By Robin Aitchison and Sarah Mnatzaganian

7 C A M B R I D G E R O A D · E L Y · C A M B S · C B 7 4 H J

T E L : 0 1 3 5 3 6 6 8 5 5 9 · E M A I L : info@aitchisoncellos.com

www.aitchisoncellos.com

7 C A M B R I D G E R O A D · E L Y · C A M B S · C B 7 4 H J

T E L : 0 1 3 5 3 6 6 8 5 5 9 · E M A I L : info@aitchisoncellos.com

www.aitchisoncellos.com

AITCHISON & MNATZAGANIAN ARE DEDICATED CELLO

SPECIALISTS. Based in Ely, Cambridgeshire, we provide cellists

with a unique and comprehensive service, focusing our expertise

on every aspect of cello care:

SOUND ADJUSTMENT. Luthier Robin Aitchison is well knownfor his exceptional gift for set up and sound adjustment.

STRING TRIALS. We offer a unique string trial service whichgives players an opportunity to test a wide range of cello strings.We fit the strings and advise the cellist throughout the trial. Stringtrials also include a full check up of each cello’s set up. The cost is£25 (free to students).

STOCK OF FINE CELLOS. We offer fine cellos for sale whichhave been fully restored and professionally set up in ourworkshop. We also provide a "cello exchange" service to helpplayers find new homes for their instruments at a modest 10%commission. Robin Aitchison accepts commissions for newinstruments, which are closely studied copies of fine originals bymakers including G.B Guadagnini and Antonio Stradivarius.

TAKE A BOW. We hold a biennial exhibition of contemporarycello bows by international master bowmakers. Take a Bow 2005runs from 1 October to 14 November 2005.

For further copies of the Cello Care Guide or to join our mailinglist, email: sarah@aitchisoncellos.com or telephone 01353 668559.

CELLO SET UPA tailor-made set up will take intoaccount your playing style andphysical strength and can dramaticallyimprove both your playing comfortand the response of your cello.

The set up of a cello encompasses allthe parts of the instrument which canbe adapted to suit a player’s specificneeds and includes the pegs, strings,nut, fingerboard, neck, bridge,tailpiece, endpin, bass bar and bowhair. If the cello has a reasonablebridge and sound post, the startingpoint for set up work is to focus on thebow and strings. Experimenting withstrings or re-hairing a bow canrevolutionise a cello’s sound, as canre-gluing seams.

The second level ofenquiry is to improvethe tone andresponse of the celloby fitting a carefullydesigned bridge andsound post. A goodluthier will considerboth the playingstyle of the cellistand the character of thecello when designing abridge. The sound posthas such a profoundinfluence on tone andresponse that in Italian it

is known as ‘anima’ or soul of theinstrument. A luthier will ‘tune’ thebody of a cello with the sound post ascarefully as a player tunes the strings.More extensive work is needed for thedeepest level of set up which includeswork such as re-setting the neck tocorrect problems of elevation andalignment and fitting a new bass barwhich controls the stiffness andmovement of the front.

"A tailor-made set up can dramatically improveyour playing comfort."

THE BRIDGE

The ideal bridge is cut from the finestseasoned maple. It holds your stringsat an optimal height above thefingerboard and allows even bowclearance between each string. Thestrings lie in carefully shaped andlubricated grooves of up to 1/3 or 1/2

of their depth and the A and D stringgrooves are protected by vellums(small pieces of natural parchmentglued to the bridge underneath the topstrings). The bridge feet are cut to fitthe cello front and the bridge standsperfectly upright so that the power ofyour playing is transferred directly intothe body of the instrument.

Check the angle of the bridge on a weeklybasis. Depending on how you tuneyour cello, the bridge will get draggedtowards the pegs or the adjusters as thestrings slide over their grooves. If thebridge does not sit evenly on its feet,there will be an immediate change inthe response of the cello and the bridgemay begin to warp. It can be difficultto spot a slightly leaning bridge so youcould ask your luthier to cut you awooden gauge which fits exactlybetween the end of your fingerboardand the top of your bridge when it isstanding correctly.

Straighten the bridge if necessary. If thestring grooves are well lubricated andshaped to fit your strings, you should

DAY TO DAY CELLO CARE

be able to move the bridge under thefull tension of the strings. If yourstring grooves are lubricated but thebridge will not move, your groovesmay be too narrow or deep and youwill need to ask a luthier to correctthem. If all is well, firmly grip thebridge with your fingers and thumbsjust beneath the strings to straighten.If in doubt, ask your luthier or teacherto demonstrate the technique.

