Karen in CO Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 My dd is in her second year of cello and loves it. We own a 3/4 cello that sounds wonderful that we bought used. She's quickly outgrowing it and will be ready for a full sized instrument before the end of the year. Our instructor has warned us about the dangers of buying used full-sized instruments because they tend to be very, very used and not necessarily worth their price. Our current cello sounds much better than the rental we previously had because of the quality of instrument. My dd has a passion for cello and practices about an hour a day plus daily classes and weekly private lessons. I'm pretty sure she'll stick with it, but I don't have a thousands of dollars to spend on an instrument at least for now. I was really hoping we'd get another year out of this one, but she insists on trying to be taller than me before she's 12. That was a long description. Have you bought a full-size instrument for a middle-school child before? Would you buy new? Would you rent? Would you invest the time to find a quality used instrument? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 No advice, but please send some of her love to my dd! Dd has played the violin since was just about 7, and has the potential to be amazing. She puts 0 effort in. I have got to find a way to get her together with other kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 My dd is in her second year of cello and loves it. We own a 3/4 cello that sounds wonderful that we bought used. She's quickly outgrowing it and will be ready for a full sized instrument before the end of the year. Our instructor has warned us about the dangers of buying used full-sized instruments because they tend to be very, very used and not necessarily worth their price. Our current cello sounds much better than the rental we previously had because of the quality of instrument. My dd has a passion for cello and practices about an hour a day plus daily classes and weekly private lessons. I'm pretty sure she'll stick with it, but I don't have a thousands of dollars to spend on an instrument at least for now. I was really hoping we'd get another year out of this one, but she insists on trying to be taller than me before she's 12. That was a long description. Have you bought a full-size instrument for a middle-school child before? Would you buy new? Would you rent? Would you invest the time to find a quality used instrument? We recently bought a full size violin for ds. It was stressful for me! :lol: I'm sure cello shopping is even more $$$$. His teacher did come with us to try out different instruments. I don't expect to have to buy a better one, so if he plays through high school the cost/years playing will be good. I wouldn't rush into it...maybe rent a full size and get better strings while you look around for a great cello at a price you can afford. I know the better strings aren't cheap either. :tongue_smilie: Good luck, and glad she's enjoying it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 We recently bought a full size violin for ds. It was stressful for me! :lol: I'm sure cello shopping is even more $$$$. His teacher did come with us to try out different instruments. I don't expect to have to buy a better one, so if he plays through high school the cost/years playing will be good. I wouldn't rush into it...maybe rent a full size and get better strings while you look around for a great cello at a price you can afford. I know the better strings aren't cheap either. :tongue_smilie:Good luck, and glad she's enjoying it! I hadn't considered better strings on a rental... That could buy me some time to look. Hmmm. Our 3/4 cello came with very, very good strings which is probably one of the reasons it sounds so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 I bought my dd used instruments. she has very long arms, so she was into a full size instrument. My neice (professional violist) did buy her teachers used viola in high school. I asked tips from neice and nephew (both professional string musicians) for advice on picking up an instrument for dd, and neither had a problem with used. but they did stress trying it out first. don't buy one sight unseen, try it out - you should be able to tell quickly by how it sounds. when I sold my dd's old instrument, there was a mother with her middle school school son who tried it out. but they didn't like it. I found it amusing later when a college music major who played violin and needed a viola came and tried it. Played it for about two minutes, was thrilled and bought it. seems like shar also has used instruments. if you have a string place near you, I'd try there. (not the places that do nothing but school instrument rentals and have tons of different instruments.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 I have a text in to oldest dd asking about good string shops in Denver. She might stumble across a possibility or two. Thank you - that would be awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara H Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 I agree with the suggestion of good strings. It makes a world of difference. Also, I would encourage you not to feel too rushed in your decision. It is really about hand size more than body size. We extended the time on the 3/4 size for a while because we needed to and it wasn't a disaster to wait a bit longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 My dd is very serious about her violin so I when the time comes for a full size, I will purchase a very good instrument through a luthier...it will most likely be a very good, used instrument. The luthier we deal with has a policy where he allows the full price of the instrument we now own (minus new strings and a bow rehair) to go toward the new instrument. As dd has grown, we have gotten her better and better quality instruments so we have quite a bit of money in her current instrument (3/4 size) and will have that to go toward her full size which will most likely be at least twice as much as her current instrument so I am not looking forward to that at all. There are quite a few levels of playing so I would take into consideration how serious your dd is before deciding. If she is very talented and serious, there may