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The Museum of Yo-Yo History is a labor of love, and we would not be able to stay up-to-date with exhibits without the support of our sponsors and curators. Big thanks go to One Drop Design and Duncan for supplying us with their latest models, YoYoExpert for their help and support, and to Cody Orr, TotalArtist and YoYoBrothers™ for allowing us to use their collections!

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At Design Lab zero (mini)
Exhibit #4557
TypeProduction
ShapeConcave )-(
AxleBearing
ColorSilky Coating (silver/space grey)
ConstructionMulti-piece aluminum
ResponseSilicon Ring
Diameter50mm
Width39.5mm
GapFixed
Gap Width4.2mm
Weight60.8gm
ConditionMint
Date2024
OwnerRick Brough
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A $100 yo-yo... that didn't even come with a string. That's akin to buying a car without tires. If you're going to make a $100 yo-yo, put a $100 string on it. That is, do your buyers a favor and match your yo-yo with an included string from a brand or type that you feel brings out the best playability in the yo-yo's design.

At Design Lab's mini zero in white with silky coating. Released February 2, 2024 at 23:00 JST (6:00 MST). Designed and manufactured in Japan.

If the yo-yo looks similar to other well-known yo-yos, you are right. The zero used as a "design reference" Anti-Yo's The Business and A Return Tops' (A-RT) Sparrow. How does that saying go? "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness." - Oscar Wilde

From atdesignlab.myshopify.com:
"There is a possibility of fine scratches on the surface, but this is a product specification due to the special surface treatment.

zero 50mm features
• Round shape for a smooth feel and enough spin power even in undersized.
• Shmoved ring reduces sleep loss while maintaining the round shape design.
• Comfortable feel by large hub for weight balance adjustment.
• New non-matte Vintage Coating has been added, which represents the smooth texture of the old American yo-yos of the early days of full-metal yo-yos.

What is the Zero Series?
The Zero Series is a series of round-shaped yoyos that are "ordinary yoyos for us" inspired by the shape of 0 (zero). They are designed to be the benchmark for measuring the feel of various yoyos, like the "zero( 0 )" on a ruler. The design is inspired by the shape of the Duncan Butterfly, the ancestor of string trick yo-yos, and incorporates the essence of Anti-yo and A-rt. The second work in the Zero Series, the XS size zero 50mm, is "an ordinary undersize yo-yo that is our benchmark, incorporating the essence of Anti-yo's Business and A-rt's Sparrow.

What is an Undersize Yo-yo?
Generally, undersize yoyos are associated with images such as small, less spinning, bulky, and niche. However, there are some undersize yo-yos that are considered to be historical masterpieces. They can be swung comfortably while still having the unique quirks of undersize yo-yos. They may be prone to tilting or not spinning for long, but even those imperfect parts are their individuality and are loved. They are the perfect yo-yos to swing without taking off your shoulders, unlike competitive yo-yos. In recent terms, it might be appropriate to call them "chill out". However, many people avoid undersize yo-yos. I think this is because the design of undersize yo-yos is very difficult, and manufacturers struggle to make good yo-yos. There is even a perception that undersize = unpopular, and major manufacturers are reluctant to release products in this size range.

The difficulty of undersize design
It is no exaggeration to say that the spin power of a yo-yo is determined by its diameter. In simple terms, the spin power is significantly improved by increasing the diameter rather than the weight. Therefore, it is difficult to secure sufficient spin power for small-diameter undersize yo-yos, and they generally increase the weight unnecessarily to inefficiently boost the spin power. As a result, the feel of swinging becomes heavy, and I often hear that people dislike this "undersize bulkiness." Of course, you can secure sufficient spin power without increasing the weight by making a bimetal structure with a heavier material such as stainless steel or titanium on the outer circumference. However, I cannot give up the comfortable playability that is unique to monometal made of aluminum material. So, how can we secure sufficient spin power while maintaining a feel that is not bulky in a monometal 50mm diameter?

The starting point is the detuning of mono 50mm
The At Design Lab mono 50mm has challenged the difficulty of undersize design and has made it a yo-yo with a refined feel that is not undersize. However, for undersize lovers, it was a little lacking. It lacks the incompleteness and individuality that I felt at the time when the past masterpieces were not spinning enough and I felt uncomfortable. With this in mind, when we started developing zero, we told the designer early on, "Would you like to detune mono to make it more comfortable to use?" Although it may be away from the mainstream preference, I wanted to make an undersize yoyo that was ordinary for us. Of course, it is also a fact that we were able to take such a development direction because there is already a wonderful undersize yo-yo called mono.

Playability
The design that allows you to feel the comfort of an undersize yoyo even when you are tired. It is very easy to move because it is lightweight and has low spin power, but it has a solid core. It compensates for the low spin power by taking an approach of eliminating sleep loss. The point is that it perfectly balances the weight to reproduce the comfort of old undersize yo-yos while firmly holding the usability of modern yo-yos. While paying homage to the original, we hope that those of you who loved the comfort of using yo-yos back then can enjoy them while reminiscing about the fun you had back then."

Silky Coating (Matte Coating)
Texture
• Shiny – 4 out of 5 stars – Matte
Playability
• Solid – 4 out of 5 stars – Soft

Recipe
Diameter: 50mm
Width: 39.5mm
Weight: 60.8gm
String gap: 4.2mm
Bearing: Size C, concave, 10-ball
Response: Silky Pad, compatible with CLYW brand and A-RT brand of yo-yos.
Material: Aluminum
Finish: Silky coating in silver and space grey

Original retail price: $99 US.

Of interest...
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