Magnetovore Magnetic Cello about to go into limited production

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Early prototype of the Magnetic Cello, with four resistive ribbons on the neck

The rear of the early prototype, with transparent box to view the circuitry

Bringing it all together - what else is there to do on a Wednesday evening?

Powered and ready to rock

Analog output distance sensors

The bow now has dual lever switches to select strings

Circuit board now installed

Using new plugs means less time chasing stray wires

Tools of the trade - getting to grips with installing and testing the electronics

The Magnetovore Magnetic Cello is loosely based on the Theremin Cello developed by Leon Theremin himself, and first appearing on stage in 1932

Posing for the camera, the V.6 prototype Magnetic Cello

The bow switches select a tuning for the instrument, and pressing down on the resistive ribbon in different places along its length changes its output voltage

V.6 of the Magnetic Cello features a single resistive ribbon on the neck with a huge coil at the bridge end

Electrical engineering student David Levi is about to embark on the first production run of his Magnetic Cello

Three football fields of wire to make the coil, which sits between two plastic sheets

Using Google Sktchup to CAD the design

Designing the templates for V.6 of the Magnetic Cello

Foam stencil of the components makes for easy reproduction

Wood filler smooths over the imperfections, then sand, glue and dry ahead of staining

Gluing, sanding and filling the V.6 prototype

Staining the wooden frame

After staining, it's time to apply the varnish

Circuit and batteries installed in the hinged wooden enclosure

The huge coil between two sheets of plastic is mounted on the neck

The finished V.6 Magnetic Cello prototype, likely the final revision before production starts in August 2012

The addition of an end pin makes for comfort and familiarity for seasoned cellists

Article Summary

It's taken almost three years and has seen a number of prototype revisions, but David Levi's Magnetic Cello is finally getting ready for its first production run. Looking like a minimalist version of the acoustic instrument on which it is based, the instrument features a single resistive ribbon on the neck to alter the pitch of a note and a huge, visible coil at the bridge end. Instead of a horsehair bow, the player uses a magnetic rod to induce a voltage in the coil, which is then transformed into a frequency and fed through to the unit's voltage-controlled amplifier. The bow has a small switch at the thumb position which allows the player to select virtual strings.

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