The Story

My philosophy is to make beautiful, long-lasting instruments with musically functional user interfaces that will become heirlooms for future generations of music makers. I enjoy a day of soldering and prototyping in my workshop as much as a day in the studio immersed in sound.

I started tinkering with electronics and designing sound effects for school plays when I was a teenager. During high school, I worked hard to be able to buy a Juno 106, an Oberheim Matrix 1000, and an Akai sampler. Then, I studied electronic music and audio for film and video in college. I also started modifying organs and keyboards and learning how they worked. This led to starting a musical instrument parts and repair business I operated for over ten years.

In the back of my mind, I dreamed of designing synthesizers and effects processors. After moving on from the parts and repair business, I was hospitalized and nearly lost my life to COVID. During my recovery, I looked through all the designs and ideas I had accumulated for twenty years and decided it was time to begin making my ideas a reality.

I draw inspiration from primitive electronic music, strange acoustical spaces, and taking anything apart that makes sounds.

- Tim Stoel, Founder