Domenico Montagnana Cello

Domenico Montagnana (1686-1750) was an Italian instrument maker noted for his violins and especially for his cellos. He lived and worked in Venice from about 1699. Montagnana is believed to have been the pupil and assistant of Matteo Goffriller and to have opened his own instrument-making shop about 1711. After some years he began to establish a reputation for superior quality instruments.

The Montagnana is one of the most popular models. The cello outline is very wide and short, approximately a centimeter shorter than the cello's made by Stradivarius. The width between the C bouts (approximately 2 cemtimeters wider than the cello's of Stradivarius) gives the cello a very broad, dark sound that projects evenly and warmly. This model is also known for its deep, booming bass. The sound has a clear warm projection in a hall without being harsh. It is well suited for Chamber music, and string quartet, since it lends a strong bass without overpowering the other players.

The pictures shown here are on an original Montagnana cello, not one made by the luthiers bench

Montagnana 1739 'Sleping beauty' Cello

Montagnana 1740 Cello

Specifications

Un-named Cello (1742)
Body Length: 74.5 cm.
Upper Bout: 37.5 cm.
Center Bout: 25.3 cm.
Lower Bout: 45.8 cm.

Specifications Montagnana 1739 'Sleeping Beauty' Cello

Measurements (all in millimeters and taken with a calliper, i.e. straight, not over the arch)

The following measurements reflect the present day setup of the instrument and may not have been the original settings.

Available colors

(colors can also be mixed to create other colors)

Amber	Brown	Dark Brown	Golden Brown
Golden yellow	Red Brown	Red	yellow