2009 Artisan Model 200 4/4 Fretted Cello Conversion

My friend Steve was lucky-enough to procure this instrument at a reasonable rate and so he had us fret it and do it all up for him like a cello-gamba-viol-fancypants gizmo. Do I love it? Yes I love it. It's stupidly-fun to play.

It started-out as a "husk" -- a Gemeinhardt-produced Artisan Model 200 4/4 cello of the mid-grade student variety -- maybe $2200-2500 when new? It's got a carved top and pretty, flamed maple throughout the rest. It had its pegs and ebony fingerboard but all of its "running gear" was missing. He'd talked about bass-style tuners for ease-of use (yes, please!) and so I promptly ordered a set of Hipshot tuners, a carbon-fiber endpin/post, kevlar tailgut, replacement bridge, nice ridged ebony cello tailpiece, and a set of Thomastik strings.

Ancel installed the frets after I showed him the (terrifying, frustrating, time-consuming) way to do it. They turned-out beautiful and follow the Romberg bevel under the low C string perfectly. We just went up to the octave position to allow slides past it. I don't think Steve is going to be doing crazy athletics up there, anyhow, as this will get most of its use in a studio. Also, did you see our use of a zero fret for the nut? That keeps the sound consistent from open to fretted and is hugely important on a weirdo instrument like this.

Andy installed the tuners, fit the bridge (as best as it can be), fit the soundpost, installed the rest of the "running gear," and set it up. It sounds gorgeous and that's a testament to his focus on violin family instruments around the workshop that it does. It's got a full, warm, out-front sound that will only get better as the fresh strings settle-in.

Weight: 6 lbs 15 oz (super light with that CF rod in there)

Scale length: 26 5/8"

Nut width: 1 5/16"

Body length: 28 3/4"

Body width: 17 1/4"

Body depth: 5" + arching

Top wood: solid spruce

Back & sides wood: solid flamed maple

Bridge: maple

Fingerboard: ebony

Neck wood: flamed maple

String height: classical
Strings: Thomastik Alphayue

Neck shape: medium C

Neck relief: straight