theretar project

so after much though i've decided to resume work on the theretar, basically it would be 2 or 3 ribbon controlers with a weird slide potentiometer volume control for a strumming effect, but i've got 2 problems
1. i need something for the controlers to control, sommething reletivly small and inexpensive (perferably avalible in kit form) that can take 2 or 3 seperate inputs, and perferable with built in reverb control.
2. is there a way to well basically tune the ribbons, kinda like guitar strings?

i hope i've been clear and that someone can help me

Sounds a bit like a multi-ribbon theremin cello - a single ribbon instrument invented by Léon Theremin. It might be worth googling "theremin cello" and looking though the 113 hits it returns.

(Video clip of Pamelia Kurstin playing a theremin cello: here (http://www.veoh.com/videoDetails.html?v=e14328).)

there's just alot of sites with the same information but nothing really on the construction.
all i really need to know is what i can hook a ribbon to to make a sound, would it work if i just hooked one up to soe kind of simple signal generator?