GMI's hand crafted Cecilio cellos are pretested by the manufacturer before being shipped to our distribution center.  Before being shipped to our customers, each cello is inspected by a skilled technician. Cellos are fragile instruments and can become out of adjustment in the shipping process.  If necessary, a local technician can adjust your cello.

Getting Started

Cello Bridge

The bridge is very important in transmitting the sound of your cello.  It serves as the conduit between the strings and the body of the instrument. Many advance players prefer to have their bridges "customized" by  luthiers in order to draw out an even better tone from their instrument. If you need to do this, please visit your local cello repair shop for information.

The bridge is movable. It is held in place by the tension of the strings over the top edge. Your bridge may not be set.   If it is, proceed to the tuning section.

If your bridge is not set, you will need to set it by following the easy instructions below:

• Loosen strings if necessary. You will need some tension on the strings in order to hold the bridge in place.
• Position the bridge so the higher side is under the low strings (C string side).
• Align the feet of the bridge with the two notches between the "F" holes and lined up with the fingerboard.
• Tilt the bridge up under the strings toward the tailpiece and set at a 90 degree angle.  If you are unable to tilt the bridge up,  the strings are too tight.  Loosen them slowly and just enough so you can hold the bridge in place.
• Align the strings so they are evenly spaced across the bridge.
• Tighten the strings by turning the pegs and pushing in towards the peg box in order to hold the bridge in place.
• If the pegs are slipping, please refer to Pegs section below for easy solutions
• If the bridge begins to tilt forward, very carefully pull it back towards the tailpiece.

Not all players have the same size hands and fingers. Some Cellos come with the bridge set at the wrong height for the player and need to be adjusted.  If this is the case then a professional luthier should adjust the bridge to make the cello easier to play. Cost should be minimal unless the pro wants to do more work on the cello. Tell them to do only what is necessary to allow the cello to be played easily.  An extensive setup to maximize sound quality can be an extra expense.

Sound Post

The sound post is necessary to produce the sound from your new instrument. It serves as the conduit between the bridge, strings, and body and is located in the inside of the body, visible through the "F" holes. The sound post on your instrument has been set by our skilled technicians,  who use special tools to place it in the correct position prior to shipping. It is not in a fixed position, but is held in place by being custom fit to match the curvature of your cello.   During shipping it is possible for the sound post to become dislodged.  If this happens, please see a local luthier or repair technician.  Harm can be done to your cello if the sound post is set improperly, which would not be covered by the manufacturer's warranty.

Tuning

Once the bridge is set your cello is ready to be tuned.

If you are new to the cello, we suggest you have your instructor assist you with tuning. The strings are delicate and if tightened too tight can snap and cause damage to your new instrument.

As you are tightening the strings to the correct pitch, pull the top of the bridge back toward the tailpiece, to prevent it from leaning toward the fingerboard as you tighten the strings.  If it leans too far, it will SLAM down and could result in damage to your instrument.

• The cello notes are C-G-D-A from low to high.
• Use a pitch pipe or an electronic tuner for reference.
• Start by tuning the C string first. The C string is the first string from the left as you are facing the cello.
• If you are using a pitch pipe, blow into it to produce a C note.
• Pluck the string and adjust the tension with the peg to get relatively close to the pitch. You will need to push the pegs in toward the peg box.
• Continue to pluck or draw the bow across the string, all the while listening to the C pitch or blowing into the pitch pipe in order to get the pitches to match, or pluck and play until your tuner shows that you are close to pitch.
• Once you are close you can use the fine tuner, located on the tailpiece to get an exact match of pitches.
• Repeat the steps above to tune the remaining strings in the following order: G, D and A.

Tips

• Adjust the pegs to make larger adjustments and the fine tuners to make smaller adjustments
• Tighten the tuning pegs by turning the G clockwise.  Push the pegs in towards the peg box in order to lock the strings in place.
• Depending on the weather (temperature and humidity level), as well as the amount and type of playing, you may need to retune the instrument frequently (for example, every 15 minutes to half an hour).  In ideal conditions, this will not be necessary, but do check periodically to see that your cello is still in tune.
• Strings take some time to break in.  New strings tend to lose their tension faster than older strings.  When you get your new strings to pitch you may want to slightly pull on them to help them stretched out and settled in. After pulling on the string you will need to re-tune it.
• It is easier to arrive at the desired pitch from below the note. If the string pitch is sharp (high) loosen the string slightly until the pitch is flat (low). Slightly tighten the peg until you arrive at the correct pitch.
• It will take some practice before you can quickly tune a string, but in time, you will master the slight adjustments needed instinctively and be able to tune the instrument without thinking it through step by step.

