What kind of cello is it best to buy for an adult beginner (me!)?

Question

Is it best to buy a more expensive one from the start or go for a cheapy and see how i get on. I play the violin already so am not a complete musical beginner but know nothing about cellos. What are the best brands to go for/ price I should be paying? Found some for around £150 but are they any good or to be avoided? Watching a couple on ebay but need tips in what to look for. Any good musical instrument websites to recommend? Advice will be very much appreciated!

Answer 1

Hi,
I am a pianist and piano teacher yet a beginner on a cello. I bought my cello on ebay for $750 Australian dollars. It was second hand and so had been played in for a few years. I was also able to talk directly with the owner to find out more about it and how it played. It is not a proffessional cello of course but it is a good student one. I like that it is not brand spanking new too.
I also bought a new viola from ebay and it is pretty crappy but I am happy to have a viola. There is a definite difference in molded instruments and carved instruments. My husband actually makes violins so he hates my viola but thinks the cello is ok. Being that you are already a musician, you would likely pick up the cello quickly. The most difficult thing about it that I have found is the finger strength and stretch. A really cheap cello will likely frustrate you to no end because you may be accustomed to a certain quality of tone. I would advice a middle of the range one and/or better. The thing about instruments like these is that they tend to gain rather than lose value (particularly if you buy a good one) so the money you spend on a good one will almost certainly be recovered if you decide to sell later down the track. renting as suggested in the above answer is a great idea too, depending on what sort they have available. There are often rent/buy plans too.
all the best!

Answer 2

My son is a cellist and now that he has reached a grade 4-5 (after 2 years of tuition) we are prepared to buy a more expensive cello that will last him a lifetime. Before then the teacher recommended a simple student cello until he was sure that it was what he wanted and was able to play it better.
The cheaper cellos on the market tend to have poor strings and poor set up - the tone can be tinny and not very complementary. Big music stores also run a rental scheme - so you can rent a cello (with a view to buy at a later stage) - here you have the added benefit of getting a fairly good cello to learn to play but paying for it on a monthly/ quarterly basis until you are sure the instrument is for you:
http://www.cambridgemusic.net
The Student Stentors tend to be the ones that most students start with and then they move on from there - Give them a call and see what they can do for you - I live in the NW are of UK so I use a different place to get the Cello etc also make sure that you have insurance that protects the cello specifically - this is a requirement of most rental places

Answer 3

Well string instruments are very delicate so I would suggest you would go for a handmade and good quality instrument. Since you are already an adult. You wouldn't have to buy a bigger size every time you grow out of it like a younger person would. Buying an instrument usually comes with the bow, rosin, and case so you wouldn't need to worry about that. I wouldn't recommend buying an instrument from places online like Ebay because it's risky and you will never find out the quality of it until you get it. It doesn't really matter if you buy a used or new violin because as long as the used one isn't broken or anything than either way they should both have good tones. I'd recommend you learn from another teacher that can show you how to properly hold the instrument correctly as well as bowing straight, it's not as simple as it looks.

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Answer 6

Ask your teacher for advice and try some out in a music shop to see which ones you get on best with.