ATG Mini - Prototype Phase 2

From the Archives - Originally posted Sept. 5, 2007

So I hope to have this completed by the end of the weekend and I'll post a full story with pictures of the finished project. Until then I thought I'd sate your curiosity with some pictures of the Phase 2 Prototype. From these pictures you can see the design changes that have been made since the last pictures I posted. I've added a stand to get the structure up off the table. This is to elevate the playing surface as well as give me room to mount the output and volume pot for the pickup (when it arrives). I've also added a second bridge to get the turnbuckles up off the board to eliminate rattling. This bridge may end up being too high, but I won't know until I get the pickup and start installing it. I've also replaced one of the strings with a string/spring combo for some spring reverb effects. So far I'm not as happy with that as I'd hoped, but I'm optimistic it will sound better when amplified by the pickup.

So far I'm really happy with the flexibility of the instrument. In its current, unamplified, form I'm getting great tones plucking and playing as a percussion instrument -- smacking with one hand and muting with the other. But it didn't really start to shine until I took a bow to the strings. If it sounds half as good amplified as it does now, I'll be getting ALOT of use out of this little bugger.

More to come as soon as the pickup arrives...