mikesusangray Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 My daughter is playing a 7/8 sized Scott Cao cello from a local luthier. I'm not sure which of his cellos this one is (there is no label), but she's delighted with the cello. She started with a 3/4-sized Scott Cao labelled STC-500, and was very happy with it as well. If we had been interested in buying (which we weren't for a less than 4/4), the STC-500 would have cost about $3,200. The one she has now (or a 4/4 sized one) would be a bit above $5,000. As far as I can tell, these prices a considerably higher than what the same cello would cost in the US - at least from what I have seen on the internet. I do not in any way mean to impugn the luthier on this! I believe that he is honest, competent - and pays considerably more himself. However, since my mother lives in the US and will be visiting this summer, it seems perfectly reasonable to have an online purchase sent to her there and have her bring the cello when she comes. The difference in price ought quite easily to make up for whatever adjustments prove necessary here. Would you agree with this line of thinking? Particularly, would you agree that the Scott Cao workshop lines - say an STC-750 - are standardized enough that we're not undertaking a foolish risk by buying sight unseen? And if so, where would you particularly advise making the purchase? www.swstrings.com seems like a reasonable place to start. Thanks for any tips, Mike Gray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Molnar Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 I'd like you to consider supporting you're local luthier. You'll want him around to look after you're cello for the future years. Are you planning to buy the cello a seat on the plane, or put in baggage? If you were thinking of just putting it in baggage, and something happens, taking the damaged cello to the luthier to fix, after not buying it from him in the first place, feels very much like a kick to the teeth to the luthier. swstrings won't be hurt buy not selling another cello, I would imagine the loss of sale would affect you're local much more directly. For me it would be a decision based not on how much money I could save, but rather how much value do I put on having a local luthier available when I need him/her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellow Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Always buy an instrument that you or your daughter can try it first and likes it, not going by the fact that somebody likes it or but a different instrument by the same shop. I have not heard any thing bad from anyone about Scott Cao, the risk is not high. However, I would not think it is a good idea to ship at a long distance just for the sake of saving the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesusangray Posted March 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Hmm. You know - and just for the record - I'm all for supporting the local guys. And if my local luthier had either a rent to buy program or a trade up program, I would go ahead and do it - but he doesn't have either. As it is, I'm going to be living on intern pay and academic grants for the next two years, and I'm burning frightening amounts of money on guitars, guitar lessons and boys choir camps for my son- and recorders (she's been begging for a tenor recorder for a year now), recorder lessons and cello lessons for my daughter. My wife and I don't own a car so we can have more money for all of this - but I can't swing a purchase in $5K range (my luthier's lowest 4/4 cello) without going into debt - and seeing $2K disappear in rental fees over the next two years is pretty frustrating! I'm going to have to cut corners somewhere - the question is which ones to cut and how to cut them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Molnar Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 That's too bad he doesn't have a rent to purchase plan, that would have made things a whole lot easier. How much money would you be saving by bringing the cello in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesusangray Posted March 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 quote: Originally posted by: Darren Molnar That's too bad he doesn't have a rent to purchase plan, that would have made things a whole lot easier. How much money would you be saving by bringing the cello in? Well, going by what I see on the STC750 sets at Southwest Strings - and that's about the extent of my shopping so far - we'd be saving about $2500 on the same model cello and getting a bow (a $150 Klaus Müller model - I'd like to look into upgrading that) and case (hard shell "prelude" model) into the bargain. Again: buying locally we would have excellent, friendly service, professional setup and plenty of help. Heck, if I had $20K to spend to have a luthier make a really good cello - and if my daughter were that serious about playing - I would consider one of his cellos an excellent investment. And if rent to buy were an option I'd be open to paying the extra $2,500 over a longer period of time just for the ability to keep our options open. But as it is, I feel like I just can't play in this league. (In case some of the relative numbers seem whacky, please note that Switzerland was, comparatively, a very expensive place, even before the dollar fell so low .) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raspritz Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 I think this thread is on the wrong track. No, cellos are not standardized, even within one maker's "line". Scott Cao's are Chinese cellos, pure and simple. There are lots and lots and lots of Chinese cellos out there. You should NEVER buy a cello that your daughter can't play for a reasonable trial period and fall in love with. So, to answer your specific question, yes, you would be taking "a foolish risk by buying sight unseen". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrypeacham Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 IMO you would be fine to buy a Scott Cao sight unseen. After all, the subject is Chinese instruments. The variation in tone between a couple of Cao's is not going to be $2500 worth of difference. When it comes time to sell, it is still a Scott Cao cello. Now and forevermore. It won't matter if the instrument was purchased in the US or Australia or South Africa. It is unlikely that the prices for Cao instruments will start to appreciate like vintage Italians. They are all proto-typical shop instruments. That much is standardized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCHungerpiller Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Have you inquired whether US based internet strings companies will ship to Europe? I have asked the company I use and will post their reply. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesusangray Posted March 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 quote: Originally posted by: JCHungerpiller Have you inquired whether US based internet strings companies will ship to Europe? I have asked the company I use and will post their reply. John Southwest Strings does, although I'd have to call for a quoite on the price. (I'm guessing international shipping for a cello would be somewhere in the $200 - $400 range, plus - in my case - 8% customs.) However, since my mother will be visiting us this summer anyway, I think it would be easier to have her bring it in person. (Although - as an earlier poster mentioned - that does involve surrendering it to baggage handlers.) Among other things, since I have family members who play, it ought to be possible to have them check out the instrument before my mom leaves, just to make sure everything is as it should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCHungerpiller Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I guess it goes without saying that insurance clarification either way is important. Good luck (recent shipping for a voilin from China ran me $58....cello around $200 seems right). I would talk to SW strings and stingworks etc....tell them what you are trying to do...make sure that they don't have a rep in europe. For instance...my cello came from Romania via Stringworks...seems there may be a way to get one set up there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCHungerpiller Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I was under on estimate shipping to Europe...more like $400-500. I really like my SW cello. It seems it would be fun to "leave no stone unturned" in looking for a comparitively priced cello in Europe. Your daughter could try out a lot of instruments. Do you have a school "spring break" in Switzerland? Good luck either way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesusangray Posted March 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 quote: Originally posted by: JCHungerpiller I was under on estimate shipping to Europe...more like $400-500. I really like my SW cello. It seems it would be fun to "leave no stone unturned" in looking for a comparitively priced cello in Europe. Your daughter could try out a lot of instruments. Do you have a school "spring break" in Switzerland? Good luck either way! Hey - thank you - that was a very kind thing to do! In terms of spring (or summer) breaks - one thing I've actually considered is a "field trip" to, say, Romania, the Czech Republic or Hungary. Wouldn't know where to start, though, and I'm a bit leery of it. (I've also been watching auctions by a Czech and an Italian eBayer, both with a decent track record, and they have things in my price range; however, I'm worried about putting my daughter at the risk of ending up with something that won't work well for her.) I like the Scott Cao path since she has already knows and likes the instruments. Even given inevitable differences between them, I have a pretty high degree of trust that we won't end up with a banjo. At this point, I'm tending toward investing a good hard shell case and having my mother bring it along - and assuming I'll spend some more money on further setup here in Switzerland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinlee Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 Good luck! My daughter has a S. Cao 750S Guadagnini model and loves it very much. It was the only one we could find in the Boston area and we tried German, Romanian, and other Chinese makes such as Jay Haide, some in the $5K range. The Montagnana model received rave reviews from String Magazine as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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