Stylophone

The Stylophone is a miniature analog synthesizer played with a stylus. Invented in 1967 by Brian Jarvis,^[1] it entered production in 1968, manufactured by Dubreq in London. Some three million units were sold during its original run, mostly as children's toys, but it was also used by professional musicians such as John Lennon, Kraftwerk and David Bowie.^[2] The Stylophone was relaunched in 2007 by the toy company Re:, in partnership with a rebuilt Dubreq, and has since been released in several new models.

Stylophone

A Stylophone from the 1970s
Type	Musical instrument, toy
Inventor	Brian Jarvis
Inception	1967
Manufacturer	Dubreq
Available	Yes
Models made	S1, S2, Beatbox, Gen X-1, GEN R-8, S1 analog re-issue, Limited Edition Bowie Stylophone, Beat, Theremin, Stylosette, CPM series
Website	https://stylophone.com/

Mid-1970s Stylophone with simulated wood panel

Stylophone being played with stylus

Original models

The Stylophone consists of a metal keyboard made of printed circuit board and is played by touching it with a stylus. Each note on the keyboard is connected to a voltage-controlled oscillator via a different-value resistor, and touching the stylus to the keyboard thus closes a circuit. The only other controls are a power switch and a vibrato control on the front panel beside the keyboard, and a tuning potentiometer on the rear.

The Stylophone was available in standard, bass and treble variants, with cabinet colors used to distinguish them. The standard model was black-and-white, the treble model was white and tuned an octave higher, and the bass model was beige-and-white and tuned an octave lower.^[3] The standard version was the most common. There was also a larger version called the 350S with more notes on the keyboard, various voices, a wah-wah effect that was controlled by moving the hand over a photosensor and two styluses.

In the mid-1970s, a new model appeared that featured simulated wood on the speaker panel and a volume control. However, production of the Stylophone ceased in 1975.

Entertainer Rolf Harris served for several years as the Stylophone's advertising spokesman in the United Kingdom and appeared on many "play-along" records sold by the manufacturer.^[4]

2007 revival

2007 relaunch Stylophone from Re:creation

In October 2007, 28 years after the Stylophone had ceased production, the toy company Re:creation, in partnership with Dubreq Ltd. (re‑formed in 2003 by Ben Jarvis, son of the original inventor), relaunched the Stylophone. The 2007 revival model, manufactured in China and officially called the S1, is a digital recreation that closely resembles the 1960s original but adds a volume control, audio throughput, and two additional sounds.^[5] The Bass, Treble, and 350S models from the 1970s were not included in the relaunch.

Stylophone Beatbox

In September 2009, Dubreq released the Stylophone Beatbox, the first percussion‑focused Stylophone model. It departs from the traditional box‑shaped design of earlier Stylophones, featuring a circular case with a 13‑pad touch‑sensitive keypad. The instrument offers three sound banks (drum, vocal beatbox, and bass), a tempo control, and a basic record/loop function that allows short sequences to be captured and replayed.^[6][7]

Front view of the Stylophone Beatbox

Close‑up of the Beatbox keypad

Stylophone S2

In December 2012, Dubreq released the Series 2 Stylophone, a limited edition, British‑made, true analogue synthesizer.^[8]

Stylophone Gen X-1

In January 2017, Dubreq released details of the Stylophone Gen X-1 portable analogue synthesizer.^[9] It was designed and manufactured by Dubreq.^[10] The Gen X-1 has additional controls for LFO, analog delay, low-pass filter, and envelope settings. It also includes sub-octave switches, and an input so it can be used as an effects unit.^[11]

Stylophone GEN R-8

In October 2019, Dubreq released the Stylophone GEN R-8, a limited edition, full‑analogue, metal‑cased Stylophone. Designed as a professional‑grade instrument, the GEN R-8 includes features more commonly found on higher‑end analogue synthesizers, such as dual VCOs, a multimode filter, an analogue delay, and extensive modulation options. It is considerably larger than the standard Stylophone models and was produced in a limited initial run of 500 units.^[12]

Stylophone Analog Sound S1

In July 2020, Dubreq released the Stylophone Analog Sound S1 as a replacement for the 2007 S1. The new model is visually similar to its predecessor but features less rounded corners and omits the auxiliary input. Internally, the digital sampled sounds were replaced by an analogue oscillator based on a 555 timer IC, and the tone selector offers three octave ranges. The resulting sound is much closer to that of the original 1970s Stylophones.^[13]

Stylophone Bowie Limited Edition

In September 2021, Dubreq launched a limited edition version of the Analog S1 as a tribute to the late David Bowie. This model features an all‑white finish, an official Bowie logo moulded into the chromed grille, and includes a colour‑printed booklet with photos, interviews, and tablature for a selection of Bowie's songs, including Space Oddity.^[14][15]

Stylophone Beat

In October 2023, Dubreq released the successor to the Stylophone Beatbox, the Stylophone Beat. Like the Stylophone Beatbox, it has a record and play button and the circular metal pad. But unlike the Beatbox, it is now more of a box shape, has four sound banks (rock, techno, hip hop, and beatbox), stay‑in‑time click track & tempo lock features, and can record multiple layers of beats with the ability to mute other sounds.