Given practice, straightening yourbridge can become quick and painlessand should be as integral a part ofpreparing to play as rosining the bow.

Lubricate the string grooves at the bridgeand the nut by rubbing pencil lead ordry soap into the string grooves as thisminimises friction between string andbridge. Re-lubricate whenever youchange a string. Try to tune using yourpegs as the bridge is designed towithstand a pull from this direction.

Keep an eye on your bridge position. Theposition of your bridge in relation tothe sound post will radically affect thetone of your cello. If your cello hasbeen knocked, you may need to ask aluthier to check your bridge if there isno imprint of the bridge feet in thevarnish showing you the originalposition of the bridge.

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STRING HEIGHTS

If all is well, your strings will feelcomfortable under the fingers butwon’t buzz or clatter on thefingerboard when you play fortissimo.

Preferred string clearances depend onthe type of string you use, the shapingof the fingerboard and the demands ofyour playing technique. On average,the centre-point of your string shouldsit between 6mm (A string) and 8.5mm(C string) above the fingerboardsurface at the very bottom of the

fingerboard.

Metal strings are set lower (e.g.sometimes as low as 4mm for a

metal A string). The morepowerful the cellist, thehigher the string clearance

needed. Also see Cello Cures p. 20.

THE SOUND POST

The perfect sound post is cut fromcarefully selected, split spruce andexpertly fitted so that it transfersvibration from the bridge and frontinto the back of the instrument.

Sound posts need to be fitted andadjusted to suit the individual cellist asdifferent players have totally differentneeds. Some soloists who use a lot ofbow pressure will need plenty ofsupport and so will have a relativelylong post fitted. However, there is nohard and fast rule; if you use bowspeed rather than pressure to create abig sound, then you may need a lesstightly fitting post.

If the sound post falls over, slacken off thestrings immediately as the unsupportedfront may crack or distort when undertension.

FINGERBOARD

The ideal fingerboard is scooped alongits length to give a clear and evensound and the surface is smooth,allowing precise intonation andperfectly tuned fifths across the strings.

To check the amount of scoop in afingerboard, press down each string atboth ends of the fingerboard andobserve how much gap is left beneath

the middle of the string and the surfaceof the fingerboard. The scoop shouldbe at its shallowest under the A stringand become progressively deepertowards the C string. As a general rule,the scoop should have the same depthas the thickness of the C string.

Check the join between the fingerboard andneck as fingerboards do occasionallybecome unglued in places. If so, theneck will quickly warp and stringheights increase dramatically. If yourfingerboard looks rough or uneven, aska luthier to "true" or "shoot" it for you.

NUT

The perfectly functioning nut isexpertly shaped to provide a smooth,gradual transition for the string fromthe peg box to the playing area. Thestring grooves are filed to the exactshape of each string, allowing only onethird of the string’s depth to lie insidethe groove. The nut is at the rightheight and allows just a little clearancebetween the string and the top of thefingerboard.

If you change string type, ask a luthier tocheck that your new strings still fit thegrooves at the nut and the bridge.

PEGS

Good pegs will turn easily withoutslipping or sticking because each pegand hole is circular and evenly taperedand is treated with a semi-lubricantpaste. The larger hole is a little tighteron the peg than the smaller hole, toallow for control in tuning. For more

on pegs, see CelloCures, p. 19.

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"The more powerful the cellist,the higher the string clearance needed."

STRINGS

Ideally, your strings will be fresh andtheir tone will complement and balancethe character of your cello.

Replace your strings regularly as they arealmost always more powerful and pliantwhen they are new. Some strings maytail off in tone quite quickly whileothers may last for a long time.Different strings also take varyingtimes to play in. If you are on a tightbudget, consider replacing upperstrings more frequently than lower.

Some players find it helpful to changejust one or two strings at a time, toavoid a feeling of disorientation and tohelp check that no new string isdefective.

Try the luthier’s crossover technique whenfitting strings. Fit the ball end of thestring to the tailpiece or adjuster.Taking care not to twist the string,thread the string into the peg hole,allowing just a few millimetres of thetail end to emerge beyond the peg.

Wind the string evenly onto the peg fortwo turns, travelling towards thenarrower end of the peg, then wind thestring back over itself and in theopposite direction (towards the fat endof the peg) until the string is tightenough to tune. This crossover

encourages the string to ‘lock’ itselfonto the peg and helps to stop it fromslipping.

