I really want a cello...

VEGANGELICA · 03-18-2011, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeddyBass2112

I've been really interested in the double bass for a while, but the size of the thing puts me off (I don't have a huge car for starters, so going to a gig wouldn't be fun).

Anyway, a couple of days ago I gave a cello a try at my friend's house (it was hers) and I think I might have just fallen in love. It's got a tonal range like that of a double bass, although in a different tuning and reading music (plus alto, which I can read anyway), but is smaller and lighter and more portable. Plus it would also fit in my Ford Ka a lot easier.

So I'm determined to get one and my friend is offering some lessons if I do. What should I look for in a cello? What's a starting price for one?

EDIT: I should highlight that I can play violin already so adapting to a fretless instrument is not an issue. Infact, I managed to play my friend's cello by ear.

At last! My instrument twin!!

I also play the violin and fell in love with the cello.

I don't know much about cellos, but I wanted a cheap one, reasoning I could upgrade if I wanted. So I decided to go for a Cheap Chinese Cello. I feel it works well. I wanted a cello that is all wood and had good reviews. And was cheap. Did I mention cheap already? Yes, cheap. That was an important criterion for me.

A cello player in the orchestra in which I play violin and with whom I talked before this purchase told me a starting cello goes for $1000 to $2000 and I might want to rent before owning. I was dismayed at the price and so was quite pleased to find a cello, bow, case plus extra strings and rosin combo that cost only $350 US dollars.

Here's what I got: Cecilio CCO-200 4/4 Size Handmade All Solid Wood Cello. You can read my review if you'd like:

Amazon.com: Leia's review of Cecilio CCO-200 4/4 Size Handmade All Soli...

The cello works fine, other than the bridge perhaps being a bit small.

The bow is horrible...warped, with a loose frog...but it still works! On the down side, it is made with Mongolian horse hair...and generally people slaughter horses there and use their tails for the bow. I didn't want a horse hair bow, but I didn't find cheap cellos that lacked bow horse hair, and so I ended up violating my ethics due to my greed for a cheap but decent cello. :/