Although he is famous for his kite experiment, which Founding Father also invented the Glass Harmonica; a series of glass cups filled with water and played with your fingers?

zbeckabee

Benjamin Franklin invented a radically new arrangement of the glasses in 1761 after seeing water-filled wine glasses played by Edmund Delaval. (By this time, both Puckeridge and his instrument had perished in a fire.) Franklin, who called his invention the "armonica" after the Italian word for harmony, worked with London glassblower Charles James to build one, and it had its world premiere in early 1762, played by Marianne Davies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_harmonica#Benjamin_Franklin.27s_armonica Nov 01 07, 6:20 AM

queproblema

There's a story he scared his wife silly with the thing. He secretly brought it home from Europe and got it upstairs without her noticing. When he played it, she thought she was hearing ghosts or angels. Give me 24-hrs. to find a reference, unless this is too digressive no matter what. Nov 01 07, 3:13 PM

queproblema

OK, here it is online: "Returning from Europe with his newest invention, Franklin set up his armonica in the attic of his house while his wife was asleep downstairs. Franklin had not yet played for his wife, and when she heard the glass armonica's unique sound for the first time she 'awakened with the conviction that she had died and gone to heaven and was listening to the music of the angels.'" http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=650 Nov 01 07, 11:12 PM