You’ve got a cello so you may know it isn’t exactly cheap. Now you need to know how to care for it!
Probably not a good idea to put a sticker on your cello – especially if it’s a rental!
- This one hopefully goes without saying, but be gentle! Always handle it with two hands (preferably one on the neck and one on the side) and keep an eye on both ends of the instrument as you move it about. Even though it’s a big instrument, it is very fragile. Have you seen how thin the wood is? We’ve seen all sorts of injuries — cellos dropped, kicked over, bows stepped on and snapped in half, the entire neck of the cello broken off… you get the idea. Just be gentle and aware and you’ll be fine.
- When you’re putting the cello down, lay it on its side. Never put it with the bridge face down, or rest it standing up against the wall, chair, or corner of the room. When you’re in the car and the cello’s in the trunk, it’s best to put it flat on its back so it won’t roll over onto the bridge.
- Keep the cello in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment. In other words, don’t leave it in the car. It can reach pretty extreme temperatures in there and that can damage your cello (not to mention it could be stolen). When it’s indoors, try not to leave it resting on an air vent or by a drafty window.
- Once you’ve finished playing for the day, put your endpin in, loosen the bow, wipe off your cello with your rag (any small piece of clean, soft fabric will do; use this rag only to clean your cello), and put the cello in a safe spot or in its case.
- Keep your fingers off the bow hair. Since it’s horse hair, it gets dirty just like human hair. Even if your fingers are clean, there are still oils on your skin that will dirty the hair. On a related note, use your rag to wipe off rosin deposits on the strings rather than your fingers. (If you touch the strings where you bow, you’re transferring some of those same oils from your fingers to where the bow hair will be). And there’s no need to clean the “extra” rosin off your bow — just loosen it and put it away.