Here are some of the beautiful one piece cello backs I have ready to use. They are of European Bird's Eye Maple, Willow, English Sycamore, and Poplar. One of the bird's eye maple backs is shown on its own, with its deep, broad and sloping figure with a scattering of bird's eye.  It will make a stunning instrument.
The average piece is about 3 feet / 1 metre long half that wide and about 45 mm thick. The maple backs weigh considerably more in this state than a finished cello.

The Ladies size violin I have been making  should be finished this week. Photos in the next blog.

This is the small "Ladies Size", or 7/8 ths, violin that I have been making. This follows several requests for a smaller violin. The back length is 348m. The model has proportionally reduced stop and string lengths, together with a slightly narrower and less deep neck, making for ease of playing for those with smaller or less flexible hands. The volume of the finished violin should be very little different from standard size violins. Indeed several famous del Gesu Guarneri violins are only 350mm back length.

 The wood for this violin is split alpine spruce of the very best quality; It is both light and stiff - ideal for fiddle fronts. The back is some stunning Romanian Maple I have had stored for some years.
This violin should be ready in about a month's time, and is currently available.

The new cello is now finished, and with it's new owner.  It has a deep, warm, and carrying tone.

This shot shows the cello having it's bridge fitted.  Here I have rough fitted the bridge to adjust the string heights, essential for comfortable and accurate playing. The feet are fitted, and the finer finishing  is done next. The image gives some idea of the beautiful red glow the varnish has in certain lights over the darker willow.  The red colour is given by madder pigment that I make in the workshop. In oil varnish it is transparent. The colour changes in different lights in the same manner as Classic Old Italian varnish.

As a note of interest, the endpin is beautifully hand-made. The spike is made from steel tubing with a wall thickness of only 1 mm., rather than a solid rod, and the point on the bottom end is a separate item  that is screwed into the tube. It is reversible - a point on each end - so you can always have a sharp end. A great design.
It is made by Stewart Bain in Sheffield.