Yamaha Silent Series SVC-50 Electric Cello - Black

I bought this hoping this would make a good replacement for my acoustic cello while traveling and staying in hotels. Was disappointed to find out that it’s almost the same size (when folded) as the real cello, so would not fit in the overhead compartment on the plane. The sound is very metallic and not even close to the real thing. Also very pricey for what it is. I imagine you could do fun things on it if you play in a band (with an amp) but for a classical musician this is not an option in my opinion.

I have had an advanced student-level acoustic violoncello for several years and I bought the Yamaha Silent Cello as a backup practice instrument for after hours scales and exercises. I fell in love with it immediately when it arrived and I tried it out. I also bought a Yamaha acoustic guitar amp (THR5A) to supplement the headphones. The silent cello and guitar amp work just fine together, I love it! Now, for some observations, not entirely negative, but that the buyer should be aware of: (1) It says "Silent Cello" on the box but that's not entirely true. If you live in a house with thinly insulated, sheet rock walls, there is a possibility someone in the next room can hear you, especially if you're playing intensely on the A and D strings in the higher positions. They won't be pushed out of bed by a massive sound wave but they might hear the higher notes and after hearing 3 octave scales all night, become very irritated with your playing. Next point (2), the Silent Cello breaks down nicely and fits in a really nice padded case (Good job, Yamaha) But that doesn't mean it solves all the portability issues your acoustic cello has. Even if the case is narrower than an acoustic cello, it's still oblong. So, if you're traveling on an airplane and want to store it in the overhead compartment, it's not compact like a violin or even as short as a guitar. It's more like a thinner, lighter, golf bag. Not big enough to require an additional plane ticket, but large enough to bump into headrests or other people's heads while you try to put it in the overhead compartment. So, be careful not to irritate other passengers, I've warned you. On to point (3), there is no safe place to put it when you step away for a break while practicing. I put my acoustic cello in a cello stand or on its side away in a safe corner if I step away for a break. But with the silent cello, it has no ribs to rest on its side, so I guess you have to just lay it on a bare floor or lean it against something. Just be careful. Lastly to point (4), the strings which come from the factory are weak and substandard. ("Red Label" brand?) They soon pulled apart and disintegrated. I replaced them with at least a set of Jargar strings which sounded better anyways. I did not bother to contact Yamaha for a new set because they would just replace them with another new set of inferior Red Label strings. So, be prepared to buy your own set of good strings. Lastly, point (5), the guitar-style tuner is very easy to use, but I find myself tuning the instrument much more frequently, but then again, it could be that the new set of Jargar strings just need to be broken in.Aside from these 5 relatively minor issues, this is a wonderful instrument. It feels and sounds like an acoustic cello accurately enough to be a viable quiet practice instrument. And when hooked up to an amplifier and auxiliary accompaniment music source, it possesses lots of creative possibilities

fantastic, the deep rich sound is amazing especially that it does not have a body but just the finger board. The best part is that it is silent and could be played at all time of night. Furthermore, there is a headphone (included) that you plug in and with a line in aux you can feed in accompaniment for cello solo.

Yamaha has made this the most practical electric cello I have ever played. I regularly use it to practice. The Electronic Violin Shop really delivered - everything was ready to go when I received it.

Very good, hight quality

So let me start off by mentioning that I did not buy the SVC-50 from Amazon, I bought mine elsewhere, so I can't speak to the quality of the merchant, so this is a review of of the SVC-50 cello only.TL:DR: It's an awesome, versatile instrument!Anyways, here goes a more in depth review.I recently moved in to an apartment complex and had been practicing on my acoustic cello. Nobody complained, and I've made sure to practice not too early, not too late, but I was still paranoid. I've heard lots of horror stories about neighbors treating musicians poorly. Sometimes I would practice with a practice mute, which cuts down a fair amount of sound, but wildly distorts the cello's timbre (making it sound sort of like a string bass).I bought the SVC-50 because I wanted something quieter that I could use instead of my acoustic late at night or early in the morning, without sacrificing any timbre, and I wanted something that would be easier to travel with.As to the volume, make no mistake it is not literally silent, it does produce some ambient sound, however the volume is much quieter than practicing an acoustic cello. It sure doesn't seem like the ambient sound would carry through rooms or walls very well. To my ears, the volume sounds comparable (maybe slightly quieter) to when I use a practice mute on my acoustic. I know some people will put a practice mute on their electric cello to cut the sound down even further, but like with the acoustic, this would likely have the effect of distorting the timbre. This is because the pickup on the silent cellos is a piezo pickup that responds changes in pressure due to the vibration of the bridge.With the headphones on, the instrument sounds great, it has a very nice, warm sound, that is very similar to an acoustic cello. In fact, I don't notice much of a difference in timbre up until notes that are over an octave above open A (and even then the difference is slight). There are 3 reverberation settings to choose from: Room, Hall 1, and Hall 2, in order of increasing reverb. The reverb effects are very cool, and could certainly prepare someone for playing alone in a hall if only an acoustically-dead practice space available. That said, the reverb does sound a tad artificial, but they are still really cool, useful settings. Personally I think the Hall 2 reverb setting is too extreme, and unrealistic, so I usually use Hall 1.As for how the cello feels, the transition between my acoustic and my electric is nearly seamless. The chest and knee contact points are very realistic, and the 4th position reference is very good as well. You could close your eyes and forgot you are not holding an acoustic instrument. Despite it's minimalist appearance, it does feel very much like regular cello. The only complaint I have with mine is that the strings are a little too high off the finger board, but it is easy enough to take it a luthier to get a bridge adjustment. Mine came with Super Sensitive Red Label Strings which have the distinction of being some of the lowest quality strings you can buy. That said, it doesn't seem to matter, the instrument still sounds fantastic. I guess string choice isn't nearly as important on an electric instrument, which is pretty neat.It's pretty easy to set up. You just have to loosen the strings enough to get the bridge in place, and then you tune it up. You can even adjust the tension of the gear pegs so that the move more easily, or with more difficulty. I tightened them quite a bit, because I wanted to be able to make minute adjustments more easily.It is worth mentioning that I don't endorse the SVC-50 as a replacement for an acoustic cello. The silent cello is a little more forgiving to play with regards to left hand pressure on the strings and with bow work. Playing it exclusively might lead to, if one isn't careful, some slightly sloppy technique.Although I didn't purchase it for this purpose, the SVC-50 would be an excellent choice for amplified settings and non-classical music, because one could avoid the feedback associated with using a mic on an acoustic cello. You can also run it through any effects pedal that might be used on an electric guitar (such as distortion, overdrive, delay, chorus etc...).Anyways, Yamaha makes two other silent cellos, the 110 and the 210. Having bought my SVC-50, I see no need to spend $500 or $1000 more for one of the fancier models. The 50 already has everything I need: low volume, great sound, easier transportation. It was truly a fantastic pick for a backup instrument!

The Yamaha SVC50SK looks great and is very well made, I am just very happy with this instrument. The most important thing is that it has incredible sound, and worth every penny. I own a acoustic cello and bought this as a practice instrument but it quickly became my primary go to instrument for any event. I now enjoy playing the cello even more than before because of this instrument.Note: Stay with Yamaha...I brought a Cecilio Electric cello and return it because it had too many problems. Don't waste your time and money ..very hard to stay tune and broke far too many strings.