Pegs

If the pegs are slipping, you can do the following:

• Be sure to push the pegs in as you tune the strings to pitch. This ensures that the pegs hold tighter as the tension of the string increases.
• Use peg compound to help lock the pegs in place. You can also apply chalk onto the pegs where it is inserted into the peg box.
• New strings will require some stretching before they will hold pitch. Try pulling the strings slightly upward after tuning to pitch. This can take some of the slack out of the strings and accelerate the process.

Bow

The bow must be tightened and rosined in order to produce a sound with it. To prepare your bow follow the steps below:

• Use the screw to tighten the frog so the hair is taut.
• Be careful not to over tighten your bow. The hair of the bow should have a slight bounce to it without touching the stick after placing it on the strings. Usually about 1/4 of an inch distance from the low point of the curve to the hair is ideal. For some it is more and some it is less depending on how the player plays.
• To prepare a new rosin cake, use a small pocketknife and cut three or four parallel lines in the rosin so that there will be some texture to the cake or roughen the surface with sandpaper.
• Slowly draw the hair over the rosin cake from the frog to the tip of the bow.  Be careful not to draw the bow too quickly, which will cause some friction.
• On a new bow, you may have to repeat this process in 5-10 minutes.  Test the bow to determine if the rosin is adhering to the hair.
• If it is adhering to the hair, you'll start to hear a clear pitch emitted as the bow is drawn over the strings.
• Try placing the bow on your strings and play a few open notes.
• If there is no tone or volume emitting from the strings the bow is not grabbing the strings enough to generate a tone.  Try applying more rosin.
• Repeat this process until the bow no longer slides on the strings, and you're getting a clear tone.

Tips

Listen for a nice clear tone as the bow draws on the strings. If there's a whispering tone or no tone at all, add more rosin. If there's a clear tone, you have the optimal level of rosin on the bow. If there's a scratchy tone, stop applying rosin and start playing.

A scratchy tone may mean you have applied too much rosin.  If so, simply play until the rosin slowly wears off.

When your practice session is over loosen the screw so that the hair is no longer taut and return your bow to its case. This will help prolong the life of your bow.

Never touch the horsehair on your bow. The oils from your skin will damage the hair and take away its ability to grab the strings.

End Pin

Use the end pin to adjust the height of your cello while sitting on an armless chair with your feet flat on the floor. By raising or lowering the end pin to adjust the height so the bottom tuning peg is level with your ear.

Maintenance

Always keep your instrument and bow in its case with the lid closed when not in use.  Be sure that you securely lock the bow in place and remove the shoulder rest or pad before closing the case.  Accidents could leave your instrument seriously damaged.

Peg Tips

You should apply peg drops every couple of months.

Over time, all pegs and the peg box become worn. When this happens, it is time to bring the instrument to a professional repair person for refitting.

Body

Never use furniture polish or alcohol to clean your instrument

After playing your cello always clean it using the lint-free cloth inside your case.  Wipe off all the rosin dust and dirt from your instrument after each time you play. Pay particular attention to the fingerboard and the top of the instrument. If rosin dust accumulates and is not wiped off, it will fuse with the varnish, and become impossible to remove without damage.

Note:  Be careful not to knock the bridge out of place while cleaning.

The Bow

The bow should not be used on anything or for anything other than the strings of a stringed instrument.

Never touch the horsehair on your bow. The oils from your skin will damage the hair and take away its ability to grab the strings.

Rosin the bow regularly. Students should rosin the bow once a week. Too much rosin will produce a harsh tone and cause an excessive build-up of white rosin powder on the instrument.

After a practice session loosen the screw so that the hair is no longer taut and return your bow to its case. This will help prolong the life of your bow.  Loosen the hair completely then bring it back with just a single turn of the screw.  Keep the hair even but allow the bow to relax.

Bows must be periodically re-haired by a professional repair technicians. Re-hairing is done when too many of the hairs are broken, or the hair is dirty, or has lost its friction. Sometimes changing the whole bow can be easier and less expensive than re-hairing the old bow, especially with small fractional sized bows.

If the bow loses its correct camber, it should be re-cambered by a professional repair technician.

