My geek son (who is my technical guy at work) just showed me a site for geek-stuff (the place that had the Kaossilator months before anyone else) that had a Stylophone. Evidently, this little toy was invented 40 years ago last year in England. Original units are collected, probably by gear nuts like me.

According to what I've read, everyone from Marilyn Manson to other, say, more mainstream people have ued them. There's a new one available for $19.95. It has a line out, a vibrato button and a button or two to change octaves.

If you have a minute, Google them. Not sure it's a real instrument, but it's been used in lots of recordings and is a quirky piece of music history.

Pretty cool! I'm ordering one as soon as I finish this (they're backordered).

Russ "latent, aging "Geek" Lay