Circuit-Bent Module · One-off
Bent Brooks
A lo-fi sampler module built around the humble ISD1820 voice-recorder chip and stuffed inside a decorated skull — a love letter to Brook, the singing skeleton from One Piece. He comes preloaded with his signature singsong laugh — a bottomless yo-ho-ho-ho-ho — and a single pitch-bend knob drags that cackle anywhere from a slowed-to-a-crawl graveyard groan up to a squeaky, crumbling chipmunk warble. One button sets him off.
- TypeLo-fi sampler module (one-off build)
- HeartISD1820 voice-recorder IC
- PreloadedBrook's singsong “yo-ho-ho” laugh (One Piece)
- ControlsPlay button · pitch-bend knob (that's it)
- OutputOnboard speaker — no amp needed
- Power3× AA batteries
- MemoryNon-volatile — the sample survives power-off
- HousingDecorated skull — curls + iridescent cap
- StatusAvailable — one of a kind
⚠ Fine print from the void tap to expand / collapse
Not guaranteed new, not guaranteed to be any specific anything, and not even guaranteed to be from this universe — it might be cursed. What it definitely is: hand-built, circuit-bent, one-of-a-kind, and straight off my bench. It's worn out its welcome here and it's time it found a new home — imperfections included.
Hand-built and one of a kind — and I stand behind it. Stops working within 30 days → full refund or free repair (I pay shipping back to me); free repairs anytime after that. Full returns & repairs terms »
What it does
The ISD1820 is a dirt-cheap voice-recorder IC — the kind that lives in talking greeting cards. It records a few seconds of audio and plays it straight back, and because the memory is non-volatile, whatever you put on it stays put even after the batteries come out. On its own it's a toy. Bent to a purpose, it's a gloriously grimy little sampler.
Bent Brooks is loaded with the one sample he will ever need — Brook's signature singsong yo-ho-ho-ho-ho laugh — in a skull-shaped body to match: a sugar-crystal finish, a mane of black ringlets, and a draped, oil-slick purple-and-green cap. Hit the button and he cackles; ride the knob and that cackle sinks into a demonic groan or shoots up into a brittle little squeal. He is a one-trick instrument and the trick is the whole point.
Demo
Demo filmed by Onion Madder on the actual unit.
Controls & play
- Play button
- Sets Brook off — press to fire the preloaded laugh.
- Pitch-bend knob
- Sweeps the sampling / playback frequency: crank it one way for a deep, dragging, half-speed groan; the other way for a fast, brittle, high-pitched squeal. Everything in between is fair game.
Under the hood
| Core | ISD1820 voice-recorder / playback IC |
|---|---|
| Pitch mod | Onboard sampling-frequency resistor (R4) swapped for a potentiometer, so the knob sweeps pitch and playback speed together |
| Sample | Preloaded “yo-ho-ho-ho-ho” laugh — held in non-volatile memory |
| Trigger | Single momentary play button |
| Output | Built-in speaker — plays on its own, no external jack or amp |
| Power | 3× AA batteries |
| Housing | Decorated craft skull — crystalline finish, ringlet-curl hair, iridescent draped cap |
| Build | Circuit-bent, wired, loaded, and finished by Onion Madder — fully one of a kind |
Brook is a character from One Piece (© Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha / Toei Animation), referenced here in tribute only — this is an unofficial, one-off fan build, not affiliated with or endorsed by the rights holders. All circuit work, wiring, and finish by Onion Madder.