Cello

:Alternate meaning: Cello (web browser)

Construction

The cello is a complex instrument consisting of many different parts. Though the majority of it is composed of wood, some parts are made of steel, rubber, and metal.

Related Topics:
Wood - Steel - Rubber - Metal

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Main frame

The main frame of the cello is made from wood. Cellos are normally constructed with a spruce top. The back, sides, and neck are usually made of maple. Other wood types are used. The top and back are traditionally hand carved. Less expensive cellos frequently have a top and back made of a laminate. The sides are made by steaming the wood and bending it around forms. The cello body has a wide top, narrow middle, and wide bottom, the bridge and f-holes in the middle.

Related Topics:
Spruce - Maple - Laminate - F-hole

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Upper neck and pegbox

Above the main frame is the carved neck, which leads to a pegbox and then a scroll. The three are normally carved out of a single piece of wood. The pegbox consists of four tuning pegs, each which tunes its respective string by either tightening or loosening the string. Ebony is usually used for the tuning pegs, fingerboard, nut (piece above the fingerboard which the strings rest on), and tailpiece, but other dark woods, such as boxwood or rosewood, can be used.

Related Topics:
Ebony - Boxwood - Rosewood

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Tailpiece and endpin

The tailpiece and endpin are designed to support the cello when the cello is being played. The endpin, usually metal, is retractable and is placed at a comformtable distance. The side of the endpin touching the floor is usually either a spiked tip or rubber; both serve to grip the floor and prevent the cello from moving or slipping.

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Bridge and f-holes

The bridge elevates the strings above the fingerboard. The bridge is not glued on; tension from the strings maintains it in place. The f-holes (named for their shape) are located on either side of the bridge, and serve to allow the instrument to properly sound (produce sound). Additionally, f-holes are used as the entryplace for the interior in case of repair or regular maintenance. Examples include a device known as a snake which maintained proper humidity within the instrument.

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Internal features

Internally, the cello has two important features: a bass bar, which is glued to the underside of the bottom of the instrument, and a round wooden sound peg (also called a sound post), which is sandwiched between the top and bottom. The bass bar serves to support the backbone of the cello, and contributes to the cello's rigidity. The soundpost, meanwhile, is responsible for conducting and absorbing sound. Like the bridge, the sound peg is not glued, but is kept in place by the tensions of the bridge and strings.

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Bow

Traditionally, bows are made from Pernambuco (high quality) or Brasil (lower quality) wood. Both woods come from the same species of tree (Caesalpina sappna L, or sappon wood, native in Asia), but Pernambuco is the heartwood of the tree and is much darker (Brasil wood is stained/painted dark to compensate). Pernambuco is a heavy, resinous wood with great elasticity and high sound velocity which makes it an ideal wood for instrument bows. The hair is horsehair, though synthetic hair has become available nowadays. In addition, the bow can now also be made of fiberglass or carbon fibre (or wood with a carbon fibre core), serving as alternatives to the traditional wooden bow. The hair is coated with rosin (normally every time the instrument is played) to improve the grip on the strings. Bows need to be re-haired periodically as the hair loses its grip over time. The hair is kept under tension while playing by a screw which pulls the frog (the part of the bow one holds) back. Leaving the bow tightened for long periods of time can damage it, by warping the stick.

Related Topics:
Bows - Brasil - Rosin

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Glue and synthetic material

Cellos are glued together using hide glue, which is strong yet also reversible, allowing for repair and restoration of the instrument should it need to be taken apart. Also, it should be noted that modern-day cellos can also be constructed from carbon fibre.

Related Topics:
Hide glue - Carbon fibre

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