Best Gifts for Cello Players

If you have a friend or family member who plays the cello, you probably want the best gifts for cello players when Christmas comes around, on birthdays, or just that moment you want to show how much you care. To help you decide on the best possible gifts, we have included a list of top selections perfect for intermediate to advanced players and any occasion.

Bottom line upfront

The bottom line up front is that your gift should be some sort of complementary accessory your cellist uses all the time or a complimentary accessory they want but haven’t purchased for themselves. I recommend new strings or new rosin for the first category and a new music stand, cello stand, case, or cello chair for the second category.

Selection Criteria

Every item I selected for each category was based on what a cellist needs most of the time. A good gift can be something they already use, and you know they need more of, like rosin or replacement strings. It can also be an upgraded version of what they currently have, like better strings or a better travel case.

All of the items I have picked are top of the line, suitable for professionals down to beginners. As a professional, some of the products might be the bare minimum, whereas they represent a significant upgrade for a beginner. This makes it perfect for any family member or friend.

New Strings

The cost of strings has risen over the last few years, and many musicians cannot replace their strings as regularly as they should. You can’t play the cello without good strings, so this is always a sound investment when looking for the best gifts for cello players.

Some, like myself, are just so frugal that they refuse to change as regularly as they should because of how much the strings cost. So if you have a friend like me, a great gift would be the gift they won’t purchase for themselves but so desperately need: new strings. 

I recommend the following:

Pirastro Gold Label Cello Strings

Pirastro Gold Label Cello Strings remains one of the most popular brands for professionals. I especially like it if you just want to buy one or two strings. Gut strings are the best strings in terms of material. Usually, these are reserved for professionals, and I would strongly advise against buying for a child.

However, if you have a cellist with any experience, you can help them upgrade their strings to the Gold Label. This line helps round out harmonies, gives substantial volume, and provides that quintessential, bright gut sound. This brand is highly regarded for the tunnel flexibility of its professional strings. 

Pros

• The strings are medium gauge
• They provide a lot of volume
• The sound can easily blend into a group
• Bright, gut sound

Cons

• You cannot buy a set

Professional-Grade Rosin

Rosin is something a cellist uses on their cello bow to create friction. It’s something that any stringed musician has to go through regularly. If you buy for a beginner, they might use their rosin once or twice per week, whereas an advanced player will use rosin every day. It does not matter whether your cellist invests in rosin every month or year.

Getting the top-quality, professional-grade rosin can serve as a delightful treat. In my mind, rosin is the musical equivalent of socks or your favorite shampoo; it is not necessarily something you ask for as a gift, but when it comes, you are incredibly grateful because it saves you one more trip to the store.

I recommend the following:

Pirastro Goldflex Rosin

If you are getting a gift, you might as well spend the extra money to get something that is top quality. If you have a friend or family member who plays the cello, they probably cut corners now and again by getting rudimentary or beginner-grade rosin, but you can get professional-grade rosin.

The Pirastro Goldflex Rosin is perfect for professionals, especially those who play in an orchestra or chamber ensemble and need that brighter tone. The higher quality rosin comes with gold flecks, giving increased friction conducive to a classical sound heard above other instruments. 

Pros

• Pirastro is a great brand
• Professional grade rosin
• It gives a warmer tone

Cons

• It might not work for a beginner who has beginner strings

Speakers 

A great set of speakers is always a complimentary gift for any musician, especially a cellist. You don’t need a set of speakers to play the cello (unless you have an electric cello), but it’s the perfect gift for people who like to make and record their music or have recordings from their band or band school quartet.

Not all speakers are made the same, and some speakers are much better suited for classical music or chamber music where a cello is heavily featured. This is a beautiful gift to consider if you have a musician in your family or close group of friends who too often listen to music with their earbuds or pipe through their laptop speakers.

I recommend the following:

Electro-Voice ZXA1-90 Powered PA Speaker Black w/Pig Hog PHM25 Xlr to XLR 25ft.

The Electro-Voice speaker is an amplified loudspeaker system that is very portable. It is designed so that musicians can take it with them from one place to another with high output and no distortion. A compressor driver inside provides a smoother response compared to other sound systems.

There are multiple line levels and a place for a microphone so that you can connect things like additional speakers, subwoofers, or other tools. The exterior design takes on a 90 degree by 50-degree rotation. It comes with a 25-foot cable which is likely good enough for just about any room where it is set up. 

