ideas for cellist

[PTJeff]

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?

 

[cnirenberg]

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

 

[jleiwig]

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?

 

[DCBluesman]

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

 

[Glass Scratcher]

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

 

[PTJeff]

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

 

[scoutharps]

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!

 

[BRobbins629]

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

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

 

[NewLondon88]

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

 

[PTJeff]

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...

 

[ngeb528]

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?

 

[btboone]

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.

 

[BigguyZ]

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.

 

[BRobbins629]

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.