How to choose your first cello?

So you have finally decided to pick the best-stringed instrument to learn but don't know where to begin your selection. Before you start going out there to try cellos, here are some things to ask yourself!

1)How long do you realistically intend to learn the instrument? 1 year, 5 years, for the foreseeable future? (will begin some girl-math from here)

2)Are you looking to walk down this musician life or testing waters and see how far this goes?

3)Finally how much budget do you have for the cello before you have to eat bread for the next few months?

Write down all these answers mentally and I will give you a brief rundown of how much you can expect to pay!

Here are a couple of common scenarios I have encountered and my suggestions for each! Scenario 1: You are an adult learner and it is your first time picking up an instrument. You have always dreamed of playing the deep and soothing cello. You see yourself playing for at least 3-5 years and would like to see how it goes before investing in an 'end-game' cello.

I would suggest being in the ballpark of $1500- $3200 for your hunt. At this price range, you should expect good playability, high comfort for the left hand, good clarity of sound, and a balanced tone. At any point you feel that none of these are achieved, it shouldn't be the cello you pick. For a beginner adult, there is some purchasing power so you shouldn't suffer with those sub $1000 cellos. Trust me I have seen horrible cellos that should be called wooden boxes instead of cellos. The sound is so flabby and thin, its extremely hard to press even for a beginner. You end up sounding bad/ in pain and eventually spending more money for another cello or worse, quitting the instrument. With this $1.5k-$3k cello, you will be able to comfortably learn the instrument and the tonal colours you prefer(be it bright aggressive or colourful round). You should be able to develop high sensitivity in terms of your left and right hand to create a sound you like.

Scenario 2: You are an adult learner and you know cello playing is going to be part of my life. You know you don't want to waste time upgrading the cello and want a cello for the rest of your life.

I would suggest being in the ballpark of $6000-$9000. At this price range, you should be getting a cello some professionals would call a spare cello. You will get a lot of depth, richness, and oompf on the lower registers. It will be a joy and wonder to play the cello every day because the potential and colors of the cello seem endless and you get to explore and learn your instrument as you learn the instrument. However, as you enter this price range, it gets very tricky because there is so much 'sound' you might not know what is the right sound to look out for. Truthfully having someone try the cello for you is the best option as he/she will be able to play out all the potential of the cello and you get to hear how it sounds as an audience. If you are fortunate enough to have someone demonstrate the cello, some things to look out for are the 'projection' as in how far the sound can project. Start by walking further and further away as the cello is being played. You can start to physically feel and hear the volume drop. A good cello should project beyond the arm-length of the player.

Scenario 3: You are an adult learner who is on a budget and you hope to see how the cello fires something inside you to develop your musical and whimsical side.

I would recommend minimally from $1500. As mentioned above, if you try your luck with a sub $1k cello, you risk getting a horrible playing experience and end up spending more to repair or buy a whole other cello completely. With this budget, you should get a good quality bridge with european strings so that it doesnt sound too thin and boring. There must still be some grit and excitement under the left hand as you play it. Everything MUST feel comfortable! Here at the shop, we make sure that every cello that leaves must feel and sound at its optimum. Afterall, I am a cellist myself and I am all about maximum sound, minimum effort.

If you have more questions, please do not hesitate to drop us a message or schedule an appointment for your private viewing!