Pros

• Designed with a 90 by 50-degree coverage pattern, it emits full sound centered around the listener
• 8 inches high output subwoofer and 1in compression tweeter
• It has extra connection ports in the back and a 25-foot long cable

Cons

• Smaller and portable, which does not fit people who want a permanent set up in their space

Cello Bench

A cello is a large instrument, and most people play the cello while sitting down. If you know someone who plays the cello awkwardly positioned at the kitchen table, the perfect gift might be a cello bench where they can sit and play in a dedicated space. 

I recommend the following:

Vivo ADJUSTRITE

The Vivo ADJUSTRITE is an adjustable, comfortable cello chair. It has everything you need to sit at home and practice, including a soft backrest, adjustable legs to be as physically comfortable as possible while playing, and a wedge fabric cushion. You do not have to know how to play the cello to appreciate that having a comfortable chair is good in any situation. I used to play from my piano bench because I couldn’t afford a dedicated cello chair as well.

But once I went away to college, I invested in this chair, and it made playing the cello profoundly more comfortable because I am relatively short and, therefore, could adjust the height as I needed. 

Pros

• Legs adjust at one-inch increments
• Foldable so you can take it on the road
• It has a wedge cushion

Cons

• A bit on the pricey side, but a worthwhile investment if you can afford it

Cello Case

Everyone needs a place to store their cello and transport it safely. If you are buying for an adult musician or a child or grandchild in high school, they need a good, strong case. Most younger musicians start with a soft case, but a tremendously thoughtful gift is a reliable hard case that makes it easy to transport. 

Aileen 4/4 Full-Size Luxury

The Aileen 4/4 Full-Size Luxury is a luxurious fiberglass glass. This material means it is strong and won’t easily be damaged, but it only weighs five pounds. A cello is a large instrument, and it weighs quite a bit, so it is essential that the case not add a lot of extra weight if it does not have to.

It is also a professional-grade case, so it has a built-in hygrometer that checks moisture levels and accessory compartments to hold things like shoulder rests and bows. There are multiple ways to transport it, whether slung over the shoulder, worn as a backpack, or pulled with the handle like a piece of luggage.

Pros

• It has durable metal latches
• There are three ways it can be transported
• It is lightweight
• It has a built-in hygrometer which is very important for professionals
• Strong, durable construction

Cons

• It is a bit pricier than other cello cases
• It is only available in colors, not plain black

Cello Stand

The person for whom you are buying the gift might already have a case that they love, but they do not have a way to display their cello when they are at home. For this reason, you can ask what size cello they have and find a uniquely designed, aesthetically pleasing cello stand.

I recommend the following:

Strad Ornate Carved Wooden Cello

If the person for whom you are purchasing the gift has a high-quality instrument, they deserve an equally high-quality stand on which to display their instrument when not in use. The Strad Ornate Carved wooden cello stand is truly a piece of art. This is the cello stand I have at home. I purchased it because we have hardwood floors with a lot of oak furniture, so the ornately designed wooden stand fits the furniture beautifully, much better than the foldable metal stands that are all too common.

This is not a portable design; it is meant to be where your instrument lives unless you take your cello on the road, so do not buy this for a grandchild who needs a portable cello stand for school.

Pros

• Hand-carved
• A beautiful piece of wood
• Displays the entire instrument

Cons

• No safety on the sides, so if you aren’t careful, it can be knocked over
• No bow holder

Cello Shirts

Growing up, I had a choir teacher who made it his life’s work to overwhelm his students with puns. At the time, it was sort of funny but a little bit silly (ok, mostly silly). Now that I am older than my music teacher was then (yikes!) I love music puns. I am also a big fan of thematic clothing, shirts from places I have vacationed, or shirts relevant to my hobby. Music shirts mean I have something to wear when I go to rehearsals. While there are dozens of different cello t-shirts, I am a big fan of the music puns.

I recommend the following:

Cello Player T-Shirt

This Cello Player T-Shirt is perfectly punny. It comes in many different sizes for men and women and has more colors than I could wear. But more importantly, I like that it is fun, silly, and appropriate. Anyone who plays the cello will love the treble pun it has. It is also a very comfortable shirt that can easily be put in the wash without damage, and it comes highly recommended by users. 

Pros

• Punny
• Lots of colors and sizes available
• Comfortable material

Cons

• Only short-sleeved

FAQ

Bottomline

The bottom line is when buying the best gifts for cello players, trust your instincts and do not be afraid to ask what types of strings they use, whether or not they have a case that they like, and so on. Questions like these can help you find the best gifts for that situation, whether something brand-new like a set of speakers or an upgrade like new rosin.