The Singing Man on the Cello

Recently I decided to do something wacky. I thought I’d like to try playing a fractional cello. There are different sizes, and they are made for children of varying ages, although a smaller adult could certainly use one of the larger fractional cellos. Anyone who has a child learning to play a string instrument with the Suzuki method will be familiar with these small instruments. Generally the sizes are 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 7/8, and 4/4 (full size). The fractional sizes can be deceptive to the uninformed. A 1/2 cello is not one half the size of a full sized cello. A full sized cello is around 48”. For each quarter size it drops about 2-3 inches. So, a 1/4 cello is about 38” long, significantly smaller than a 4/4 cello. I have one of those too, a Chinese 5 string cello that I like very much, and of course my grandfather's cello, which is in storage right now because it needs some serious work. I trolled Craig’s list looking for either a 1/8 or 1/4 cello, as well as eBay and Facebook Marketplace. After a few days I found a nice 1/4 cello for a very reasonable price. I brought it home, and really liked the sound. Turns out it is made by Eastman, which makes good student instruments. Then I had a thought--there were lots of 5 string cellos, called a “violoncello piccolo,” and there's an up and coming thing called a “violencello da spalla,” which is about the size of a 1/10 to 1/8 cello and is played in the position of a viola or violin, except it rests against your chest and shoulder, held in place by a shoulder strap. Here's a link to a Wikipedia article on the violoncello piccolo that also has a picture of a violoncello da spalla. https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violoncello_piccolo Such instruments were often found in the Baroque period, and one builder started making them a few years ago. They have a more nasal sound, more like a viola, which is fine for me because I love the sound of a viola. The sound doesn't have the full ring that a full size cello has. It's a more intimate sound, especially when played with a Baroque bow, which has less hair than a modern bow.

Originally I thought I would add a high E string to my small cello but eventually decided against it, thinking I could end up destabilizing the whole thing by doing too much to the neck. So, I decided instead I’d make it into a 4 string baroque cello. There were some smaller cellos used to make a more intimate sound.

I took off the ebony fingerboard, which unfortunately came off in pieces, and made a new Baroque fingerboard from a heavily figured curly maple. The difference between a modern cello (a “Rhomberg” fingerboard) and a Baroque one is that the Rhomberg fingerboard slopes downward more on the high side, whereas a Baroque fingerboard has a uniform arch. The same is true for the bridge, the profile of which has to mimic the end of the fingerboard so that the strings will be suspended properly over the fingerboard.

I also made a new tailpiece to match the new fingerboard. Then, for both pieces I woodburned a geometric design common for the baroque period.

Next, I decided to replace the standard scroll with a carved grotesque head, a very common feature on Renaissance and Baroque string instruments. I decided  to carve a small copy of a wood carving that my father brought home from France after World War II. It is a carving of a man wearing a hat and a mustache, and his mouth is wide open as if he is singing.



The last little detail was a rosette. I had to have a rosette, another common feature on viols and other string instruments during the Renaissance and Baroque eras. I bought a 1.5" maple rosette from a vendor on Amazon, and it is very nice. It's laser cut so the detail is exquisite. I will buy another one from them if the occasion arises. This involved using a 1.5 " hole saw to cut the hole. I measured carefully and it came out well.

While I was at it, I thought since the other details were in maple, I would turn new tuning pegs from maple. They came out well. I replaced the end pin with a maple button that I turned, since Baroque cellos do not have an end pin. The end pin comes out of the bottom of the instrument and is essential for modern playing because it holds the cello in a stable position. For Baroque playing the cello is held between the knees and calves.

Carving the head was the better part of a day, and using a power cutter made the process shorter. I then put a bit of scroll detail on the pegbox with the head, stained the carving, and finished it. It’s all strung and sounds really nice

I then altered the bridge so it would have a curved arch like the end of the fingerboard.


The cello is now restrung and sounds great! I have been experimenting with bows. After some time I have found that a full size cello bow is too much. It seems the best way to get a nice intimate Baroque sound is to use, (drumroll) a Baroque bow. I happen to have one.

 How will I use this? For fun. Maybe I'll get a chance to play with someone else in a Baroque piece.