For many years, acoustic instruments were used as the standard for solo players, orchestral musicians, and others. Acoustic cellos have retained the traditional wooden figure, with f-holes cut to their surfaces and curved sides. Their bows are thicker than the violin counterparts and also have a more significant amount of hair attached to them.
Since the 17th century, these cellos have been used as the bass instrument in quartets, symphonies and other compositions. Nowadays, many orchestral instruments are being developed in electric versions. The growth of music technology has positively impacted the development of the modern cello, which means that the cellos can now play electronically.
Moreover, it has now been made possible to connect the cellos to electronic devices such as a phone, cassette player, an amplifier, etc. It provides an excellent practice volume as well as allow for live usage. If you're searching for the best electric cello for either beginners or a professional, we have reviewed the five best options in the market today.
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5 Best Electric Cellos
1. Yamaha SVC-110SK Silent Electric Cello Brown
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Whenever you're looking for top instruments in every category, a Yamaha product is bound to be one of the best. The Yamaha Silent Series SVC-110SK Electric Cello is the best electric cello and also a great representation of good quality and reliable electric cello for both beginners and professionals.
This instrument has excellent features and functions. It also comes with a built-in reverb to enable you to add some effects while playing. The SVC-110 features a smooth texture and excellent design. For a cellist who wants to play in a quiet background, then this instrument is the best. The sound quality of this Yamaha product is unmatched because it is designed in a functional shape to allow high acoustic sound rendition.
With the five year warranty, something that most manufacturers don't offer, you can trust that this product will last. The build quality is excellent and features multiple outputs for both PA systems and headphones. The Yamaha acoustic geometry is intact, making it simple for the player to get a back and forth transition.
It features four Wittner tuning with easy-to-use adjusters and a tailpiece with a fine-tuning control. The Yamaha SVC-110SK Silent Electric Cello comes with a piezo-electric pickup system, aux embedded in control of the volume control. It also comes with the needed AA battery.
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2. Cecilio 4/4 CECO-1BK Black Metallic Electric Cello with Ebony Fittings
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The Cecilio 4/4 CECO-1BK is one of the best electric cellos that are recommended for beginners because of the fact that it comes with many different accessories, which make it an amazing choice for people who are just getting started. It requires a 9V battery to operate, but luckily, this comes included in the package.
This Cecilio cello features a stylish black metallic finish, and it is made from a hand-carved maple, a high-quality wood. The fingerboard has an ebony finish that feels amazing and also detachable tuners. The body of this instrument is sturdy, and the pegs and necks are quite firm.
In terms of performance, this Cecilio 4/4 CECO-1BK gives an exceptional performance. It produces a great sound and has the ability to add a new dimension to your cello sound. Many accessories come with this Cecilio instrument, including a bow, rosin, an aux cable, a case, and headphones for listening.
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3. AW 4/4 Full-Size Electric Silent Cello Solid Wood Powerful Sound
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If you're a learner and looking for a practical electric cello, you should consider this AW cello. This full-size electric cello has a silent feature that enables the player to practice without affecting the peace of others. The AW electric cello, weighing about 23 pounds, is one of the best lightweight options available.
The AW 4/4 Full-size electric cello features a maple body with an excellent metallic finish to add to the style. The fingerboard, neck and pegs are also made from maple wood to add some level of resonance to the instrument. Its tailpiece is made from a Jujube wood construction that ensures ease of play and offers comfort to the player.
It comes with a headphone that you can use to practice the silent mode by connecting it to the lineout jackhole. This instrument also has an adjustable endpin that can manoeuvre to allow you to get a suitable position to provide comfort while playing. It comes with a 9V alkaline battery, and the accessories include a runner, rosin, bow, a headphone, a hard case, a set of backup strings, a bridge and an operating manual.
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4. NS Design CR6 Cello
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The NS Design CR 6 electric cello is a beautiful instrument that features a stylish design. This model comes in four, five and six strings. It features innovative and active electronics that provides it with the ability to produce delicate and precise tones. Furthermore, the construction of this practice instrument allows it to produce excellent sounds.
