.....I'm trying to work out whether it's my imagination, or whether cello proportions really are increasing in size.

I'm interested in collating some data and would be grateful if cellists (who play full-sized instruments) could post on here the following information, relating to the cello they play:

Instrument country of origin
Approx age
Factory or handmade
Back length
Playing string length (bridge to nut)

Thanking you all in advance for your help

I don't have my proportions on me.

But it's certainly true that different nationalities of cellos have different proportions in general. German cellos, for instance, tend to be much bigger than, say, French or English cellos. English ladies' cellos are tiny.
Could it be possible that an apparent increase in size was simply created by a new predominance of type of cello on the market?

And, besides, if we're being picky, the old Strads, and some old Italian were HUGE! So anything is a decrease from that...

What makes you think they're increasing?

Don't have a full size cello to measure but this link has a number of instruments for sale giving the measurements you want.

http://www.aitchisoncellos.com/antique.htm

Yes, the Strads are BIG and that's after some of them were cut down in size! Players must have required hands the size of shovels to play them - which is odd, when you consider how comparatively small the Italian people are and how much (physically) smaller people were in general 250 years ago.

Interesting that you mention that an English or French cello will gnerally be smaller than a Germanic instrument. I'd agree with the English cello, just as their violins are smaller, but I've found that French cellos are actually quite big - maybe it depends on when it was made?

It's just interesting to see how many new (particularly student) cellos are often 30"+ back size and 27.5" string length, which is pretty big given the number of small cellists there are around. Of course, I'm aware that smaller instruments (7/8 for example, just as there are with violins) are available, but many a small student is often seen struggling to play something that is clearly too big for them to manage, perhaps because they think buying a smaller instrument is not a good investment when it comes to selling it again.

I may be misremembering... but I think I remember reading in a book about Jackie du Pre that her first Strad, the brown one (pre Davidov) had been made to play as a predominantly bassline instrument (& not thought of as a solo instrument) which gave her problems in the higher reaches of the instrument. I wonder if that would have any bearing in size for some of the early instruments?? If one was playing only basslines and needed them to be LOUD, maybe size was more important than ease of use??

Just a random thought because I remembered that fact about the brown Strad.

I remember thinking when I have seen vids of Yo Yo Ma playing the Davidov that it doesn't look particularly enormous, but then it's different if you get your hands on them isn't it?

Many old instruments originally made with a long string length may have had the neck etc modified to shorten them. This is considered quite acceptable as it is only really the sound box which is considered sacrosanct. Back length should be the original.

I've known some people have a 'temporary' shortening of the string length, by having a luthier fit a longer nut. That way you shorten the playing length without cutting bits off the neck.

One of the down sides of having a longer nut, is that it pushes all the positions further down the strings. If it's only a quarter of an inch, it's not too bad, but any more than that and things start to really get out of place.

Fourth position is a cornerstone on the cello (with the thumb tucking in at bottom of the neck, making a good reference point). If fourth (position) suddenly moves another half an inch towards the bridge, it makes the entire 'feel' of the instrument very odd indeed, not to mention the extra stretch it adds to the hand in that position, especially when crossing to the G or even C string.

On the subject of altering the back length, indeed many very large cellos and violas of the golden Italian period have been 'cut down' or 'altered' to make them more manageable and useable. The Kux/Castlebarco Stradivari is one such instrument. It started its life as a viol and was 'converted' into a viola by J B Vuillaume. We might see it as sacrilege these days, but demand for the instruments in the 19th century increased and it almost became routine to make these sorts of alterations.

hmm my cello is italian, and is quite small (width-wise). i did notice the other day that one girl in my cello section has a MASSIVE cello! we all have full size cellos, being the senior - thus older and bigger orchestra. however hers really was massive and she was fairly small.

Found a tape measure so here's my son's cello's details.

French
made in 1870 approx
luthier made
LOB 30"
playing string lenght 27 3/4"

Ahhh, so it's not just me after all who's seen small people playing a huge cello.


The string length is enormous! 27 inches is about the going norm for string playing length. Has your son has got big hands or extremely long fingers?

My cello is a J Haide, (Chinese manufacture via US and bought at local luthier's). The label inside gives a manufacturing date of 2003. Back length is 28 7/8 ins., string length is 27 5/8 ins.

I don't think his hands are particulary big but he doesn't have any problems with fingering so it must be ok.

I tried your cello earlier this year and thought it was a very nice instrument

Just one thing though, it made me regret giving up playing