Parts of a Cello: Labeled Diagram and What Each Part Does

A cello has the same family of parts as a violin, just much bigger, and it is played sitting down with the instrument standing between your knees. Knowing the names of the parts makes lessons easier. A teacher will say "set your endpin a little longer," "bow halfway between the bridge and the fingerboard," or "turn the fine tuner on the A string." This guide walks down the cello from top to bottom, the same way the diagram above does, and explains what each part does in plain words. The parts are the same on every size of cello, from the small sizes made for children to a full-size 4/4.

The scroll and pegbox

• Scroll. The carved spiral at the very top. It does not change the sound. It is the maker's signature piece of carving. When you play, it sits beside your head, just past your left shoulder.
• Pegbox. The open box just below the scroll. Each string winds around its peg inside it. When you change a string, this is where the new string goes in.
• Pegs. Also called tuning pegs. There are four, two on each side of the pegbox, one for each string. Each peg is slightly tapered and held by friction, so you push it gently inward as you turn it to keep it from slipping. Turning a peg tightens or loosens its string: tighter makes the note higher, looser makes it lower. The pegs are for bigger tuning changes.
• Nut. The small raised strip where the pegbox meets the fingerboard. It has a groove for each string and holds the strings at the right height and spacing. It is one end of the part of the string that vibrates; the bridge is the other end.

The neck and fingerboard

• Neck. The wooden arm between the scroll and the body. Your left hand moves up and down it to play different notes. The rounded block where the neck meets the body is called the heel; on a cello it is a useful landmark for your hand as you move higher up the neck.
• Fingerboard. The long smooth strip, usually black, glued on top of the neck. You press the strings down against it to change the note. Like the violin, the cello has no frets, so your ear and practice decide exactly where each finger goes. Many beginners start with small tape strips on the fingerboard as guides. The fingerboard is often ebony, or a hardwood stained black.
• Strings. Four strings, tuned C, G, D and A. The thick C string plays the lowest notes and the thinner A string plays the highest. Cello strings are much thicker and longer than violin strings, which is where the cello's deep, warm voice comes from.

The body

• Body. The large hollow wooden box. When you bow a string, the string shakes the bridge, the bridge shakes the thin wooden top, and the body turns that small movement into the sound you hear. The top is usually spruce; the back, sides and neck are usually maple.
• Top, back and ribs. The top is the front face with the f-holes, facing the audience when you play. The back is the other face, and its upper part rests lightly against your chest. The ribs are the sides that join the top and back. A cello's ribs are much deeper than a violin's, which gives it a bigger air space inside and a lower, fuller sound.
• Upper bout. The rounded top part of the body, near the neck.
• C-bouts (the waist). The two inward curves in the middle of the body, shaped like the letter C. They make room for the bow, so you can play the outside strings without hitting the edge of the cello.
• Lower bout. The widest part of the body, at the bottom. When you play, the edges of the lower bout rest against the inside of your knees.
• Corners. The four pointed tips where the C-bouts meet the upper and lower bouts.
• F-holes. The two openings in the top shaped like a fancy letter f. They let the sound out of the body and let the top move more freely. The small notches in the middle of each f-hole show where the bridge feet should stand.
• Purfling. The thin inlaid line that runs just inside the edge of the top and the back. It looks like a painted border, but it is made of thin strips of wood set into a channel. It is decorative, and it also helps stop small cracks at the edge from spreading.

The bridge, tailpiece and endpin

• Bridge. The thin carved piece of maple standing on the top between the f-holes. It holds the strings up off the body and passes their vibration into the top. The bridge is not glued; the pressure of the strings holds it in place. Its top edge is curved, so you can bow one string at a time. A cello bridge is taller than a violin bridge, with longer legs. Check now and then that it stands straight and is not leaning toward the fingerboard.
• Fine tuners. The small metal screws on the tailpiece. Turning one makes a tiny change in its string's pitch, much easier than turning a peg. Student cellos usually have a fine tuner on all four strings; many advanced players keep only one, on the A string.
• Tailpiece. The dark piece at the bottom of the strings that anchors them. It does not touch the top. A loop of cord or wire, called the tailgut, holds it to the bottom of the cello, passing over a small hard block at the bottom edge called the saddle.
• Endpin. The metal rod at the very bottom. It slides in and out of the body and is locked at the right length with a small screw, so the cello sits at the right height for your body. The tip is sharp to grip the floor, so most cellists put it in a rubber cap or a small anchor, often called a rock stop, to keep it from slipping or marking the floor. Slide the endpin back in before you put the cello in its case.

There is no chinrest on a cello. A violin is held under the chin, but a cello stands on its endpin, so a chinrest has no job to do.

