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How Beck’s turned an ordinary beer bottle into a phonograph
Electronic Products ^ | 6/14/13 | Nicolette Emmino

Posted on 06/21/2013 6:45:26 PM PDT by null and void

Beck’s, the well–known German brewery, has merged beer and music to create the world’s first beer bottle phonograph

While Heinrich Beck was beginning his brewing business in Germany in the late 1800’s, Thomas Edison was across the Atlantic Ocean working on his phonograph. Now, over a hundred years later, the Beck and Edison have merged their areas of expertise to create a beer bottle phonograph.


The first music-playing beer bottle. (Image via Shine Limited)

Maybe you’re used to seeing the traditional disc-shaped phonograph, but before that came the cylindrical device that could play minutes of music on it.

Beck’s Record Label and creative agency, Shine Limited, got together to reinvent this version of the phonograph using a beer bottle as the cylinder.

The actual phonograph was constructed by a New Zealand firm called Gyro Constructivists that designed and built a record-cutting tool driven by a hard-drive recording head. Then, they carved out the bottle as needed and made some adjustments to Edison’s original cylinder player using some more modern electronics.


Grooves on a normal record (left) vs. grooves on the Edison Bottle (right). (Image via Shine Limited)

Featured on the phonograph is New Zealand indie rock band “Ghost Wave,” playing their new single “Here She Comes.” The Edison bottle played its 3-minute and 23-second song publicly for the first time at the SemiPermenant creative event for the art and design world last month.

Watch this video to listen to the first beer bottle player.


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS:
Just a little, fun interlude...
1 posted on 06/21/2013 6:45:26 PM PDT by null and void
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To: null and void

This could give a whole new meaning to a beer bottle collection.


2 posted on 06/21/2013 6:49:49 PM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: null and void

Not for me ... unless it plays Bock.


3 posted on 06/21/2013 7:41:32 PM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: null and void

Clever.....

I’ll have to find an iPhonograph.


4 posted on 06/21/2013 7:42:57 PM PDT by Gator113 ( ~just keep livin~ I drink good wine, listen to good music and dream good dreams.)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham

Yeah. Anyway, a mug would be better than a bottle, because of the Handel...


5 posted on 06/21/2013 7:44:08 PM PDT by null and void (Republicans create the tools of oppression, and the democrats gleefully use them!)
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To: null and void

I like to listen and drink at the same time.


6 posted on 06/21/2013 7:44:53 PM PDT by bmwcyle (People who do not study history are destine to believe really ignorant statements.)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham

Not for me ... unless it plays Beck (Jeff).


7 posted on 06/21/2013 7:54:40 PM PDT by South40
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To: null and void

Heineken beer bottles that doubled as bricks!


8 posted on 06/21/2013 7:57:03 PM PDT by COBOL2Java (I'm a christian, pro-life, pro-gun, Reaganite. The GOP hates me. Why should I vote for them?)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham

+1.


9 posted on 06/21/2013 7:57:17 PM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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To: null and void

Lol!


10 posted on 06/21/2013 8:04:55 PM PDT by skr (May God confound the enemy)
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To: null and void
As impressive as this one.
11 posted on 06/21/2013 8:09:55 PM PDT by rabidralph (http://www.cafepress.com/westernwis)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham
Not for me ... unless it plays Bock.

How about Beck?

12 posted on 06/21/2013 8:14:09 PM PDT by Fightin Whitey
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To: null and void

I saw a guy take a beer bottle and play slide guitar with it.


13 posted on 06/21/2013 8:53:54 PM PDT by political1 (Love your neighbors)
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To: null and void

...”be sure to drink your ovaltine”...


14 posted on 06/21/2013 8:55:57 PM PDT by Vision (We are not descended from fearful men)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham

Or Beer Barrel Polka.....


15 posted on 06/21/2013 9:18:01 PM PDT by njslim (St)
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