Exterior Instrument Components
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Adjustment Thumbscrew - Used to set the length of endpin that protrudes from the body of the cello, thereby fixing the height of the cello above the floor.
Bridge - Crucial for sound projection, the bridge transfers sound vibrations from the strings to the body of the instrument. It is carved from maple.
"C" bout - Named for the shape of this bout. It is located in the center of the instrument.
Chinrest - Present on violins and violas only, the chinrest is used for holding the instrument with the jaw and can be made from plastic, ebony, ebonite, rosewood, boxwood, and other materials.
Endbutton - Made from ebony, rosewood, or boxwood, the tailgut loops around it to anchor the tailpiece. It is inserted into the lower block.
Endpin - Located on cellos and basses only, the endpin stabilizes the instrument while playing by anchoring it to the floor.
Endpin Tip - The end of the endpin often has a rubber tip to protect floor surfaces. If present, usually this rubber tip can be removed to reveal a pointed metal tip, which can be used to anchor the cello on a carpeted floor.
F Hole - Sound is projected from the F holes.
Fingerboard - Made of ebony, the fingerboard is glued to the neck.
Lower bout - The lower shoulder of the instrument.
Machine Head - Metal tuning device used on the headstock of string basses and some electric instruments.
Neck - The neck is made from the same piece of maple as the scroll. It contains the fingerboard and is usually unfinished to avoid sticky buildup of oils and dirt from the hand.
Peg - The pegs are used to tune the strings to proper pitch. They can be made out of various woods including ebony, rosewood, and boxwood.
Pegbox - The pegbox houses the pegs and is part of the scroll.
Purfling - Although beautiful, the purfling functions as a barrier that provides stability to the wood and prevents cracking. It is often made of two thin pieces of inlaid ebony.
Rib - The ribs are made of the same maple as the back.
Saddle - The saddle provides a foundation for the tailgut to fit over and protect the bottom end of the instrument from abrasion. It is usually made of ebony.
Scroll - The primary function of the scroll is to house the pegbox. The decorative end of the scroll is called the volute. The scroll and the neck are all one piece and carved from the same material as the back, usually maple. Some makers carve scrolls in unique shapes, such as a lion's head.
String Nut - Made of ebony, the nut aligns and raises the strings away from the fingerboard. It is a separate piece from the fingerboard.
Tailgut - The tailgut holds the tailpiece in place by connecting it to the endbutton.
Tailpiece - Most commonly made from ebony, rosewood, or boxwood, it can also be made from other wood materials or metal alloy. Strings are installed into the tailpiece.
Top - Made of spruce, usually two pieces. The vertical lines on the top are called the grain and indicate the growth rings of the tree. Narrow grain indicates slow growth and leads to increased stability and hardness for the top.
Upper bout - The upper shoulder of the instrument.
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© Southwest Strings 2003-2012 and all rights are reserved.
(So please don't copy our content!)