Electric cello
- Thread starter beezelbubba
- Start date
CrowsofFritz
Flamingo!
I, too, would like to know.
beezelbubba
Shitty Buddhist
Sounds ok. It's a $5 homemade radioshack piezo.
Mr. C
New member
Hey beezelbubba that's a really nice cello there. My wife glanced over and asked what it was, when I told her a cello she said "That's awesome." My daughter played cello for a year but never took real interest, now she plays the baritone and although my wife and I miss the cello, she's much better on the horn.
rayc
retroreprobate
With something that looks so good why not get a decent pickup and make the best of it?
I use a specially made cello pick up that sounds pretty good AND wasn't expensive at all.Can you install fine tuners before the string through or after? The difference they make to tuning is incredible.
I use a specially made cello pick up that sounds pretty good AND wasn't expensive at all.Can you install fine tuners before the string through or after? The difference they make to tuning is incredible.
muttley600
Banned
It has geared tuners at the head so no need for fine tuners.
beezelbubba
Shitty Buddhist
Let me turn that question around on you. Have you ever tried one of these home made piezos?Quite effective.
I've never used a "decent" pickup, if what you're referring to is a pro piezo. I couldn't afford on at the moment, anyway, and would need to try one out before I could ever commit to buy.I'd love to see what the difference is, though.My guess would be a quality preamp.
Yeah, I'm done with the friction peg thing. I like the guitar tuners, and I also don't want a tail piece, at all. I like the string through the body thing.
ashcat_lt
Well-known member
A "decent preamp" is pretty easy (and cheap) to DIY also, but if you're satisfied with the sound as is, then you don't need it.
All of the "special cello pickups" of which I'm aware are designed to stick on an actual acoustic cello and get some of the body tone. Can't see that doing much good (on its own, anyway) on this solid-bodied axe.
Me, I'd want hot humbucking pairs of magnetic coils. That's a slightly more complicated DIY project, but not really too bad.
Did you make the neck and fretboard yourself? Is it neck-through or set? Any pics of the process?
All of the "special cello pickups" of which I'm aware are designed to stick on an actual acoustic cello and get some of the body tone. Can't see that doing much good (on its own, anyway) on this solid-bodied axe.
Me, I'd want hot humbucking pairs of magnetic coils. That's a slightly more complicated DIY project, but not really too bad.
Did you make the neck and fretboard yourself? Is it neck-through or set? Any pics of the process?
beezelbubba
Shitty Buddhist
The neck and body are one solid piece (mahogany) and the fingerboard(birdseye maple) is glued onto it.
rayc
retroreprobate
Is the fingerboard flat or rounded? I only ask because I can't tell from the snap.
I assumed homemade referred to less than stellar - sorry.
My pup does take some tone from the body but it was designed for the bridge so body tone is on the minimal side.
My cello sounds really, really wild through an old Yamaha FX500 Soft Focus effect. It's a setting popular with Shoegazer guitar wannabees but makes the cello sound really spooky.
I assumed homemade referred to less than stellar - sorry.
My pup does take some tone from the body but it was designed for the bridge so body tone is on the minimal side.
My cello sounds really, really wild through an old Yamaha FX500 Soft Focus effect. It's a setting popular with Shoegazer guitar wannabees but makes the cello sound really spooky.
muttley600
Banned
A cello has to have a "rounded" or radiused fingerboard or bridge to facilitate bowing of single notes.
beezelbubba
Shitty Buddhist
This is by far the most difficult part for me.I really have no idea what I'm doing.I get it to work, but I lack the tools, technique and know how to really get it right.I'm learning, through trial and error, but I really need to do some real learning. Unfortunately, I'm dumber than shit!
No offense taken. Believe me, they're far less than stellar.They're cheap, and they work.Sometime if I have some extra cash, I'd like to try something a bit more pro.As it is, if you get some nice delay and reverb on it, and EQ it right, it sounds OK.
beezelbubba
Shitty Buddhist
Here's my latest build. More of a full sized cello/upright bass.Neck.body are a fabulous piece of Makore, fingerboard is birdseye maple. Got it roughed out with strings and tuning keys. Fingerboard has a ways to go before she's playable.Really excited about this one.Thinking about maybe putting a Pbass pickup in this one.
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beezelbubba
Shitty Buddhist
I'm building my own magnetic pickup for this. Building the bobbin now. There seems to be no end to my incompetent audacity!
I'm building my own magnetic pickup for this. Building the bobbin now. There seems to be no end to my incompetent audacity!
So what sort of strings are you using that will work with a magnetic pickup?
Dave.