The string should end up next to, butnot squashed against, the inside of thepeg box. The windings should travelevenly along the peg and not go overeach other except where the stringcrosses itself as you change thedirection of the winding. Take carenot to tune the string higher than itsintended pitch as this can damagethe string.

Experiment with strings. The choice ofstrings is fundamental to the colourand quality of the sound you produce,just as the choice of loudspeakersinfluences the performance of yourhi-fi.

Each cello is unique and could wellsound at its best with a combination ofdifferent string types. The choice ofupper strings is especially important,as a dark sounding cello will needbright upper strings to speak well,while a very bright instrument willneed smooth, dark top strings. If youdo decide to change your strings, ask aluthier to adjust your string grooves atthe nut and bridge.

ROSIN

It is best to avoid the very cheapestrosins as they give very poor results.

Use rosin regularly and moderately.Apply one lick down the bow for everypractice session and a double lick for aday’s work. Too much rosin producesa rough, gritty sound and makessmooth bow changes difficult. Toolittle rosin makes it difficult to play intothe string and good staccato becomesimpossible.

"Use rosin regularly and moderately."

Clean the rosin off your strings with aduster each time you play. If rosin buildsup on your strings it will interfere withtheir tonal response. If you can’tremove rosin with a duster, you mayneed to use a tiny amount of solvent(perfume, meths or surgical spirit) oncotton wool. Before you attempt toclean the string, protect the front ofyour cello with a clean dry cloth. Makesure you cannot wring a single drop ofsolvent from the cotton wool, as any

drips will damage thevarnish. Throw away the

cotton woolimmediately and

wash your handsbefore touching your

cello again.

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BOW

Looking from above down the bowtowards the tip, the bow should bestraight or in some cases bend veryslightly to the right. The frog shouldsit snugly on the stick, and the screwmechanism should work easily whentightening and releasing the hair. Thebow should feel comfortable in your hand.

Get your bow re-haired regularly.Bow hair does wear out, sometimes ina matter of weeks for busy cellists.Good, fresh hair with an even coatingof rosin will completely transform thesound of your cello.

A good re-hairer will take time to selecteach and every hair for your bow,making sure it is clean, straight andperfect. The hank of selected hairs isthen bound together and held into eachend of the bow with wedges to form aneven ribbon of hair. This is a veryskilled job so a good re-hair is notparticularly cheap, but the results areworth it. Bad re-hairs can damageyour bow or come undone in themiddle of a performance.

Allow time for your re-hair to play in.Fresh bow hair won’t hold rosinproperly at first and can sound veryrough. Apply a balanced loading of

rosin and prepare to spend an hourplaying it in, though fifteen minutes ofaggressive open string chords isusually enough to clear the worst ofthe roughness from a new re-hair.

Make sure your bow is comfortable to hold.Many cellists prefer a short re-hairwhich leaves the hair only just slackwhen the adjuster is fully unwound.A short re-hair ensures that the frogstays close to the thumb grip when thebow is tightened and also means thatthe balance point of the stick staysclose to the player’s hand, avoiding thebow feeling tip-heavy when playing.

Another advantage of a short re-hair isthat it allows for the tendency of hairon a cello bow to stretch in use.

Some cellists get a leather flap fitted tothe thumb grip to protect their thumbfrom the sharp edge of the frog. Othersthread a pierced rubber thimble orsection of rubber tubing over the stickto increase the size and comfort of thestick and to cushion the thumb. Allsuch techniques prevent damage to thebow stick from the thumb nail.

Clean your bow stick with a dry duster toremove rosin dust which will otherwisebuild up on your bow. The bowshould be routinely cleaned when it isre-haired. Avoid touching the bow hairwith your hands as grease from yourfingers will attract dirt and stop therosin from sticking to the bow hair.

Keep your bow in a stable environmentand avoid exposing it to direct

sunlight (which shrinks thehair) and high humidity

(which lengthens the hair).

"Bad re-hairs can come undone in the middle of a performance."

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VARNISH

Varnish is like the living skin of aninstrument and is an integral part of itsstructure and identity. Not only does itlook beautiful, but it protects the woodfrom moisture, abrasion and dirt andso needs to be treated with care andrespect.

Handle your cello by the neck whereverpossible to avoid touching the varnish.Every time you touch yourvarnish, a little varnish isremoved and a little dirtis deposited.