The bow stick should be wiped clean with a soft, lint-free, non-abrasive cloth after every use.  No oils or chemicals of any kind, should be used. There are special untreated cloths marketed for the cleaning of instruments and bows; there are also many types of cleansers and polishes for stringed instruments that can be used on bows. If the bow is wiped properly after every use, cleansers and polishes are unnecessary. (If you feel the need to polish your bow stick, first use a drop on a small area of the stick to make sure it won't damage or discolor your finish.)  Never use any kind of commercial cleanser on a bow (or stringed instrument). .

The grip or winding of the bow must occasionally be replaced to maintain a good grip and protect the wood.

Strings

Always clean your cello strings after playing. Keep a lint-free cloth inside your case and wipe off all
the rosin dust and dirt from your strings after each time you play. This will make a striking difference
to the sound.

Strings will slowly deteriorate. Usually, within six months they start to lose much of their tone quality and begin to sound dull and dead. This occurs even if the cello is not being played.

Old strings are lifeless and dull sounding. They should be replaced with new strings. The finest instrument will not sound good with poor strings. The strings should be replaced one at a time.

When you need to change an entire set of strings, do not remove all of the old strings at one time. This will cause you to lose the correct bridge placement and the lack of tension can cause the sound post to fall over.

To change your strings follow the steps below:

• Adjust the fine tuner so that it is in the middle of its range.
• Insert the ball end of the string around the hooks of fine tuner and lightly pull
• Insert the other end of the string through the hole in the peg and wind it by turning the peg clockwise. Align the string on the bridge by running it through the groove that was made from the old string.
• Wind the string evenly from the center of the peg to just before the edge of the peg box.
• Tighten the string until you get close to the desired pitch.
• Use the fine tuner to lock the string into pitch
• Check the bridge's adjustment, guarding against the edge being pulled toward the fingerboard excessively while bring the new strings up to pitch gradually.

Things to keep in mind

• New strings may break after installation. If this happens be sure to take note of where the string broke. This can be caused by a variety of reasons:
  • A cello can develop a rough spot at the peg, the nut, or the fine tuner if the winding of the string is too close to the wall of the peg box.
  • It may be under too much tension and stress, causing it to snap.
• If you are suffering from either slipping or tight pegs please see above for details of how to remedy the problem.
• Remember after you have put them on, strings will slowly deteriorate. Usually, within six months they start to lose much of their tone quality and begin to sound dull or dead. This occurs even if the cello is not being played.  Even unused strings iIn their packages lose their quality after awhile.
• Often, trying different strings can make a significant contribution to improving the sound of your cello.

Your cello is a fragile instrument and requires service on a regular basis. We recommend that you visit a luthier at least twice a year to have your instrument checked. An inexpensive, early repair can save you the expense of a major repair or overhaul.

Cecilio Musical Instruments Warranty Information

The terms and conditions listed here will govern all warranty claims for Cecilio Musical Instruments products.

These terms and conditions cover all instruments manufactured and distributed by Cecilio Musical Instruments. There is no additional warranty, express or implied.

Cecilio Musical Instruments warrants its instruments to be free of defect in material and construction for 1-year from the date of purchase. Warranty excludes accessories and cases. Please see below for limitations and restrictions to this warranty. Cecilio Musical Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace any item found to have been defective in materials or manufacture under the terms stated here. Cecilio Musical Instruments shall be the sole arbiter of eligibility for warranty repair or replacement. Cecilio Musical Instruments liability is limited to repair or replacement of defective items.

To be eligible for warranty coverage, the original purchaser of the item must return the defective item, with the original receipt of purchase, to Great Musical Instruments.  Great Musical Instruments will then make arrangements with Cecilio Musical Instruments for repair or replacement of the defective item.

Cecilio Musical Instruments reserves the right to make changes to this warranty. The policies in place at the time of purchase will be honored.

Restrictions:

• 1-year warranty applies only to original purchaser of instrument
• Warranty does not cover strings, reeds, cases or other free accessories
• Damage caused by neglect or misuse of instrument is not covered
• Delicate instruments are affected by climatic conditions. Exposure to excessive heat, cold, dryness, or moisture is considered neglect
• Instrument adjustment is not covered by this warranty
• Normal wear caused by normal use of items is not covered by this warranty
• Natural products, such as wood, cannot be guaranteed against cracking, seam separation, warping of fingerboard or chipping.