What size cello does my child need?
Cellos run from 1/8 up to full size, sized by height, arm reach, and torso length together, and the honest answer is that no chart can do it: bring your child to their teacher, or to a shop with a…
Cello
Cello questions, answered by our string team — and overseen by our founder, a concert cellist. Sizing runs from 1/8 up to full, set by height and arm length. The questions we hear most concern the bridge, which is held up by string tension rather than glue, and winter, which dries the air and opens seams. Both are quick fixes caught early and expensive ones left alone.
Does winter really damage instruments?
Yes. Dry winter heat shrinks the wood, which means slipping pegs, constant tuning drift, open seams, and in the worst cases a cracked top. The fix is cheap: a humidifier in the room where your child practices from December through…
What is a luthier, and why does it matter for a rental?
A lot of people just call us the violin doctor, and that is exactly what a luthier is: someone trained to build, repair, and care for string instruments. The word is reserved for strings. You would not call a piano…
The bridge fell off my child’s violin. What do I do?
Loosen the strings slightly, lay the instrument in its case, and bring it in. Don’t stand the bridge back up yourself, and don’t let anyone else improvise it: resetting is quick, routine work at our counter, and a fallen bridge…