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Electric Cellos

Electric Violin Shop has the largest in-stock selection of electric cellos anywhere in the world. From traditional shapes familiar and comfortable to classical cellists, such as the Yamaha SVC-110, to "stick cellos" from NS Design and Vector Instruments, to wild shapes like the Wood Violins Cobra, we're bound to have the perfect electric cello for the adventurous cellist ready to make the leap to a solid-body instrument.

Some electric cellos are small enough to be carry-on bags for flying, and some offer shoulder straps and support systems to allow you to cavort on stage, just like electric guitarists have always done! Several makers even offer a five or six string electric cello - if you want to give bass players some honest competition! Be sure to choose an amp that can accurately reproduce the deeper pitches of electric cellos, especially if you play a 5 or 6-string electric cello. We are always adding to our inventory - even if you don't see it on our site, call us!

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Bridge Draco Electric Cello

Originally designed and hand-crafted in the UK, the gorgeous Draco cellos from Bridge Instruments are now made in the Far East. We've noticed no appreciable difference in build quality or tone since the change -- the biggest difference is the price, which went down, making the Bridge Draco electric cello among the most affordable of the fully professional cellos on the market. Built from a carbon-fiber and Kevlar&0174 composite, the semi hollow-body Draco electric cello has a bold, curvy shape and is available in a range of attractive, colorful metallic finishes. Just adding one of these electric cellos to your arsenal will ramp up your stage presence, but these beauties are not all form and no function. The sinuous body shape of the Bridge Draco electric cellos faithfully reproduces all of the physical reference points of your acoustic cello, so playing the Draco feels like "home".

Excellent electronics and the semi hollow-body design ensure a strong, rich tone, very true to the sound of an acoustic cello. The overall tone is perhaps a tiny bit edgier, reminding you that you're playing an electric cello. The Draco feels and sounds enough like your acoustic that you'll need the reminder. We've been waiting for almost two years to get electric cellos from Bridge, but the Draco has finally arrived, and we're pleased to be able to offer our customers these unique and beautiful instruments. As always, while we have more electric cellos in stock and ready to play than any other shop in the world, many of these instruments are in high demand, so call us to ensure that the Bridge Draco electric cello of your dreams is still available.

Epoch CP4 Acoustic-Electric Cello

Hailing from Australia, this wonder from Down Under is a real stunner, in its gorgeous yellow pearl finish. A perfect instrument for a classical cellist who's more comfortable with a full-bodied cello, but needs something more durable for outdoor gigs, as well as a highly feedback-resistant amplified cello for the stage. The CP-4 is made from carbon fiber and wood, for a lightweight but strong body that yields a surprisingly warm and natural tone with excellent projection for an instrument with a painted body.

As good as it sounds unplugged, the Epoch cello really shines when you plug it in. Paired with a good-quality acoustic instrument amplifier, the Epoch CP-4 really opens up, giving you an accurate acoustic cello sound at any volume, and with a low instance of feedback. A Class-A active pickup system and preamp with separate on-board volume, bass, and treble controls ensure that amplified tone is outstanding. And nothing matches the stage presence of a cello that looks like it's made of gold!

NS Design Electric Cellos

The NS Design Electric Cello is one of the sleekest e-cello designs on the market. Formerly only custom made in the US, Ned Steinberger now has them made in the Czech Republic (where they have been making instruments for centuries). He is so happy with the quality that he has discontinued the US models ('though Electric Violin Shop has acquired one of the last five string US Cellos, signed by maker Ned Steinberger -- call for availability).

The NS Cello has an even more authentic acoustic tone than his bass. Mildly amplified, people are surprised when they discover you're not playing an acoustic cello! A three-position selector switch and separate volume, bass, and treble controls give the player enormous flexibility and control, allowing you to shape your tone before it goes out to the amp or mixing board. Includes a 1/8" headphone jack for "silent" practice, as well as a protective gig bag, and a versatile stand that allows you to play seated or standing!

In addition to the four string model, the Ned Steinberger Electric Cello is also available as a five-string, either with high E or low F, and a six string tuned F-C-G-D-A-E.

Vector Electric Cellos

We've always been big fans of the Prodigy violins hand-made by Nick Tipney of Vector Instruments. Vector also offers a solid-body electric cellos, available in two models. The larger Allegro cello is quite similar in appearance to the Prodigy electric violin, with a thin maple top arched over a central spine and body made of black walnut. We don't often have an Allegro cello in-stock, but we're always happy to special-order one for our customers, in your choice of opaque painted or transparent stained finishes.

