NGD - Eye Candy

[roadbiker]

Jim...thanks for the really cool story.  I believe the cellist to whom you sold your cello recently received a Kennedy Center Honor - I watched the program on TV.  It must be nice to know that the instrument you played when you were younger is now in the hands of such a top professional.
Bill

Bill. It is awesome to see "my" cello being played as it is now. THe concert was in October and I was offered front row seats for my wife and I. Regrettably we couldn't make it, but I have been granted "comped" seats to any concert he is playing in - in the USA or abroad. We are planing a trip to Itally to see him play in concert :-).  It might be a while, but we'll make it. In the mean time, I have seen him play live via internet from Yale.  That was really great, not as great as live, but nice none-the-less.  Hint: http://www.tokyoquartet.com/index.php

Jim

[John429]

Jim, as someone who enjoys Antique Roadshow, and seeing how excited folks get when the are surprised to find they unexpectly own something rare and valuable, I can imagine how excited you were to find out about your cello! I was wondering if you could share how your family originally got the cello (handed down in your family for generations, or maybe purchased from a music shop, etc.)? Seems like there could be an interesting story here.

[roadbiker]

Jim, as someone who enjoys Antique Roadshow, and seeing how excited folks get when the are surprised to find they unexpectly own something rare and valuable, I can imagine how excited you were to find out about your cello! I was wondering if you could share how your family originally got the cello (handed down in your family for generations, or maybe purchased from a music shop, etc.)? Seems like there could be an interesting story here.

It's a fantastic story, and getting way off track. It can be a long (good story), but I'm happy to share the part of it with you about how I inherited it...

My father's aunt's brother-in-law (you got that?) was a cellist for the RCA orchestra in the 30's and 40's, and into the 50's. The celllo was made for him in 1933. When he died (as a bachelor) the cello went to his brother, my father's uncle, who played the oboe for the same orchestra. When he died the cello was left with my father's aunt. In the mean time, I had been playing the cello from the time I was about 9 years old. When I was in High School, my father's aunt learned that I played the cello and offered it to me (I was the only musical one in the entire family, and naturally the only one who played the cello).  It was great for me to have my own instrument, and it meant that my parent's no longer had to rent one for me. We all thought it was just an old cello until a few years ago when I found out that the bows were valuable  (another interesting facet to the story) and I started looking into apprainsing it for insurance purposes. The story just gets better and better and someday I plan to put it between two covers, if you get my drift...

Jim

[Edward]

Ahhh, another "Red Violin" ...great story, indeed!  Can't wait for the movie

Edward

[michaelw]

hi Bill,
those RTs sure are beautiful -
i like the figuring of the cocobolo & the sapwood accents are great

the one opportunity i had to play a RTS1 had a swiss alpine spruce top with eirw -
to my ear, the top sounded like 'engelrondack', in that it had a bit more 'snap',
well-rounded definition in the mids & a very smooth even response ... very nice

the flamed mahogany is amazing-looking also &
i particularly like the grain on the redwood top

thanks for sharing the pics ... very

[John429]

Jim, as someone who enjoys Antique Roadshow, and seeing how excited folks get when the are surprised to find they unexpectly own something rare and valuable, I can imagine how excited you were to find out about your cello! I was wondering if you could share how your family originally got the cello (handed down in your family for generations, or maybe purchased from a music shop, etc.)? Seems like there could be an interesting story here.

It's a fantastic story, and getting way off track. It can be a long (good story), but I'm happy to share the part of it with you about how I inherited it...

My father's aunt's brother-in-law (you got that?) was a cellist for the RCA orchestra in the 30's and 40's, and into the 50's. The celllo was made for him in 1933. When he died (as a bachelor) the cello went to his brother, my father's uncle, who played the oboe for the same orchestra. When he died the cello was left with my father's aunt. In the mean time, I had been playing the cello from the time I was about 9 years old. When I was in High School, my father's aunt learned that I played the cello and offered it to me (I was the only musical one in the entire family, and naturally the only one who played the cello).  It was great for me to have my own instrument, and it meant that my parent's no longer had to rent one for me. We all thought it was just an old cello until a few years ago when I found out that the bows were valuable  (another interesting facet to the story) and I started looking into apprainsing it for insurance purposes. The story just gets better and better and someday I plan to put it between two covers, if you get my drift...

Jim

I had a feeling there was a good story. Thanks for sharing it, Jim!

[Guitar Rodeo]

Wow, what a tale. Nice guitars too.