twcellist

I'm looking at Damien's website for cello gut strings and I was wondering if anybody has any experience (i.e. playability and sound quality difference) with all the different type of gut strings he has. On his site he has gut, varnished gut, silver pl.gut, NiAg gut, and Sterling Silver/gut. Are there any combination or preferences that people prefer?

Thanks. I did contact Damien actually and he said his E string would "probably not" work on a full size cello. So yeah... it looks like if I want to go full size they'll have to be custom strings.

Thanks. I'm not expecting anything spectacular with a $400 cello. The only thing I want to explore and feel is how it physically feels to play 5 strings. Many people have tried to learn 5 strings and many have given up stating that they're just too used to 4 strings. I figure rather than plunge thousands of dollars into a quality 5 string and then only have it go to waste as a piece of furniture spending $400 to figure try things out isn't such a bad idea .

Thanks for your thoughts and perspective. To tell you the truth 1) I don't really know if I want to go all the way and get a 5 string cello and 2) I don't even know what type of 5 string cello I want (i.e. baroque setup, modern, or transitional and also the actual size.) The problem I'm facing is there are no 5 string cello readily available so there is no reference point (if you know what I mean.) I came across a very cheap 5 string cello on Amazon for only $400 and so I decided to buy it and at least dabble a little bit. Of course I'm not expecting anything wonderful from such a cheap instrument, but I mainly just want to see how it is to even play with 5 strings as I think this will help me answer a lot of questions. As for the E string I did some more research and asking around and it seems that a 7/8th's cello would be at the upper range of in terms of what most gut E stings can handle right now (it would be right around 67 cm vibrating length.) If you go any bigger in terms of cello size then the string would have to be custom made.

Does anybody have experience with a Gut E string for a full size cello? From what I seem to understand the traditional 5 string cello is a cello piccolo, which is anywhere from a 1/2 size to 3/4 size cello. As such the gut E strings available for cello are at a vibrating length of 64-67 cm. However, a full size cello vibrating length is 69 cm. I've asked around with regards to fitting a gut E string onto a full size cello and most people I have talked to have concerns about the strings snapping. So I wonder if anybody makes a gut E to handle a 69 cm vibrating length.

... Sigh... Yeah... as I'm quickly learning when it comes to old instruments it's a huge minefield of Italian fakes!

Woah... I've never seen anything like that done for the bridge. Nuts! Lol... So, this cello is being auction at Fountaine's Auction House and well obviously instruments is not their specialty.

Another smaller auction house selling what's advertised as mid-19th century Italian cello. They said there are no cracks on the sound post, top, or back, but the neck was broken and the cracks below the block were repaired. Also mentioned the oil based varnish congealed and stuck the case and that's why the back is in the condition it is. Any thoughts?

There is this cello for sale at a smaller auction house. Any thoughts? They say it's late 18th or early 19th Italian, but unlabeled.

Shoot! I don’t know French! I took a screenshot.

I just wish I could find the pawn shop that regularly carries cellos. Maybe I can find a Strad! Lol ...

Anybody have any thoughts on the price range for a Andrea Castagneri Cello that's in good condition. There is one being offered for sale and it looks pretty good (considering it's almost 300 years old.) No sound post crack and comes with a Rampal certificate.

Thanks.. yes... I initially offered him $4K 6 months ago. I took him a while to budge and while it wasn't $4K $6500 wasn't too bad. The cello is definitely worth more. Today I had a lesson with my teacher and he asked to try the cello. He was super impressed with the sound quality and said from what I paid it's a steal so that made me happy!.

The one in NYC right? I did actually get to stop at NYC and did stop by and did try the Testore school cello. For the age condition wasn't too bad and sound wise pretty good. The only one criticism I had was that the lower part of the scroll's back was unfinished and not carved (i.e. it was flat) I understand that Testore himself had some scrolls that had the unfinished look, but ultimately I wasn't a huge fan of that. Some other comments/observations from Tarisio NYC for their November auction... There was a a composite Testore (i.e. head not Testore and front not original) that had great sound, but I figured with all those different parts the cello basically almost as no semblance to Testore so I passed on that. It currently has no bids so I figure everyone has the same feelings that I do about it being far too gone from a Testore. The Eugenio Degani was nice, but it was not in perfect condition like the Garimberti cello at Ingles and the sound was not as good. That cello immediately had bids the second (and literally the second because I tried to bid) the auction opened. Lastly, the Gagliano was the most expensive cello, but it was very underwhelming. Condition was very average and sound not impressive at all. I can see why that cello so far has no bids.

Thanks for your feedback. I wonder if there is a good website that shows the backs of instruments to demonstrate what wood is what because I truly don't have any idea. I assume that depending on the varnish and finish too that it could potentially cover up the grain of the natural wood. Yes I did do some searching online for 5 string makers and did come across Nate Tabor. There is also another guy in Vermont named Warren Ellison and he makes instruments. I came across this guy in Oregon mainly because he says he can make a 5 string cello, BUT he actually has not made one yet so I'm slightly apprehensive. As I've been looking and researching I realize it's a very complicated thing/subject regarding the 5 string cello and even a distinguished maker has advised that I should not go with anybody who has not physically made one before.