What should I look for when buying a cello?

Question

Im buying my dad a new cello for his birthday and would really like to suprise him with it. He's 6 foot 5 and I have no idea what to look for when I go out and get it.

Answer 1

First off, a cello is very expensive (I play one myself) so try going to a few stores and compare prices. Take advantage of the summer clearances or sales. Along with the cello, you need to buy a good bow and nice rosin. If your dad is that tall, ask for a full size cello.
Also. go to some symphonies and ask the cellist, I'm sure that they can help you.

Another thought, if you father's birthday is a long way off, you can probably order it online.

Answer 2

I imagine you're aware that a good cello is a very expensive instrument. Start by asking around to find a reputable store with knowledgeable staff. If you can tell them what model your dad uses now that will be helpful. There are better and worse brands, but a cello is really a very individual instrument. Different cellos from the same maker can vary tremendously. A player would play each instrument for a while before deciding. If you don't play, bring along someone who does, or find a store where they will take some time to demonstrate for you. Have them play, and listen to see if it has a deep, rich sound. If it sounds good, it's a better instrument. If you are also buying a bow, don't treat it as an afterthought. The right bow is very important, and this is where your dad's size makes a difference. Go with the best quality you can afford, and don't be shocked at the price. A good bow can cost almost as much as the instrument itself.

Answer 3

If you're just a beginner, the quality of the instrument, frankly, is not that important. You do want an instrument that has been set up appropriately, as improper set up (as of the bridge, strings, fingerboard, and endpin) can be an unnecessary distraction. FYI cellos can be enormously expensive. But a beginning "kit" shouldn't cost too much more than $750. This is from the website of a cello "kit" vendor, Shar: "Beginning cellists require a cello that possesses a pleasing tone, balanced response, contrasts in dynamic range (volume) and forgiveness of general response to help instill confidence in an inexperienced player. Beginning cellos are typically manufactured in a production setting, where a good deal of the carving is done by a machine to keep costs to a minimum, and for consistency and predictability of tone. The cello set-up is the single most important stage of production, where a skilled worker's careful attention to detail brings out the best possible tone and playability." I have not purchased an instrument from Shar, but they did an excellent job with an instrument repair and they focus on string instruments only. That's a better route than, say, a pawn shop.

Answer 4

Make sure that the polish of the wood isn't too glossy (it will seem or could even be a fake cello), make sure that the pegs and tuners are able to be turned easily, and check to see whether or not the bridge is too high, causing the strings to be too high off the fingerboard. This will make playing harder. Check inside the cello through the F-holes to see the serial number of the cello. You might also want someone to play it so that you can see whether or not the strings make a metallic sound. If so, you might want to change the strings. The strings should make a full, rich, nonmetallic sound. These are just some examples of what to look for. I recommend that you not buy a cello online, since those are of poor quality.

Answer 5

go to a few schools and talk with teachers of it or check out a symphony player or two.