# ideas for cellist



## PTJeff (Sep 11, 2009)

I have had a request for a pen that relates to her son who is a cellist.  I have made one for the daughter who is a piano player, but im having difficulty with a cello

Any ideas?


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## cnirenberg (Sep 11, 2009)

What about custom laser designs?  I don't know the expense, but a cool enough design will sell, just look at the piano pen.


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## jleiwig (Sep 11, 2009)

What about routing 3 grooves down the length of a pen and inserting brass guitar string or cello string so that it sticks a bit above the pen and then burying it under CA or epoxy? Kind of like an electric cello?


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## DCBluesman (Sep 11, 2009)

Cello bows have traditionally been made of pernambuco and ebony.  Perhaps  a pen showcasing those woods?


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## Glass Scratcher (Sep 11, 2009)

You could always inlay some F-holes, like all traditional classical stringed instruments have, unlike some 5-stringed electric monstrosity...


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## PTJeff (Sep 12, 2009)

These are some great suggestions, thanks to all for your time and effort


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## scoutharps (Sep 12, 2009)

Also check and see what clef sign cello music uses--I'm not sure but i think it is NOT standerd trble cleff.  Perhaps bass clef, but I seem to remember they had their own...of course, jr high orchestra was a long time ago.  Going with the bow idea, horse hair and rosin spring to mind.  They do not have frets like a guitar, but I think the normal woods are rosewood, spruce and ebony for the instrument itself, although the bow woods sound prettier.  Keep us osted, this sounds like a great idea the mom had!


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## BRobbins629 (Sep 12, 2009)

http://www.penturners.org/photos/index.php?n=1941

Did tihs one for a violist. Woods all common to instrument.


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## NewLondon88 (Sep 12, 2009)

Greenmtnguy made some great looking pens out of pernambuco (_Caesalpinia echinata_)
which is commonly used to make bows for cellos, violins, violas etc.


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## PTJeff (Sep 12, 2009)

Bruce,
I have seen that pen earlier, but didn't realize you were the artist.  I'm leaning toward something like that, but still open for other ideas.  Maybe the body of a cello as the base and the neck as the pen...


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## ngeb528 (Sep 13, 2009)

How about turning a pen that resembles the neck and base for the pen to sit in that looks like the bottom of the instrument?


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## btboone (Sep 13, 2009)

Or one that has the basic curves of a cello, the thin neck, wider top, flared out bottom with a concave cut in the center.  Obviously not flared out as much as the real instrument.  You could add the tuning keys up top.


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## BigguyZ (Sep 14, 2009)

BRobbins629 said:


> http://www.penturners.org/photos/index.php?n=1941
> 
> Did tihs one for a violist. Woods all common to instrument.



How the heck did you do the inlay?  Stuff like that is staggering to me, yet I want to get to that point.


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## BRobbins629 (Sep 14, 2009)

BigguyZ said:


> How the heck did you do the inlay? Stuff like that is staggering to me, yet I want to get to that point.


The principle is the same as the laser kits sold by Ken Nelson and Constant.  Because I had 4 wood species in this, I turned cylinders slightly proud of the bushings of each wood without glueing to the tubes.  The pieces were then laser cut from the cylinders based on a picture/design I sent.  Then its just a matter of gluing the background piece to a tube and fitting in the rest of the pieces.  This one required a good deal of hand finishing as I wanted to keep the fingerboard and tail piece above the plane of the top.


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