The 9 Best Cellos

A student outgrowing a first cello, or an adult who plays every day, is the natural owner of the Eastman VC305. It pairs a spruce top with maple back and ribs, an ebony fingerboard and a Despiau bridge made in France, and four built-in fine tuners make small pitch changes simple. It ships as the instrument alone, so budget for a bow, case and rosin, and confirm the condition, since the seller's notes mention a demo unit.

Students who have outgrown a first cello get a real step up with the Cremona SC-500 Premier Artist. The top is hand-carved solid spruce and the back is flamed maple, under a golden varnish applied by hand. Cremona sets each one up in its U.S. workshop, and a bow and padded bag come along. Have a teacher check the soundpost on arrival, and inspect everything right away, since parts can arrive missing or damaged.

Late-night practice without bothering the neighbors is the point of the Yamaha SVC-50, a silent cello you hear through headphones or an amplifier. Its slim alder frame has an ebony fingerboard, and controls on its back offer volume, three reverbs that mimic a room or a concert hall, and an input for playing along with recordings. The chest and knee rests take getting used to, and unplugged it can't replace an acoustic cello for lessons or orchestra.

Fully carved and sold as a full outfit, the D Z Strad Model 101 arrives with a case, a bow, rosin and D'Addario Prelude strings. The top is spruce and the back maple, and the fingerboard and pegs are genuine ebony, paired with a Wittner-style composite tailpiece. D Z Strad says Suzuki and private teachers like it, but that's the seller's own claim, and owner feedback is thin.

A child's first cello on a budget is the job for the Cecilio CCO Black, a complete kit sold in full and fractional sizes. A padded backpack case, a bow, rosin, spare strings and a stand come with it. The bridge ships down, so someone has to stand it up and tune, and the pegs need a firm push to hold pitch. The fingerboard and pegs are maple, not ebony, and a luthier's setup is worth budgeting for.

Serious amateurs who want a handmade cello without a shop visit can look at the D Z Strad Model 600. A spruce top sits over a figured flame maple back, the scroll is carved by hand, and the oil varnish is hand-rubbed and antiqued. It comes strung with Larsen and Spirocore strings, plus a case, bow and rosin. The catch is that you can't hear it before it arrives, and owner feedback is almost nonexistent.

Players a few years in are the audience for the D Z Strad Model 250, a fully carved cello with a spruce top, a maple back and an ebony fingerboard, fitted with boxwood pegs. It comes strung with D'Addario Helicore, and its maker says the tonewood air-dries outdoors for about a decade before carving. Details on this listing are sparse, so confirm the warranty and whether a bow and case are included before buying.

Apartment dwellers who need silence more than tone can practice through headphones on the Cecilio CECO-1, a budget electric cello. Its open frame is hand-carved solid maple tracing a cello's outline, with ebony fittings. A battery powers the pickup, with jacks for headphones, an amplifier and backing tracks, and the kit adds headphones, a soft case, a bow and rosin. Like most electric cellos, it won't sound like a hollow wooden body.

Players who perform amplified can get started with the Stagg ECL from the Belgian brand Stagg. Its slim solid maple body feeds a built-in preamp with volume and bass controls, so you can shape the low end before it reaches the amp. Removable rests at the chest and knees stand in for a body, and a gig bag comes with it. With no reverb on board, plan on an amp or effects for a fuller sound.