The hidden parts inside the cello

Two important parts sit inside the body, where you can only glimpse them through the f-holes:

• Sound post. A wooden dowel standing between the top and the back, near the foot of the bridge on the A-string side. It is not glued; it is held in place by pressure. It carries vibration from the top to the back and supports the top against the pull of the strings. If it falls over, loosen the strings and take the cello to a repair shop. Do not try to set it yourself.
• Bass bar. A long strip of wood glued under the top, beneath the bridge foot on the C-string side. It strengthens the top and helps the low notes sound full.

Cello string names

A cello's four strings, from the lowest to the highest, are:

C · G · D · A

Each string is tuned five notes (a "fifth") above the one before it. The C string is the thickest and plays the lowest notes. The A string is the thinnest and plays the highest. A fun way to remember the order is Cows Go Down Alleys.

The viola uses the same four names, C, G, D and A, one octave higher than the cello. The violin's strings are G, D, A and E. See the parts of a violin for how the smaller instrument compares. Most cellists tune by playing the A string first, matching it to a tuner or a piano, then tuning the other strings to it.

How the parts help you hold the cello

Many of the cello's parts make more sense once you see how a cellist sits:

• Sit on the front edge of a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
• Set the endpin so the cello is the right height for you, and rest its tip on the floor in front of you, in its rubber cap or rock stop.
• Let the lower bout rest against your knees, gently holding the cello steady from both sides.
• Lean the upper back of the cello lightly against your chest. The neck sits near your left shoulder, with the scroll beside your head.
• Bow between the bridge and the end of the fingerboard. Your teacher will show you the best spot for each string and each sound.

The parts of the bow

The bow is not attached to the cello, but it is half of how you play. A cello bow is shorter, thicker and heavier than a violin bow. Its parts:

• Stick. The long, gently curved rod. It is traditionally made of pernambuco or brazilwood, and many student and professional bows are carbon fiber. The stick curves slightly toward the hair, which gives the bow its spring.
• Hair. The flat ribbon of horsehair, or synthetic hair on some bows, that you draw across the strings. Bare hair barely makes a sound. You rub rosin, a hard block of tree resin, along it so it grips the string and makes it vibrate. Cello rosin is usually a little softer and stickier than violin rosin, to help the hair grip the thicker strings.
• Frog. The block at the end you hold. It anchors one end of the hair, and your thumb rests near it. The frog slides a little when you turn the screw.
• Screw. Also called the adjuster or button. The knob at the very end of the bow. Turning it moves the frog to tighten or loosen the hair. Tighten before you play, and loosen the hair after you play, every time, so the stick keeps its curve.
• Grip and thumb leather. The wrapping and small leather pad just above the frog. They give your fingers a comfortable place to hold and protect the stick.
• Tip. Also called the head. The far end of the bow, where the other end of the hair is fixed. It is often protected by a small white plate.

Cello sizes

Cellos come in fractional sizes so younger players can reach comfortably. A full-size cello is called 4/4, and smaller sizes include 3/4, 1/2 and 1/4. Every size has exactly the same parts; only the measurements change. Most teens and adults play a 4/4. To find the right size, see our size chart for violin, viola and cello.

Cellos to learn the parts on

Every cello below has the parts described in this guide, and each comes with a bag and a bow. Prices and stock update automatically.

Good to know: an electric cello like the Stagg ECL keeps the neck, fingerboard, strings, bridge and endpin, but replaces the big hollow body with a slim solid maple body and a pickup, and tunes with geared machine heads instead of friction pegs. It is a great way to see the playing parts up close and practice quietly.

See every cello we carry on our cellos page, or browse all orchestral strings. Not sure which size? Start with the cello size chart.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main parts of a cello?

The scroll, pegbox and pegs at the top; the neck and fingerboard in the middle; and the body, with its f-holes, bridge, tailpiece and fine tuners, plus the endpin at the bottom. Inside the body are the sound post and the bass bar.

What are the 4 strings on a cello?

From the lowest to the highest: C, G, D, A. Each is tuned a fifth above the one before. A common way to remember them is "Cows Go Down Alleys."

What is the spike at the bottom of a cello called?

The endpin. It slides out of the body and locks with a small screw, so you can set the cello at the right height. Its tip rests on the floor, usually in a rubber cap or a rock stop so it does not slip.

Does a cello have a chinrest?

No. A violin and viola are held under the chin, so they need one. A cello stands on its endpin and rests against your knees and chest, so it has no chinrest.

Is the bridge on a cello glued?

No. The pressure of the strings holds it in place. That is why it can lean over time as strings are tuned; check that it stands straight, and ask a teacher or repair person to straighten it if it leans.

What is the difference between a cello and a violin?

They have the same family of parts, but the cello is much bigger, has deeper sides, and is played sitting down, standing on its endpin. Its strings, C, G, D and A, sound much lower than the violin's G, D, A and E. A violin has a chinrest; a cello does not.