be groups or scholarship opportunities that could be applied toward a new instrument. My dd has at two different times gotten small grants from area groups toward the purchase of a new instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 We have an appointment with a local luthier about some maintenance on our current 3/4 because we are planning to donate it to our school when we get the larger one. She sells antique string instruments, but I'm afraid we might fall in love with something worth more than my truck or house. This will only be our second cello since we started when dd was 10. I think it is time we started developing a relationship with a luthier. Our younger dd insists she will play bass when she starts the orchestra program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 In the case of the violin, the shop we use has a wonderful system: if you purchase any instrument, they will buy it back for what you paid for it and apply that cost to the next one you purchase from them. We did not buy until ds was in a 3\4 size, and then traded up. They don't sell the very cheapest student instruments. I learned the hard way not to rent from Music and Arts. I paid off a violin that I spent $600 on (through rent-to-own) and they don't buy it back. I learned that it was such junk that I couldn't get $100 for it on the open market. So be careful. Our full size cello was bought when a neighbor, who was moving, offered it for sale. My son's teacher checked it out and said it was nearly unused (owners confirmed this) and was a decent quality instrument. We paid $900 for a cello, bow, and case that together are worth about three times that. It is really unfortunate that simply because of their size, cellos are far more expensive that violins! Same goes for replacement strings! Argh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 I agree its the arm length rather than the height. The strings and bow did make a difference in sound for my kids student violins. And brass instruments are probably the cheapest in maintenance cost for orchestral instruments. It is really unfortunate that simply because of their size, cellos are far more expensive that violins! Same goes for replacement strings! Argh! It is also demand and supply. Here plenty of parents rent or buy violins as schools teach that in music from 3rd grade as an option. My tall seven year old has been asking for a cello for years but we could not find a half-size one at all the shops we been to. He has sensory issues with supporting the violin eventhough he likes the instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 We have an appointment with a local luthier about some maintenance on our current 3/4 because we are planning to donate it to our school when we get the larger one. She sells antique string instruments, but I'm afraid we might fall in love with something worth more than my truck or house. Possible. My husband plays viola. I thought for a time I might surprise him with a better viola for a Christmas present one day... Then I learned that decent ones cost 5 figures. yikes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy loves Bud Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 We are in the process of buying a bass. We are purchasing a 3/4. I thought we would wait longer, but Luke's teacher is pretty adamant that he needs a major jump in quality from what is available as a rental. We are told that the one we are looking at should work well for him through high school, but if he pursues bass studies after high school, he will probably need another jump in quality. $$$$$ The string shop that we rent from takes instruments as trades on new instruments. They are assessed by a luthier, and I would have no issue purchasing a used instrument that they and Luke's teacher recommend, because I have developed a great deal of trust for this business over the last few years. I know we are in Dallas, but you might contact them to see what they have available in cellos. The business is Dallas Strings located in Allen, TX. Ron Gilbert is the owner and I trust him completely. He is overly generous with the orchestra community around here. Good luck! It's a stressful purchase to make! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 We have an appointment with a local luthier about some maintenance on our current 3/4 because we are planning to donate it to our school when we get the larger one. She sells antique string instruments, but I'm afraid we might fall in love with something worth more than my truck or house. This will only be our second cello since we started when dd was 10. I think it is time we started developing a relationship with a luthier. Our younger dd insists she will play bass when she starts the orchestra program. Oh, lord, a bass? Ds's bass strings, rosin, lessons, bows, fingerboard maintenance, and bow rehairs are going to put us in the poorhouse :ack2:. Start saving now. :D (However, we have learned the benefit of having a solid relationship with a good luthier!) Your dd is still young, and I don't think you need to go looking for that "forever" cello yet. When you go to the shop, have a ballpark range in mind of what you are willing to spend and ask to try out a few there. Besides having good quality strings, a good bow can also make a huge difference. Shops will often have decent "advanced student" instruments that others have traded in for the professional models. Many shops will allow you to rent for a while and apply rental money toward the purchase of that or another instrument, so keep that in mind. See if the shop will let you take home a couple cellos and bows to try out for a week or two. That way her teacher can try them out and give advice as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hana Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Spend some time shopping around, and be patient. My daughter (same age as yours) just moved into full-size. We bought from the man we had been renting from, but we waited until he had a really nice used one in stock--he was keeping an eye out for one for us. It's lovely, with a rich, deep tone, and far better quality than we could have bought new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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