The Man Who Invented His Own Instrument

Bradford Reed is a musician who built the pencilina, a bizarre custom instrument. It is a long board with strings, bells, and springs that creates sounds you cannot produce on any standard guitar.

Reed crafted this one-of-a-kind device in the 1980s to explore sonic textures that conventional instruments simply could not provide. The pencilina relies on a mix of plucked strings and percussion, often sounding like a haunting blend of industrial noise and orchestral music. Because he is the sole inventor, he is currently the only person in the world who truly knows how to play it. His invention remains a centerpiece of the avant-garde music scene.