Get your varnish re-touched if it is wearingthrough. Certain areas of the cello aresubjected to heavy wear, particularlythe shoulder on the treble side and theedgework on the cello front where thecello rests on the floor. If your varnishis wearing thin in these places it isimportant to have it re-touched beforethe unprotected areas of wood are

damaged or begin towear away.

Don’t worry about small scratches.Don’t be tempted to try to camouflagescratches yourself as this maycompromise subsequent re-touching bya luthier. Small scratches willgradually become obscured by dirt

which can easily beremoved if you wish

to have themre-touched.

Benign neglect is better than polish. It isbest to clean varnish with a soft dryduster and avoid using commercialpolishes, most of which either removeoriginal varnish or leave a permanentresidue on the instrument which willbuild up over the years.

If your cello is intolerably sticky ordirty, a skilled luthier will make acareful and informed job of cleaning it

for you. If you can’t resistpolishing your cello, we produce

a safe, reversible polish (‘CelloBuff’) which can easily beremoved by a luthier and willnot damage your varnish.

"Benign neglect is better than polish."

"D.I.Y. re-touching may compromisesubsequent work by a luthier.”

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TEMPERATURE ANDHUMIDITY

Ideally, store your cello inside its casein a room which stays at a moderatetemperature and humidity. Insurers donot cover you against damage to yourcello caused by atmospheric changes!

If you are too hot or cold, your celloprobably is too. Wood shrinks inthe cold and in dry airconditions and expands in heatand moist air conditions. Suddenchanges in temperature orhumidity will encourage thewood to crack and gluedseams may open up asthe wood expands orcontracts. Dark varnishand black cello cases soak upradiated heat very quickly so besure to keep your cello away fromdirect sunlight and heat sourcessuch as radiators. White caseskeep their occupants cool inhot weather.

If you take your cello outside in hot orcold weather, keep it closed inside itscase until you reach a stableenvironment. If the cello has becomevery cold in transit, allow it toacclimatise for several hours insideits case when you reach thenext warm environment.

In dry conditions, use a humidifier (such asa Dampit) while the cello is in its case.Wet the humidifier, wring it out anddry the outside surfaces carefullybefore inserting it into the f hole; if it iswet it may damage the varnish.

CELLO CASES

The ideal cello case has a strong outershell and internal padding which fitsthe cello snugly and will cushion andrestrain the cello if the case is bumped,falls over or is pulled along on wheels.

The restraining strap should fit as lowas possible around the neck. The headand neck should be protected fromwhiplash injuries by the equivalent of acar head rest fitted behind the scroll.The cello should also be protected fromloose bows with a specially designedcover or piece of silk.

"If you are too hot or cold, your cello probably is too."

When travelling in a car, use a seat belt foryour cello. If possible, strap your cellointo a passenger seat, if necessaryturning it upside down if it will not fitinto the foot space right side up. Yourcello, like any passenger, is far morelikely to survive a crash unharmed if itis restrained by a seat belt and cannotfly around inside the vehicle.

Always lie your case down. Cello casesare unstable when left standing andcello necks can easily get broken insideclosed cases which fall over.

"If possible, strap your cello into a passenger seat."

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The best solution is to find a specialistmusical instrument insurer such asAllianz Cornhill. Not only do theyoffer good value, but if you ever haveto make a claim they are likely to be farmore helpful than a normal householdinsurer as they understand the needs ofthe musician and the technicalities ofinstrument damage and repair.

Always ensure that your valuation is up to date and insures your instrument, bowand case for a generous replacement value.

A generous valuation will ensure that it is relatively easy to find areplacement if your cello is stolen ordestroyed. It also means that if yourinstrument is damaged and suffers aloss in value as a result, you will becompensated appropriately. It is worthupdating your valuation every two orthree years.

"Your insurers will ask you to describe the exact circumstancesof the damage or loss…"

MAKING ANINSURANCE CLAIM

If your cello or bow has been damagedor stolen, the first step is to telephoneyour insurers. They will ask you todescribe the exact circumstances of thedamage or loss so that they canestablish whether you are covered byyour policy.

Damage caused by normal wear andtear or atmospheric conditions (e.g. theheat of stage lighting or exposure tocold) is not covered by standardspecialist policies.

You may also not be covered if the cellowas stolen from an unattended motorvehicle. Insurance policies shouldprotect you against one-off accidentssuch as accidentally dropping orknocking a cello or bow.

