Technical data
| Instrument | cello |
| Material | Ebony |
| Condition | Blank, saw-rough |
| Model | 5538 |
| Item number | ZG-C5538-4_4 |
Features
- Fingerboard blank for cello
- Model 5538
In practice
- This is a blank. It is supplied saw-rough and seasoned and has to be planed, arched and fitted by a violin maker.
- Not a do-it-yourself item: the fingerboard curve ultimately follows the bridge curve, and the lengthwise scoop decides whether the string buzzes.
- Signs of quality in ebony are a deep black, even colour without dye or stain and a fine, straight grain.
- On species protection: the ebony we use is not subject to CITES requirements. We supply the statement of origin.
Sound and physics
On the cello a long fingerboard reaching far over the body makes up for the short neck, so that the whole hand can travel towards the bridge into the high positions. As guide figures for a 4/4 fingerboard, the length is 590 mm, the width 31.5 mm at the nut and 64 mm at the bridge end, the mean thickness 15 mm and the edges 8.5 mm; a 3/4 fingerboard measures 550 mm, a 1/2 fingerboard 510 mm. At the bridge end the strings stand, as a guide, 5.5 mm (A string) to 7.5 mm (C string) above the wood. The fingerboard projection, measured from the top edge of the fingerboard to the top plate, is around 65 mm on a 4/4 cello, in practice between 64 and 67 mm; together with the bridge projection of 82 mm it determines the string height.
The long edge of a cello fingerboard comes either round or as a C edge, also called a Romberg edge. The ZG-C5538 stands for the highest wood grade among our cello fingerboards.
Ebony has a density of around 0.85 to 1.17 g/cm³, making it denser than rosewood and boxwood, the two other classic fitting woods, and than the maple of neck and back at around 0.65 g/cm³; its speed of sound is around 4,435 m/s.
The fingerboard is curved across its width because the strings run over the curved bridge and should keep the same distance from the wood along their whole length. It is glued to the neck and projects over the top plate, supporting itself.
Ebony moves with the climate, though noticeably less than the maple of neck and scroll. While drying, an ebony block shrinks by almost 0.3 cm, and the raw material has to acclimatise before it is worked.
Our experience
Our experience: our standard cello fingerboard has the round edge; the Romberg edge comes on request.
Our experience: our ebony rests for 6 to 10 years before it is cut. We grade our fingerboard ebony into five quality levels: standard, good, fine, 1A and selected 1A. You recognise the 1A grade by a deep black without shading or inclusions and by a dense, pore-free surface.
We have tested heat-treated substitute woods in the workshop; for knife-cut edges and clean string notches we stay with ebony.
Frequently asked questions
How high does the fingerboard of a 4/4 cello sit above the top?
Around 65 mm, measured from the top edge of the fingerboard to the top plate. Together with the bridge projection of 82 mm this gives the string height.
What is a Romberg edge?
That is the name of the C edge on a cello fingerboard; with us it is the alternative to the standard round edge.
How long is a cello fingerboard?
As a guide, 590 mm for 4/4, 550 mm for 3/4 and 510 mm for 1/2, with a width of 64 mm at the bridge end on the 4/4.
What distinguishes 1A grade ebony?
A deep black without shading or inclusions and a dense, pore-free surface. Above it sits selected 1A, the highest of our five grades.
How long has the ebony been seasoned?
6 to 10 years before it is cut.
Why is a fingerboard curved?
Because it follows the curve of the bridge, so that every string keeps the same distance from the fingerboard along its whole length.
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.