Its innovative piezo pickup system and geometry help in shaping the tone. The NS Design CR6 Cello features a high-end tripod stand that anyone can adjust to fit different positions. Its inventive and shoulder strap carriage system means that you can carry this instrument anywhere you want. This electric cello also comes with an effective endpin that helps achieve a cello position and contact point.
The NS Design CRG features a solid wood electric cello with a rock hard maple body, peghead and neck. Its fingerboard has a great ebony design with note reference dots, and the amber strain bearing the polymer topcoat adds to the overall finish of this cello. It also comes with easy to use volume controls, Bass EQ, treble EQ and a headphone.
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5. Stagg ECL 4/4 BK Electric Cello - Black
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Stagg is an amazing brand that operates on the cheap end, and this means if you're looking for an affordable cello option, then you should consider this Stagg ECL electric cello. It is made of good quality, and you can also use it with any headphones. Moreover, you can also listen to the audios without the worry of having any special headphone adapter as well as a preamp.
It is a compact cello made out of maple and comes with some important accessories. The durable and solid maple wood constructions enable it to generate an excellent sound output. It comes in a beautiful shape and colour that is quite stylish. The head, tailpiece and fingerboard have a black colour design that makes the Stagg ECL a unique instrument.
It comes with side accessories like headphones. The instrument also provides you with the ability to connect and stream music into an amp by using a cable connected to the output porthole. The tailpiece and the fingerboard make it easy for people to recognise it as an electric cello. It also comes with an active cello pickup and a battery cartridge.
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Factors to Consider Before Buying The Best Electric Cello
1. Electronics and Pickups
One of the best ways you can choose between the different cello models is considering what the pickup systems offer and also the quality and control of their electronic features. The pickups are the items that power an electric cello. The system should be able to give resonating body vibrations and excellent overtones.
2. Portability
One of the main advantages of a solid wood electric cello is that it doesn't rely on other acoustical properties to produce tones, which means its body is more compact. This means that the instrument is lightweight and easy to store. You will find some cellos that are designed to become very small while playing, and others fold up or break down to become smaller for storage.
3. Sound Quality
The sound quality is dependent on the price because cheaper electric cellos tend to have cheaper cello strings that won't give a full tone control. Moreover, these cheaper string instruments might as well break, and the preamplifier might have extremely simple tone controls. It is unfortunate that you can't do much to improve a bad piezo pickup. It is crucial to get an electric cello model with a decent preamp or pickup system.
4. Quiet Practice
The best electric cello should come with the ability to practice silently using headphones. While some models can be plugged into any device, a good cello should have an integrated headphone jack to allow for use with headphones. Furthermore, these cellos should have battery-powered preamps to ensure that you can practice at a place that is convenient for you,
5. Price
When making any buying decision, the budget is a critical consideration that anyone shouldn't ignore. Electric cellos come at different prices. Although the cellos are a cheaper option compared to a great acoustic, there will also require an investment of a few thousand dollars.
The price of an electric cello depends on the brands, construction quality and accessories. If you're a beginner, you can consider the cheaper ones because, for you, the sound quality is not a major issue. However, for musicians, aspiring musicians or serious players, the best electric cello should have better pickups, feel easier to play as well as produce an excellent tone and performance.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Electric Cellos
1. Is electric cello easier to play?
An electric cello is easier to learn and play with compared to an acoustic cello because of the silence and other advantages that come with electric cellos. Moreover, an electric cello tends to be cheaper than its acoustic counterparts when it comes to instruments of the same skill category.
2. Are electric cellos silent?
A silent electric cello that has not been plugged into a speaker will still be audible. However, it can produce a whisper sound compared to an acoustic cello. An electric cello sound system without an amplifier is generally quiet. You can use the headphones that come with them to have an exceptionally silent practice.
3. Is a Cello harder to play than a guitar?
A cello is more challenging to play when compared to a guitar, which means you can't really teach yourself. On a cello, getting the correct intonations is complicated than in a guitar since the frets on the guitar make it easy for you. You can learn a guitar just by watching videos and playing constantly.
4. Can I teach myself the cello?
As much as you teach yourself how to play the cello, you might have difficulties understanding some things. With the right teachers, it's easier for cellists to learn the fundamentals of electric cellos. As with most musical instruments, a cello becomes easier to understand if you have experience in reading notes and rhythms.
