Need help selecting a cello

[DucatiHoney]

I'm (still) in the process of buying/learning to play cello just for fun. Anyone on here know anything about these instruments? If not, there's a music store a few blocks from me but I'd like to get a second opinion. I'm looking to buy used, hoping to get by with something <$500, but will go up to $800+ if needed. There's tons of stuff on CL, but I don't know how to make heads or tails out of it.

 

[Cycle61]

Paging Ms Incredible

 

[DucatiHoney]

She and I have talked a little about this. She does violin though--seen her perform a couple of times actually--so I think the convo was pretty short about cello, other than her encouraging me.

 

[MrIncredible]

Better off to rent one.

Also, wear pants.

 

[asthmodeus]

i would highly recommend renting a cheap cremona from a&g on 14th downtown oak and see if it suits you. you can buy one for under 1,000 well set up. i would also go to roland feller in sf and rent something more expensive and hear the difference before wasting money on something that won't suit your ear.

a used professional level instrument will be expensive, sometimes even more so than new.

 

[asthmodeus]

also keep in mind that the bow is about as important as the instrument.

 

[DucatiHoney]

Good info--some I've heard before, but good to reiterate.

Except for the pants. Not too worried. Plan on sawing away on this thing in sweats, maybe a velour leisure suit if I feel like getting spiffed up.

 

[rodr]

A client of my wife's is a cellist. PM me your contact info and I'll hook you up.

 

[DucatiHoney]

done

 

[CockyRooster]

Have you confirmed with the cats that this is an ok thing to do?

 

[DucatiHoney]

I'm positive that the cats will object with great prejudice to this idea. They'll deal.

 

[Kestrel]

DH,

Fellow cellist here. Violinists are lucky, as a thousand bucks buys you a VERY serviceable instrument. Fat chance doing that with a cello. You really need to break into the $1500-2k range to get something that you'd want to keep long term. Lifetime instrument for an amateur can be happily accomplished with 5k.

That said, you can mail order rent a very decent instrument from a number of different places in the USA. When I lost access to a university provided 25k cello ( Super sad face... I paid $60 to the school to rent it for a year!), I ended up with a decent Jay Haide from Johnson Strings... Right around $175 for three months, which wasn't bad at all. As you're just starting, I'd highly recommend renting.

 

[rodr]

I wonder if the electric ones are any good? Way cheaper, and with the headset you won't annoy the spouse or cats so much. :teeth

 

[Hyperborea]

I wonder if the electric ones are any good? Way cheaper, and with the headset you won't annoy the spouse or cats so much. :teeth

I don't know about the cello but the Yamaha Silent Guitar plays well with a very realistic acoustic guitar sound and some nice onboard reverb. The Yamaha cello though is $1500++ depending on the model. It might not be a cheaper option though the silent part is nice and it does fold up for storage / travel.

 

[DucatiHoney]

Definitely don't want an electronic one.

And I kind of want to buy and not rent...Even if it's a piece of junk. That's just me. I'm weird like that.

 

[msincredible]

She and I have talked a little about this. She does violin though--seen her perform a couple of times actually--so I think the convo was pretty short about cello, other than her encouraging me.

I think I sent you some local teacher recommendations.

 

[Kestrel]

Definitely don't want an electronic one.

And I kind of want to buy and not rent...Even if it's a piece of junk. That's just me. I'm weird like that.

You don't want junk. For the price range you listed, you won't find high enough quality that would make you WANT to play. Poor QC and cheap plywood construction often results in something thats tough to keep in tune, yields the incorrect string height above the fingerboard that's either painful to play, or buzzes like crazy, constantly wanting to come apart due to un-aged woods used during construction, and so on.

You might not want to rent (I'm that way, too...) - but it's seriously for the best here. Rent for half a year while taking lessons, and if you're still just as passionate about it, plop down 2-3k and get yourself something nice. You'll end up with a much more satisfying instrument that way. ~$460 rents you a $5k cello for half a year, giving you more than enough time to figure out if this is for you.

 

[HappyHighwayman]

 

[Volcomism]

Let me know how this goes DH. I've been playing Upright bass for a while, and reallly want to start learning on a proper stringed instrument.