Want to build a cool gadget for that special someone in your life, and learn lots of cool electronics skills and theory for yourself? Build an Atari Punk Console! The APC is a simple noisemaker circuit that is famous for its simplicity, elegance, and endless permutations. We’ll provide you with all the components and tools necessary to build this legendary gizmo, and we’ll guide you through the build and help you understand how electronic circuits work.

Our Atari Punk Console kit is designed by Rob Cruickshank. It's a really high-quality kit, and it's easy to assemble. Here's some context about the history of this circuit from Rob himself:

Back in the 70s, if you were an electronics hobbyist, it was a sure bet that you had a few of Forrest M. Mims‘ Engineers Notebooks on your workbench, usually with etchant stains on the covers, and soldering iron holes on some of the pages, giving them the feel of well-used cookbooks. The most striking thing about these books today is their meticulously hand-drawn and lettered schematics, often of small but useful circuits, or others that were simply entertaining. One of these circuits was a little noisemaker based on the 556 dual timer IC, and published a few times, as either “Stepped Tone Generator”, or “Sound Synthesizer”. A few years back, the folks at Kaustic Machines built a version, which they dubbed the Atari Punk Console, adding a line-level output in place of the original 8 ohm Speaker. After this, the circuit spread like wildfire in the glitch/8bit/lofi/circuit bending community, with postings on well-known sites like Matrix Synth, and Getlofi.
Soon, everyone was building them. It’s popularity is due partly to the ease of construction, and low cost. You could build one as your first electronics project in an afternoon.

If you’re new to electronics, it’s a great way to get your feet wet!