fingerboard radius

[balen]

Hello guys,

we generally use 50mm radius for the cello here, I had a client today, his cello had a very convex fingerboard much smaller than 50mm, maybe even smaller than a violin curve and it was a non romberg. This kinda surprised me, I have yet to talk with him if this shape was intentional for his playing preferences.

When we look at sources there are tons of different radii suggestions for cello fingerboards from 50s to over 60.  We teach our students general cremona specs as  42 for violins, 37 for violas and 50 for cellos. As violin and viola radius are mostly standardized, I wondered what do you prefer when it comes to cello fingerboards. And why to you prefer that radius?

 

Özgün

[Nick Allen]

Wait. Violas are 37 mm radius? Why so curved as opposed to the violin?

[balen]

It has been discussed here before:

 

Mostly for ergonomics, on the bigger violas between 37-39 radius fingerboards helps players to have faster action but also precision. Kinda like choosing belgian bridges over french bridges on cellos. Picking up strings on a higher more compact location, seperating each one noticably.