Which brand? Currently I'm having a 3/4 Chinese-licensed made Cremona. I've saw a lot of string instruments with untruthful brand names, like a violin factory named its products Stadivarius.

Hello? Is there anyone here?

Hi !!!

I play piano and violin and I've just recently decided to learn to play cello too.

I've got a second hand 'Vivaldi' cello ?

Don't know if they are any good. But it does sound very nice - even though I can't really play yet !

I bought it because it was a bargain.

Fiona

Mine's a "Berini". No idea who "Berini" are/were, however :-)

Difficult to say whether or not it's a good instrument, as in my hands it sounds pretty bad. That could be because I'm just returning to the cello after 22 years off

Warming up for Grade 6 at the moment. Love the Bach pieces!

Anyone know of a good cello teacher in Bath?

Don't know what brand my cello (borrowed from a friend who's got three to check I enjoyed it before buying) is - it's German, factory made, about 25 years old, according to the valuer. It has a very nice tone - sounds fantastic when my teacher plays it , not so good when I do !

QUOTE (DGA @ Jan 23 2005, 06:47 AM)

I've saw a lot of string instruments with untruthful brand names, like a violin factory named its products Stadivarius.

I think it's fair to say, if there's a label on it saying it's a strad, it probably isn't!

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Jan 25 2005, 09:59 PM)

QUOTE (DGA @ Jan 23 2005, 06:47 AM) I've saw a lot of string instruments with untruthful brand names, like a violin factory named its products Stadivarius. I think it's fair to say, if there's a label on it saying it's a strad, it probably isn't!

But I heard that original Strad cellos do have a label inside them.

I wouldn't know actually, I've heard not in the past - maybe that was the violins. Let's rephrase it - if you find an instrument lying around forgotten or being sold for cheap, and it says it's a strad, it won't be. I suspect that any actual strads that bear the label strad also have a whole heap of other proofs of provenance, and whether they were have a label or not really wouldn't make a whole lot of difference!

QUOTE

I wouldn't know actually, I've heard not in the past - maybe that was the violins.

Speaking as someone who has come into personal contact with several REAL strads, they have all had labels. Including the cellos. Stradivari made very few violas, but those still left in existance also have labels. I will hasten to add that I have never owned a Strad and unless I won several million on the lottery, I'm never likely to

QUOTE

if you find an instrument lying around forgotten or being sold for cheap, and it says it's a strad, it won't be. I suspect that any actual strads that bear the label strad also have a whole heap of other proofs of provenance, and whether they were have a label or not really wouldn't make a whole lot of difference!

Precisely!! The majority of real Strads have been owned by and sold on to many famous violinists throughout the centuries. They come with a provenance that cannot be refuted. A lot of them also have adopted names - after their famous owners, eg. Kreutzer, Milanollo, General Kidd, etc.

Thousands and thousands of Strad copies - of varying quality - were churned out from German factories during the 19th and early 20th century. You can spot them a mile off and I have at least three students who own this sort of violin. All of them have a cheap, printed, Strad label inside with a handwritten fake date - usually around 1717, or similar.

For anyone who wants to see what a REAL Strad looks like, but never had the chance..............if you live in, near, or within easy travelling distance of London, the Royal Academy of Music have a vast collection of stringed instruments and that includes some Strads. They are on display in all-glass cases - bullet and sledgehammer proof!! (can't think why that might be ) All of the instruments are played regularly, either by students of the Academy or while on loan to eminent artists, so what is displayed is subject to change without much notice.

The York Gate Collections is situated at the RAM in the Marylebone Road, about 200 metres east of Baker Street Tube Station. The collection is open to public viewing on weekday afternoons 12.30 to 6 pm and at the weekends 12.30 to 5 pm. Entry is FREE!!!

Sounds like it's worth a visit. I went to the exhibition at the Philharmonie in Berlin but I was followed about by a severe-looking bloke all the time I was in there. Not very relaxing. Not that educational either, since my German's pretty poor It'd be nice to see an old viol in the flesh, even if I can't play it.

QUOTE

It'd be nice to see an old viol in the flesh, even if I can't play it.

There's a rare 5 string cello there. Still in it's original baroque set-up.

The collection also includes keyboard instruments from early 19th C, plus original autographed manuscripts and other artefacts from famous musicians, such as a large tuning fork used by Sir Henry Wood.

If I'm not mistaken, the label for Strads are a circle with a Maltese cross in it and the initials "A.S". I got that from a music dictionary.

in which case my original comment that if a cello has a label saying "stradivarious" it probably isn't one is correct... eh?

I'd love to go see lots of Strads... bit far to go though. Glad they get used!

How many Strad cellos are there left?? I guess I have to wait for Yo-Yo Ma to die or sell his cello to get that Davidoff Strad!!! Now more and more people are copying Strads. The copies can be good, too.

I have just got a cello, that is German, and is 120 years old! Now that is a very nice cello! It has a really rich beautiful sound, and is the best cello in the world!
Cellos definitely improve with age!