The model we're most likely to have in-stock is Nick's "travel" cello, the small, lightweight Vector Cellette. At only four pounds, it's the lightest electric cello on the market, and it stows in a gig bag so small that it will conveniently fit in the overhead compartment of almost any airplane.

Equipped with a Barbera Transducer Systems bridge, this little cello has a big sound! Rich, warm, and full, the Cellette's tone easily rivals or surpasses that of any of its heftier, less portable competitors. The Cellette comes with an endpin kit, chest brace, and knee outriggers that allow traditional cellists to quickly feel at home with the instrument. However, it can also be used with a shoulder strap system, for cellists who are on the move on-stage as well as off!

Wood Violins Cobra Cello

For the cellist who demands on-stage mobility, rock-solid stability while cavorting on-stage, and a great bowing angle, the dramatically-shaped Cobra cello from Wood Violins may be the answer to your prayers. The included shoulder strap is a modified bass drum carrier -- while it takes some playing with to get it adjusted properly and is a little heavier than some other systems, once you adjust it, the Cobra is held firmly in place. You can move confidently, standing or seated, and the cello moves with you while preserving an excellent angle relative to the torso, perfect for bowing.

All Wood Cobras come with Barbera transducer bridges, so your sound will be big and rich enough to match your stage presence. Available fretless or fretted, in four, five, and six string models and an endless array of custom colors, exotic wood veneers, and finishes. At the moment, the Cobra we have in stock is a six-string fretless model, with a Turquoise Quilt exotic top.

Yamaha Electric Cellos

The Yamaha Silent Electric Cellos preserve all the contact points of a normal cello - especially the heel of the neck, which is an important reference point for shifting to the higher positions. Tone is good for an electric cello, and the wood bridge must be modified to play like your current cello (a service Electric Violin Shop performs for free).

Our most popular Yamaha electric cello, the Yamaha SVC-210 Compact Electric Cello folds down into a smaller size for easy traveling, yet unfolds to provide the needed body contact points.

Designed with the same acoustic resonating chamber as the SVC-110, its sound is also quite warm and rich, but the SVC-210 is designed to be just a little "edgier", especially when paired with amplifiers designed for electric guitars. If you're looking for a cello for rock, jazz, or experimental music, this won't be an issue, but if you want more authentic cello tone, ask us for our amp recommendations to smooth the very slight rough edges off of the SVC-210, and give you a warmer, more natural acoustic cello tone.

The Yamaha SVC-110 Studio Acoustic Body Cello is the most naturally acoustic-sounding electric cello Yamaha has ever produced. With the bridge and pickup bed mounted over a hollow resonating chamber, the SVC-110 has a warmth and depth to its tone that, when paired with a good acoustic amplifier, will convince the casual listener in the next room that you're playing an acoustic cello. The full outline of the left bout gives you the same physical reference points as your acoustic cello, so it feels quite natural, too.

Yamaha's entry-level offering, the Yamaha SVC-50, is the least-expensive electric cello we've found that we're comfortable recommeding to our customers. A true solid-body instrument, there is no resonating chamber beneath the bridge and pickup bed, as there is in Yamaha's other electric cellos. Fit and finish are excellent, with a classic gloss black finish for a strong visual impact.

The knee brace section is removable, to make it smaller for traveling, and the knee outriggers, chest brace, and upper bout indicator make it feel quite natural to classically-trained players. The SVC-50 offers the player who wants to try an electric cello without breaking the bank a no-compromise compact electric cello for less than $1500.

Jordan Electric Cellos

John Jordan's cello preserves the necessary heel shape of the neck so you can find your way when shifting. The knee supports fall in just the right place, so you feel like you are playing an acoustic cello. He recently re-invented his electric cello design. His new asymmetrical shape looks outrageous, yet preserves all the normal body contact points of the cello. It is not collapsible, so it needs a standard cello hardshell case. Check it out at John's site If a Jordan cello is in your budget, let us work with you to choose the perfect options for your style.

Availability We always have an exceptional selection of electric cellos in-stock. It's rare for us not to have, at the very least, all three Yamaha models and the NS Design cello in four, five, and six string models; the rest of our cellos are more custom-made and built-to-order, and can include anything from a Vector Cellette to a Wood Violins Cobra cello to the Epoch acoustic-electric cello. If you place an e-commerce order and there might be a delay in sending it, we'll call or email to confirm. As always, please feel free to call us if there's a specific instrument you're interested in.