Cellos

Cellos For Sale on Reverb

The cello, or violoncello, dates back to the 16th century, when it often had five strings. At the time, it was the bass instrument in ensembles. Bach composed concertos for ensembles featuring cello, both with and without other instruments. Later, composers like Mozart and Hayden wrote solos for cello into their compositions. Contemporary cellos have four strings.

The frame of cellos are made from wood or carbon fiber, which responds better to variations in climate. Usually the top is made from spruce, with maple, poplar, or willow sides and back. Budget models may use laminate materials. Often, the fingerboard, nut, and tuning pegs are ebony, although rosewood, boxwood, and other materials are also used.

The tailpiece can be made of wood, metal, or plastic. The bridge is not a permanent part of the cello but is held in place by string tension. The straight protrusion at the bottom is called the endpin, and is usually made of metal or carbon fiber. It’s usually collapsible for travel and adjustable for the player’s position. Some cellos also have removable necks for better portability.

Cello strings are most often either all-metal or are wound metal over a core made gut (the traditional material for strings for instruments in the violin family) or synthetic materials. Metal strings are usually louder and brighter; gut and synthetic strings are deeper and more well-rounded in tone. The most popular brands are Pirastro, Thomastik-Infeld, and Larsen. Players often mix string brands and types.

Cellos come in a variety of sizes indicated by a fraction, such as the popular ⅞, which is only slightly smaller and easier to play for many musicians. These sizes go down to 1/16 for students, but are not exact scales. For example, a ½ cello is not half the size of a standard instrument.

Companies such as Yamaha, NS Design, and Bridge make electric and acoustic-electric cellos in various styles, but piezo pickups can also be retrofitted to standard cellos.

The cello has also found a place in popular music, appearing in the music of The Beatles, Nirvana, Bush, and Oasis. Groups Apocalyptica and Rasputina have had success with cello-centric rock music, often combining cello with effects and amps designed for electric guitar. Notable contemporary cellists include Yo-Yo Ma, Aaron Minsky, Tina Guo, Zoë Keating, and Alisa Weilerstein.