Sharp rib corner, ouch

[TenorClef]

A new cello that I've acquired has quite a sharp rib corner, I can't play more than 30min with shorts on.  It just digs into my left knee.  Does rounding the corner affect sound at all?

Thank you.

[Sean Couch]

I wouldn’t round the corner, I would but on a pair of pants. Take my words with a grain a salt though, I haven’t worn shorts in 35+ years. If wearing pants doesn’t work for you, then I would try and find something I could attach to my leg to pad the area. Maybe one of those neoprene sport braces, or some sport tape, or a good old fashioned ace bandage would take the edge off the pain, but not the cello. Hehe.

[TenorClef]

1 hour ago, Sean Couch said:

I wouldn’t round the corner, I would but on a pair of pants. Take my words with a grain a salt though, I haven’t worn shorts in 35+ years. If wearing pants doesn’t work for you, then I would try and find something I could attach to my leg to pad the area. Maybe one of those neoprene sport braces, or some sport tape, or a good old fashioned ace bandage would take the edge off the pain, but not the cello. Hehe.

Perhaps rounding the corner isn't the right words. Taking the edge off might be better, my old cello has the same shape in each corner but it is ever so slightly chamfered so that while it makes indentation on my left knee it doesn't dig in.  

[JacksonMaberry]

I think the idea is that it's bad form to take a file or sandpaper to a corner (or other part) of an instrument someone worked hard to make. 

There are certain plastic films/appliques that are used to prevent sweat damage to ribs and whatnot; you could use a piece of the same, applied to the offending corner, to "blunt" it without damaging the instrument. 

[Blank face]

1 hour ago, JacksonMaberry said:

 

I think the idea is that it's bad form to take a file or sandpaper to a corner (or other part) of an instrument someone worked hard to make.

 

Yes, similar to the idea to file of the thumb projection of a bow frog to adjust to the player’s thumb and destroy all workmanship and value. 

[Altgeiger]

You could just put your cleaning cloth on your knee and leave your instrument alone. I don't like putting plastic sheets on my fiddle much more than I like sanding the corners round, and it seems avoidable in this case.

[David Burgess]

6 hours ago, TenorClef said:

I can't play more than 30min with shorts on.  It just digs into my left knee.  Does rounding the corner affect sound at all?

Thank you.

Historical factoid:
Cellos were not designed to be played by people in skimpy attire, since  brothel employees hardly ever bought any of 'em anyway. 

Put some real pants on, for Jiminy's sake! 

[Michael Darnton]

What is the cello? Advice might change.

$1000 Chinese? Get out the files and Sandpaper. Strad? Put in some pants.

[FiddleDoug]

You could always get some of these clown noses and put them on the corner.

https://www.hobbylobby.com/party-baking/party-favors-favor-containers/party-favors/red-clown-noses/p/48280?srsltid=AfmBOoqUUlveVl2EJdNMOaipsyqT3zsneRMwAdt0E4GtL-VFeRaCP_ppNqw  

 

[Altgeiger]

You could always just put your cleaning cloth on your leg if you absolutely must wear shorts. 

[TenorClef]

10 hours ago, Michael Darnton said:

What is the cello? Advice might change.

$1000 Chinese? Get out the files and Sandpaper. Strad? Put in some pants.

It's around 10k, I would ask the shop I got this from to do the work. I don't know if taking <=1mm off of the corner like this advisable.

[TenorClef]

1 hour ago, Altgeiger said:

You could always just put your cleaning cloth on your leg if you absolutely must wear shorts. 

I'm leaning towards this way, unless the shop I got this from is willing to do the work.

[Brad Dorsey]

1 hour ago, TenorClef said:

…unless the shop I got this from is willing to do the work.

And if they are willing to do the work, you should go to a shop that is not willing.

[TenorClef]

44 minutes ago, Brad Dorsey said:

And if they are willing to do the work, you should go to a shop that is not willing.

Is taking less than 1mm to take the edge off the corner a bad thing? 

[Dr. Mark]

9 minutes ago, TenorClef said:

s taking less than 1mm to take the edge off the corner a bad thing? 

You could try being happy that you have a nice cello and deal with it as suggested above, but it will wear to a comfortable shape faster if you wear pants - they're mildly abrasive.

[David Burgess]

If you put the cello under your chin to play, the corner digging into your knee won't be a problem. 

[LCF]

5 hours ago, David Burgess said:

If you put the cello under your chin to play, the corner digging into your knee won't be a problem. 

Also can hold them like a guitar, with the C bout on your knee (*) to avoid those spikey bits.

 

(*) Susannah.

 

[bungling_amateur]

11 hours ago, David Burgess said:

If you put the cello under your chin to play, the corner digging into your knee won't be a problem. 

Don't laugh... some people here are deadly serious

 

[David Burgess]

11 hours ago, bungling_amateur said:

Don't laugh... some people here are deadly serious

How else could one play the cello in a marching band?

 

[Ron1]

As long as no one has bothered to answer your original question, I"ll try: No.

[Blank face]

6 hours ago, Ron1 said:

As long as no one has bothered to answer your original question, I"ll try: No.

I would say yes, of course. Pain will give the tone more emotion.

Probably that’s the use of playing the cello in shorts.

[HoGo]

What about use of self stick hard foam protectors similar to what jazz bass players use to protect edges when they lay bass on floor.

[Brad Dorsey]

Or stick the foam on your left knee.

[FiddleDoug]

On 10/14/2025 at 9:52 AM, TenorClef said:

I'm leaning towards this way, unless the shop I got this from is willing to do the work.

You do realize that carving down a corner will devalue the instrument. Your shop should make you sign something to that effect.

[David Burgess]

If you don a volleyball knee pad and rotate it about 90 degrees, that should do the trick.