Stylophone Theremin

On 8 January 2024, Dubreq released a Stylophone‑themed (pitch‑only) theremin. This theremin uses a slider for the different notes, unlike the other Stylophone models, which use a stylus. It has a three‑position switch which can be used to get the sound from the slider, the antenna, or a mix of both.

Stylosette

In December 2024, Dubreq released the Stylosette, a cassette‑shaped miniature synthesizer with a 13‑key touch‑sensitive keyboard in place of the traditional stylus. The instrument is monophonic, includes built‑in vibrato and delay effects, and can be powered by two AA batteries.^[16]

Stylophone CPM DS-2

In January 2025, Dubreq released the Stylophone CPM DS-2, a compact portable analogue drone synthesizer. It features dual oscillators, sub‑oscillators, analogue filters, vintage‑style reverb, and Eurorack compatibility.^[17]

Stylophone Gen X-2

In August 2025, Dubreq introduced the Stylophone Gen X-2 as the successor to the Gen X-1. The Gen X-2 retains the portable analogue design and stylus keyboard of its predecessor but adds a multifunction tactile expression strip for real‑time control. It also expands connectivity with seven CV/Gate input and output jacks, allowing integration with external keyboards, sequencers, DAWs, and modular synthesizer systems.

Sound features include a sub‑oscillator with octave selection, pulse‑width modulation, and an envelope with attack, pitch, and decay controls. The Gen X-2 also carries over the Gen X-1’s low‑pass filter, LFO, and analogue delay, making it capable of producing basses, leads, and experimental tones. At launch, the Gen X-2 was priced at approximately £69.95 / $99.^[18]

Stylophone CPM DF-8

In November 2025, Dubreq introduced the Stylophone CPM DF-8, a stereo analogue dynamic multi‑filter unit with modulation and delay. It offers dual filter channels, multiple filter types, ADSR envelopes, and Eurorack compatibility.^[19]

Stylophone Pink Special Edition

Also in November 2025, Dubreq released a special edition of the original Stylophone finished in bright pink. The Stylophone Pink retains the classic stylus interface, built‑in speaker, headphone socket, and vibrato effect, but is distinguished by its cosmetic design.^[20]

Reception, legacy, and popular culture

The Stylophone has been described as both a novelty toy and a cult synthesizer. Critics note its distinctive buzzing tone and portability made it appealing to children, while its use by artists such as David Bowie and Kraftwerk gave it credibility in professional music.^[21] Modern reviews highlight the Gen X‑1 and GEN R‑8 as bridging the gap between toy and serious synthesizer, cementing the Stylophone’s reputation as an enduring icon of electronic music.^[22]

Beyond critical reception, the Stylophone has appeared widely in popular culture:

• One of the earliest uses in pop music was in the Small Faces song "Donkey Rides, A Penny, A Glass",^[23] released as the B-side of their single "The Universal" in June 1968.^[24]
• John Lennon played a Stylophone during a rehearsal of the George Harrison song "Old Brown Shoe" on 28 January 1969.^[25]
• David Bowie used the Stylophone on his 1969 hit "Space Oddity" and later on his 2002 album Heathen.^[9]
• Rahsaan Roland Kirk played the Stylophone onstage in a 1969 concert introduction to “I Say a Little Prayer for You.”
• Kraftwerk's 1981 song "Pocket Calculator" features the Stylophone and ends with a Stylophone solo.^[2]
• The Tall Dwarfs song "All My Hollowness to You" from the 1981 EP Three Songs uses the Stylophone as the main instrument.^[26]
• Orbital’s 1999 track "Style" takes its name from the Stylophone and uses it extensively.^[27]
• Richard Barone and producer Tony Visconti used the Stylophone on Barone’s 2010 album Glow.
• Russian rock group Gromyka (ru) use the Stylophone as a main instrument.^[28]
• British band Pulp featured the Stylophone in their song "Styloroc (Nites of Suburbia)".
• The 2017 film Baby Driver includes a brief Stylophone appearance.^[29]
• Min-Gi Park from the animated show Infinity Train owns a Stylophone.
• James Acaster plays Auld Lang Syne on a Stylophone in his Netflix special Repertoire.