If the insurer is happy that your policycovers your circumstances, they willsend you a claim form which you willneed to complete and return along witha quotation from a luthier for the costof the repair or, in extreme cases,advising that the instrument would beuneconomic to repair and should bereplaced under the policy. If aninstrument is ‘written off’ it becomesthe property of the insurers and theywill usually collect it from you.

INSURANCE

ANNUAL CELLO CARE

• Fit fresh strings at least oncea year.

• Have your bow re-haired atleast once a year.

• Take your cello for an annualminor service, in the sameway that motorists have theirengine oil changed. Yourluthier should check to see ifany seams are unglued or anycracks are open, and checkevery aspect of theinstrument’s set up to ensurethat it is working at its best.

• For well used instruments anannual check-up is also agood opportunity forfingerboard truing, varnishcleaning and minorre-touching.

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A-Z OF CELLO CURES

BOW HAIR IS DIRTY

It is better to have a re-hair than to try to wash dirty bow hair. Water can travel along the hair and loosen the wedges at the tip or frog.

BOW HAS BECOME WARPED ALONG ITS LENGTH

• This may have been caused by a bad (unevenly tensioned) re-hair• You may have lost a lot of hair from the playing edge of your bow • The wood may have responded to atmospheric/temperature changes.

Correcting the shape of a bow is a job for a highly skilled bow maker

BOW WILL NOT PLAY WITH ‘ATTACK’ AND WILL NOT HOLD ROSIN

You may need a re-hair.

BOW WILL NOT TIGHTEN

• The brass eye may be worn and need replacing• If the bow hair is too long the frog will reach the end of the mortice

before the hair is tight - usually a re-hair is needed

BOW HAS A VERY STIFF ADJUSTER

The brass eye may be holding the frog too tightly onto the stick. To loosen thebrass eye, take the bow apart. If you have never done this before, undo theadjuster completely and, supporting the frog with your left hand, pull theadjuster and screw right out of the stick. Taking care not to twist the bow hair,rest the stick on a flat surface while you look at the frog. (See diagram onopposite page).

The safest way to adjust the brass eye is to use a small pair of pliers. Do notuse the adjuster screw to turn the brass eye as there is a high chance ofdamaging the under-slide of the frog with the screw thread.

To loosen the frog against the stick, gently turn the brass eye anti-clockwisethrough exactly 180 degrees. Then replace the frog onto the stick and carefullywind the adjuster back into the stick.

1. Adjuster/Button: the decorative winder fitted to the end of the stickwhich is attached to the screw.

2. Brass eye: the brass eye screws down into the frog and the screwtravels through its threaded eye, pulling the frog towards the buttonwhen tightened.

3. Mortice: a channel cut into the bow stick which allows room for thebrass eye to travel along the adjuster screw when the bow istightened or loosened.

4. Screw: a partly threaded steel shaft which is attached to the buttonand engages with the brass eye to tighten and loosen the frog.

5. Under-slide: the metal lining of the frog which slides along the stickwhen the bow is tightened or loosened.

BRIDGE IS WARPING

Ask your luthier to straighten your bridge and try to keep your bridge standingupright in future! If the bridge continues to warp you will need to ask yourluthier to cut a new bridge.

1

3

5

2

4

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BUZZING

Apart from external causes of buzzing, such as a button on your clothesvibrating against the cello or even something in the room vibrating insympathy as you play, buzzes can be caused by almost any part of the cello.Below is a list of the most common buzzes and possible causes.

BUZZING ONLY ON ONE STRING

• There may be a loose string winding – if so replace the string • A stopped string may buzz because of an oversized string groove at the

bridge; an open string buzz that disappears when the string is stopped suggests an oversized string groove at the nut

BUZZING ONLY ON CERTAIN NOTES

Your fingerboard may be uneven and the strings may catch on the bumps whenyou stop certain notes. If so, ask a luthier to smooth (‘true’ or ‘re-shoot’) thefingerboard for you.

INTERMITTENT BUZZING

Buzzes caused by loose purfling or open seams can disappear in damp weatherand reappear in dryer weather as the glue softens and hardens. If in doubt,consult a luthier.

