There was a time when many of us learned all about electronics by building our own gear from a kit. Doing this helped you learn about electronic components, the art of soldering, signal flow and troubleshooting, all of which became invaluable later on when you hit the stage or studio.

Unfortunately, the days of electronic gear kits is mostly over because of liability laws that have potential manufacturers shaking in their boots. But there is one new kit coming on the market that looks to be a very cool (and safe) learning tool – the littleBits analog synthesizer kit, a collaboration with Korg.

This is a modular kit that contains 13 tiny analog modules based around the beloved Korg MS-20 consisting of a power module, 2 oscillators, a keyboard, a sequencer, an envelope, a filter, a delay, a mixer, a splitter and a randomizer. Everything you need to do multiple synth projects are in the box. You won’t mistake it for a larger more powerful commercial synth, but it is surprisingly versatile.

If you’ve been using synths for a while but really don’t understand how they work, then this kit is for you, as you’ll learn the basics in no time. Want a present for your musically inclined kid? This is it. The kit costs $159. There’s also a deluxe kit available with more modules for $199.