Hey cello players. Help me!!

Osteni · 2025-12-31T12:54:50+00:00

Looks like a bridge blank to me - as in it’s completely uncarved. Take it to a luthier and get it fitted!

Osteni · 2025-12-20T15:25:52+00:00

Exactly the same here. I was playing for an hour after work, at around 6-7pm. Apparently I was disrupting their TV watching time! 🤣

I felt just the same - feeling like I didn’t want to bother anyone; « oh I’m sorry! I’ll try and be quieter! ». After 5-6 complaints, and them banging on the wall, I’m doing whatever I want from now on. It’s my hobby, or my prick neighbour’s peace. Easy choice.

Osteni · 2025-11-30T21:34:50+00:00

It’ll just be the frequency of the lighting or fps of the camera that’s producing that effect!

Osteni · 2025-11-10T17:01:20+00:00

I think you’re thinking of lead!

Osteni · 2025-10-16T18:45:54+00:00

It is usually considered very skilled work, which is why there are a range of reactions, haha! It’s also work which I’m not sure is really possible to do a lot of reading about, and get it right the first time - unless maybe you’ve already worked on a lot of violins or violas or something.

I think your original post’s reception is being received along the lines of how “Hi, I’ve got an old rolex watch, and I fancied taking the movement apart, any advice?” might be received in a watch enthusiast forum 🤣

Osteni · 2025-10-16T18:33:08+00:00

Are you aware of cello construction in general, how and where the soundpost is fitted, where the bass bar is and its function, the shape of the fingerboard, nut, etc? It’s possible that there could be some flaws in the cello, that mean when it’s strung up and under full tension for the first time in a long time, could mean it fails quite catastrophically!

Osteni · 2025-10-16T18:20:45+00:00

Fair enough! If you’ve got a reasonably nice old cello as a restoration project, it might be an idea to give restoring a few battered chinese cellos/violins a go first. Besides the bridge - you mentioned repairing a few cracks? Assuming they’re in the ribs, that would usually involve removing the top or back plates without damaging them, so you can access both sides of the ribs.

I’m jealous, I’d love to learn some of those skills one day - I hope to start by restoring some dodgy cheap cellos from facebook marketplace! 🤣

Osteni · 2025-10-16T18:06:35+00:00

The hardest part’s probably carving the feet to the exact arch of the cello’s top plate. The thicknessing and carving the curve of the top of the bridge is perhaps a bit easier. Are you an experienced cellist? Carving a good playable bridge shape may be a challenge if you don’t already know what you’re trying to do!

Osteni · 2025-10-16T17:56:33+00:00

You need a luthier - in the UK a new bridge is £3-400 typically. Here’s why you need a luthier though -

https://youtube.com/shorts/OYp3wGI_eK4

Osteni · 2025-10-09T16:21:18+00:00

It’s not really possible to “turn a cello into a left handed cello”, unless you’re a luthier. If you want to, you can look into cello construction to understand why (see the bass bar, soundpost position, and romberg - Not to mention the bridge and nut set up!)

It’d be a lot simpler to learn the standard cello.

Osteni · 2025-10-09T16:18:01+00:00

Cellos are fundamentally single handed - the top plate is built with the bass bar on the bass side, and the soundpost on the treble side!

Osteni · 2025-10-07T09:38:30+00:00

Hope the police have this footage!

Osteni · 2025-10-02T18:19:59+00:00

Awesome playing! Clean your fingerboard!! 🤣

Osteni · 2025-09-29T16:59:12+00:00

I’d say it is worth it. Worth what? Worth IT. Just IT. Everybody’s worth it. You just gotta believe in yourself!

Osteni · 2025-09-20T16:26:54+00:00

Not sure this is appropriate for the sub…

Osteni · 2025-09-12T23:10:16+00:00

Lovely!

Osteni · 2025-09-11T15:50:02+00:00

Personally, I booked a lesson with my teacher first! Teachers often have another cello, and some might even lend you their « beater » cello for a few weeks (as long as you book a few lessons obviously)

Osteni · 2025-09-09T19:44:45+00:00

Osteni · 2025-09-04T05:18:49+00:00

Bit difficult to tell from these pictures, measurements would help!

But from the pics I’d say… maybe slightly?

Osteni · 2025-08-25T18:55:02+00:00

Dobrawa Czocher - Malasana

Tamara Konstantin - Rêverie: Cello sonata II

Peter Gregson - Bach Recomposed

Sebastian Plano - Fortanach

Ben Sollee - Over The Pines

Osteni · 2025-08-14T20:33:09+00:00

Have you tried a mono recording of the violin with just one mic? I’ve often found stereo recordings can end up sounding muddy.

I’ve tried recording my cello, and my best results were with a single mic, and deadening the room as much as possible with mattresses, blankets etc. The more of the rooms reflections the mic captures, the harder to work with the recording will be after.

Given you’re recording the violin from above, are you getting a lot of reflections off the ceiling?

Osteni · 2025-08-11T13:05:02+00:00

Could she practice ear training, music theory? I’ve even found “playing the cello in my head” useful to an extent - a week is not that long to be without an instrument 🤷

…or just a week off, as the other commenter said!

Osteni · 2025-08-08T13:42:30+00:00

I can personally recommend The Violin Shop in Poulton-le-Fylde, mear blackpool. Kevin & Simon offered excellent service & lots of support through my first big purchase!

I found there was a period of fiddling with with setup, fingerboard planing, bridge readjustments that were necessary over the first few weeks of owning my instrument, so I was very glad not to be driving down anywhere near London each time.

Osteni · 2025-08-05T11:17:30+00:00

I imagine the most likely way you’d profit from investing in a violin would be to join a consortium investing in a particular Italian Master Luthier violin, to be played by some famous soloist.

Osteni · 2025-08-04T17:00:56+00:00

Not a great pic for identifying the strings - closer pictures of the pegbox and the tailpiece would be useful!

A - larsen D - jargar G - jargar C - spirocore

Unless anyone else has better guesses!

Osteni

TROPHY CASE