Technical data
| Instrument | cello |
| Material | ebony |
| Shape | tulip shape |
| Item number | ZA-C325E |
Features
- Tailpiece for cello
- Material ebony
- Version: tulip shape
In practice
- The tailpiece takes the string tension and holds the strings in position. It is the bridge that transmits vibration; the tailpiece's mass and afterlength play their part.
- Listed under species protection law are the rosewood species of the genus Dalbergia and the ebony populations of Madagascar. For finished instrument parts and finished accessories the musical instrument exemption applies; no CITES documents are needed for trade within the EU.
Sound and physics
On the cello the string section between bridge and tailpiece belongs to the vibrating system to which the string is coupled. The resonance frequency at which the wolf note forms results from the interplay of this lower string section with the body. On the cello the wolf most often speaks around F and F sharp, less often between E and G sharp, which on the G string means a high position; that is why the wolf eliminator sits on the string section behind the bridge.
The vibrating string length of a 4/4 cello is 690 millimetres. Our French-model ebony tailpiece ZA-C360E is around 23 centimetres long and 6.4 centimetres wide, and weighs 76 grams. It carries four integrated fine tuners with stainless steel screws and bushes, and the string sits on the fine tuner by its ball end. The English model ZA-C363 is built the same way; the English model ZA-C357E comes without fine tuners.
We make our tailpieces in ebony, rosewood and boxwood. Of these three woods ebony has the highest density. Our rosewood, Dalbergia latifolia, is listed in the materials literature with a density of 820 to 920 kilograms per cubic metre. For the same shape and length the tailpiece's mass therefore follows the wood, and it also varies from piece to piece with the wood's density.
Our models differ in shape: the French with a softly rounded outline, the Hill or English shape with a gabled, ridged top, and the tulip shape with a chalice-like outline. In terms of sound, what matters with all three shapes is mass and afterlength. Every Götz tailpiece is drilled for the tailgut and comes with one. Our tailpieces are finished in Markneukirchen; the white Götz seal marks pieces with verified timber origin.
Our experience
From our correspondence: one customer has played the ZA-C360E for years, in his own words, and has always been very happy with it. For the ZA-C360R we use dark rosewood, which is harder to source than the lighter standard stock.
Our experience: customers choose between ebony, rosewood and boxwood for a tailpiece by colour and grain; in sound we find the three woods equivalent. For fitting sets we are happy to put together parts that match in colour and grain.
When another model suits you better
If you tune the cello with the pegs alone, the English model ZA-C357E without fine tuners is your choice; if you like to fine-tune all four strings, the French ZA-C360E with four integrated fine tuners.
Frequently asked questions
Does the cello tailpiece have integrated fine tuners?
The ZA-C360 and ZA-C363 carry four integrated fine tuners. The English model ZA-C357E comes without fine tuners.
How heavy is an ebony cello tailpiece?
The ZA-C360E weighs 76 grams at a length of around 23 centimetres.
Why does the wolf eliminator sit behind the bridge?
The string section between bridge and tailpiece belongs to the system whose resonance forms the wolf. A small mass there damps and shifts that resonance.
These texts hold decades of experience and a great deal of heart. They are protected by copyright, C.A. Götz jr. GmbH. Please ask us before any use. Thank you for your appreciation.
