. I love the analog principles to its sound generation. I want to take it apart and see how I can tinker with it to make more sounds.

They should really sell these in 2-packs, because I'm hesitant to open up the one and risk ruining it. I also want to play the Doom music and that requires two Stylophones. Maybe a 3-pack, two to play, one to tinker.

As seen in my video, I modded the tip of the wand with coiled silver wire, giving it a spring tip. This is a big improvement to my playing experience. It dramatically reduces the tapping sound and allows for moderated pressure; it makes playing more fun. I suggest all players add a spring tip like this. I used vinyl-repair tape to adhere it. It does prevent the wand from fitting in the slot all the way, but it's worth it.

There's a vibrato, a pitch dial on the back, and a slide to choose low/mid/high octave. I showed the effects of these in my video. I'd like the pitch knob to be more accessible, that's the next thing I'd mod. It can be adjusted while playing, but it's awkward to reach.

The volume goes decently loud at full volume, but it doesn't adjust steadily. The first 90% of the volume wheel goes from whisper to casual, then the last 10% of the wheel amps it up to "˜loud enough to annoy'. The difference between 90% and 100% is greater than the difference between 10% and 90%. This may be related to battery charge, as I recall when I first loaded it, there was more mid-range volume.

The sticker showing the numbers of the keys on mine keeps lifting up at #8. I pressed it down before my photos, but it doesn't stay pressed. Needs some glue.

The wire seems a little delicate for something meant to be handled. It's thin. Minimal. No issues with it after one month, I'll update if anything changes. I'm sort of counting on wearing it out, to give me the excuse to open up the case and see the internals.

I love the way this feels like writing. It's the first instrument that I can play with fingers and wrist only. It's like drawing with sound.

The packaging is different for this pink collectors edition, the whole box has special edition white/black/pink punk-style graphics.

Aside from playing around, this has utility as a way to share riffs. It's an actual instrument. Loud enough to join an acoustic jam, capable of being plugged in and amplified.

Yes, it has the build and aesthetics of electronics from 1990 designed to look like they're from the 1960s.

Not built to take abuse.

10/10 in terms of learning potential.

I think what you get is made pretty clear from the listing. It's not pretending to be more than it is. I was actually impressed with its versatility, there's potential to get some cool sounds out of this and use it semi-seriously. I find it far more useful than an otomatone, which is more toy than instrument.

The packaging was like that of a guitar pedal, like an instrument, not a toy.

I am reviewing the product "Stylophone Pink - The Original Pocket Electronic Synthesizer - Special Edition" on 22 January, 2024.

I'm having a blast with this unexpected musical instrument. Apparently, I missed the memo, as I had never heard of this device until I discovered this 'Special Edition' pink model on Amazon. As someone who enjoys playing unusual instruments (I'm also a thereminist), this looked too fun to pass up.

The Stylophone is a simple instrument, played by moving a wired stylus over a metallic keyboard. It produces an analog synthesizer sound that's spacily buzzy and unlike any other instrument I've tried. It is battery-operated and seems to have a very long battery life (I'm still on my first set of batteries, one month into owning it). Besides the keyboard, there are other user controls: a power switch, a switch for enabling or disabling a vibrato effect, a 3-way octave control switch, a tuning dial, and a volume knob. The keys are numbered, which facilitates learning songs from tablature found online.

So, is it an instrument, or is it a toy? Examining it from various perspectives doesn't yield an easy answer. The included booklet, 'Stylophone: The Original Pocket Synthesizer,' suggests a serious instrument that one can 'pick up and play.' It even mentions its use by David Bowie in July 1969, hinting at the manufacturer's intent. In terms of complexity and range, it covers 3 octaves, which is decent, though its playing method is fairly straightforward and doesn't offer much variation or expressive style. It can only play one note at a time, which limits its expressive potential. Its sound quality is unique and has been adopted by serious musicians, perhaps more for its novelty than for a particular richness of tone. The ability to tune the instrument adds to its 'serious instrument' credentials. However, its construction is more toy-like, being made primarily from lightweight plastic, and it's priced more like a toy than what one would expect for a serious instrument.

Conclusion: The stylophone straddles the line between an instrument and a toy. Its sonic simplicity, durability, and cost align it more with a toy, while its tunability, the existence of a published corpus of music for it, and its past use by professional musicians lend it some 'legit instrument' credibility.

Whether I'm 'playing an instrument' or 'playing with a toy,' I've had a lot of fun picking out melodies on the stylophone. I suspect any music performance-oriented person would enjoy it, whether as an inexpensive introduction to musical performance for a child or a pleasant, relaxing diversion for an adult.

The stylophone is an awesome all in one monophonic pocket synthesizer that you play with a stylus. It features three octaves, vibrato and volume control. This sounds simple but is all you need to make a vast assortment of wonderful sounds.
This model puts all of this in a very cool punk pink exterior.
I really enjoy all of my stylophones and this one is a great addition to the family.