The Stylophone is a peculiar instrument. A buzzy lo-fi gimmicky toy that is operated by a stylus. Many famous musicians have used it and it has had a kind of resurgence of late with the reissue of the original plus a new beat box version as well as a high-tech modern version.
But what about the forgotten big brother of the Stylophone - the Stylophone 350s?
It is as if someone decided to get serious about the original and turn it into a big boy instrument. In addition to added voices (using foot length like a home organ), it also featured simple decay, vibrato and reiteration (controlled by a second stylus!) as well as perhaps its most interesting feature - the photo control. That clear plastic bit above the volume knob allows a player to use the photovoltaic cell to adjust volume or vibrato giving the instrument some versatility.
The 350s also has a tuning dial and has 3 1/4" jacks for the input of external sound, a pedal, or for output to connect directly to recording gear.
The sound can get scratchy and punctuated with the stylus and its simplicity may not be enough for some but it does have a surprisingly warm tone when compared to other simple instruments like an cheap Casio keyboard from the 80s. I credit its warmth to the fact that it is an analog instrument and is definitely worth having if you are looking for a unique and vintage sound.
