All of our cello families have surely seen Pablito by now…he is Ms. Sandra’s new cello!
She visited an instrument factory in Guangzhou in order to select Pablito. This is a story about the process of making a fine instrument:
Welcome to Pablito!
(In honor of amazing cellist, Pablo Casals)
~by Ms. Sandra
Wait for at least 20 years for them to begin, have materials from 3 different Continents, have at least 30 specialists working full time. Next, wait 6 months… and the result will be to have Pablito, the beautiful new cello that is living now in our School.
each piece of wood must be aged for at least 20 years before it is ready to use
the wood is stacked and arranged so that it has enough room to “breathe”
this is African ebony – especially for pegs and tailpieces!
If you want to have a good quality stringed instrument, you need to follow the same recipe (sometimes it takes even more time if is only one person working on it). The handmade ones are really art masterpieces, done by Luthiers (instrument builders) with high skills carving and selecting wood, endless patience measuring every tiny part of the instruments, and having good taste for the ending details like colour and selecting right accessories.
this luthier specialises in carving the back of the instrument
This is the f-hole specialist. He is so skilled he can carve holes for 4 violin f-holes in one hour!
This luthier specialises in making the scroll and neck of the instrument
This is what the top of the instrument looks like on the inside!
Interesting facts:
*Only 1 tree of 1000 planted to be used to make instruments will have the perfect quality.
*The ebony, the wood that is used for the pegs and the fingerboard, is black and is the most resistant and dense in the world. If you put it in the water it will sink … Better never make a boat with it!
Take a look at the photos of how it is inside the handmade instrument factory (Violins, Violas and Cellos), I don’t know how you feel, but for me, it was like being in heaven!
Violas and Violins waiting to find their perfect match
A wall made of violin wood…so beautiful!
Have a long a beautiful life with us Pablito!
Have a long and wonderful life with us, Pablito!