OTHER COMMON CAUSES OF BUZZING

• The end of the tail-gut is buzzing against the tailpiece • Fingerboard is coming unglued• Loose adjuster – try tightening it down• Loose bridge vellums • Loose end pin (spike)• Loose end of a string buzzing inside the peg box• Loose decorations on pegs • Loose plastic sleeve bridge protector; either remove it or push it firmly

down over the silk at the bottom of the string• Open (unglued or fresh) cracks• Poor contact between the bridge feet and cello front• Tail-gut vibrating in an over-sized hole in the tailpiece

"Buzzes can be caused by almost any part of the cello."

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CRACKS

Do not be tempted to touch a crack with your fingers as this may leave greasebehind or damage the broken edge of the varnish and make the crack moredifficult to repair. Take the instrument straight to a luthier as cracks often getworse with time. If the crack is near the bridge or sound post on the front orback, you should loosen the strings immediately to relieve tension on the crack.

Always collect all pieces of loose/broken wood when an instrument is damaged. This will help to achieve the best repair and will dramatically reducethe repair cost.

INTONATION PROBLEMS IN CERTAIN PLACES

Your fingerboard may be so worn into such deep ridges that the ‘bumps’ stopthe string, not your fingers.

POWER LOSS – THE CELLO HAS NOTICEABLY LESS POWER

• Seam open somewhere on the cello• Bridge may be leaning over or have moved out of place• Strings may be worn out and need replacing• Your bow may need re-hairing• The sound post may have moved

PEGS SLIP

Try applying a mixture of peg paste and chalk or plasticine. Otherwise, consult a luthier.

PEGS SLIP ONLY IN CERTAIN POSITIONS

The pegs are oval in section and only hold in some places. Getting an existingset of pegs to work well is surprisingly time consuming and sometimes it ismore appropriate to fit a new set of well seasoned pegs than to re-shapeexisting pegs. If the peg holes are very worn, they may need bushing.

SOAP

For an excellent string groove lubricant, cut a bar of plain soap into small slicesand leave them in a warm place to dry out thoroughly before using.

STOPPED FIFTHS ARE OUT OF TUNE ACROSS THE STRINGS

Your fingerboard may be worn and need smoothing and reshaping or you mayhave a combination of strings with varying elasticity which make it difficult toplay stopped fifths in tune.

STRINGS ARE UNCOMFORTABLY HIGH IN CERTAIN POSITIONS

The string heights at nut or bridge may be incorrect or your fingerboard may bebadly shaped.

STRINGS ARE UNCOMFORTABLE IN FIRST/HALF POSITION

Your nut may be too high.

STRINGS BREAK QUICKLY

• The string grooves at the nut or bridge may be too tight, deep or uneven and pinch the string as it tries to travel through the groove

• Your fingerboard may be rough, causing the strings to wear quickly

STRING HEIGHTS HAVE SUDDENLY INCREASED

This can be a result of extreme atmospheric changes. In England it is morelikely that your fingerboard has become partly unglued, allowing the neck towarp – or some other important part of the instrument’s structure may be onthe move. See your luthier.

STRING HEIGHTS HAVE SUDDENLY DECREASED

The front of the cello may have responded to atmospheric change.

WOLF NOTES ARE A PERSISTENT PROBLEM

A luthier can help you to experiment with the position of your tailpiece orchange it completely. A variety of wolf note eliminators can be tried, all withdifferent side-effects. Lower tension strings can also help if the player is happyto use them.

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CELLO ANATOMYCELLO CARE GUIDEFor further free copies of the Cello Care Guide

email: sarah@aitchisoncellos.comor

telephone 01353 668559.

A more detailed version of the Cello Care Guide is available atwww.aitchisoncellos.com

We would be grateful for any feedback, questions or suggestionswhich we will use to improve subsequent editions of this guide.

NEWS FOR CELLISTSIf you would like to receive News for Cellists our biennial

newsletter (containing string reviews, cello articles, details of cellosand bows in stock and invitations to events such as

Take a Bow 2005, an exhibition of cello bows by internationalmaster makers) please email or telephone us with your name

and mailing address.

Published by Aitchison & Mnatzaganian February 2005Illustrated by Michael Edwards

© Robin Aitchison and Sarah Mnatzaganian 2005All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced intoany form of retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or othermeans, including photocopying and recording now known or devised hereafter, without the priorpermission of Robin Aitchison and Sarah Mnatzaganian.

Scroll (Head)

Pegs

Neck

Shoulder

Fingerboard

Front (Belly, Table)

C-rib

F-hole (Sound Holes)

Edgework

Endpin (Spike)Saddle

Tail gut

Tail piece

Bridge

Peg box

Nut }

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