Where to buy a good cello in Amsterdam
Finding a good cello in Amsterdam is not easy. Finding a good cello anywhere is not easy. And Amsterdam is not really known for its long classical music history. But I found the needle in the haystack!
I needed a cello temporarily to hire last year so I searched high and low for a real cello specialist, and not a chain manufacturer selling straight-from-the-factory-in-China-cellos. Then I found it. Muziekatelier Amsterdam located in North East Amsterdam run by a lovely Dutch cellist named Ascon van der Westen.
The atelier has cellos ranging from student models from €600 to mid-range to beautiful antique 1900′s French, Italian, and German cellos even up to €24,000 (ouch!). Bows, cases, accessories and smaller members of the string family are also available.
The photos below are of the gorgeous beauty I called mine for some time. It has performed with me with Imogen Heap and also has a few cameo appearances on YouTube here and here.
Oh, and they also sell double basses!
Muziekatelier Amsterdam
Ascon van der Westen
Stromarkt 37
1012 SW Amsterdam
tel. 06-15126536
---UPDATE 19 APRIL 2018: Ascon as moved his Atelier to a new location outside Amsterdam---
Muziekatelier N'Holland
Ascon van der Westen
Rechtestraat 45
1483 BB De Rijp
tel. 06-15126536
strijkinstrumenten@hotmail.com
GIG REVIEW: Hanging with Kaki King at Bimhuis
Like BFFs with Kaki King. Haha.
I saw Kaki King perform in 2009 in Melbourne and that was not her best gig. More than two years on, without her band, and in Amsterdam’s most beautiful venue for jazz and improvisation, Bimhuis, I was ready to give her another chance. When my friend Laura and I walked towards the entrance and saw this spectacular view over 'het ij', I already knew this gig was going to be special.
Kaki had four guitars, including her custom-made seven-string from West Virginia, 6-stringOvation Adamas 1581-KK, 12-string Gryphon, and a Taylor guitar her dad gave her. She played each one by one, like a singer-songwriter evening in a round.
Kaki was in a great mood. It was the first stop of her solo European tour and she said she really loved Amsterdam. Holland in general. How she was amazed by Dutch architechture and how Bimhuis is held up only by two pillars. The first song she played was Bone Chaos in The Castle and she said she named that song after a friend who broke their collarbone. The rest of the set was fantastic, with Kaki’s funny introductions and amazing us with her mesmerising instrumental music.
REVIEW: BOSS ME-50 (used for cello)
It has taken me a few years to get going, first an appropriate amplifying system, next a BOSS RC-20 Loop Station and finally, I’m happy to announce I now have an effects pedal, BOSS ME-50 given to me by my favourite Dingo Bird! It’s not easy being a cellist in modern times.
I don’t have so much to ‘review’ yet, since I’m still learning (and I don’t have an amp yet… hahaha so I just listen through headphones, not exactly the desired sound for a crunch distortion. But here are my impressions so far:
- This works great for cello, even though it’s a guitar pedal
- It has an in-built tuner, now I’ll feel so cool to tune my cello between songs on stage (what ever happened to tuning by ear?)
- Reverb options are Room, Hall, Spring or Mod – necessary for a cellist to have reverb!
- Favourite modulation setting so far is harmonist - automatically tunes a specified interval e.g. major 3rd above every note played
- Delay function is neat with tap function or 2 sec memory – still need time to work out its best uses
- Overdrive/Distortion are probably the least effects I will use, have no idea what a Ibanez TS-808 TUBESCREAMER or FUZZFACE are supposed to sound like.
- Sturdy design
- There are knobs for each effect section – and no menus to scroll through
- Easy to turn on and off effects with the 3 foot-switches
- The big black pedal on the side can be used for volume or one of 6 expression options such as +1 octave/ -1 octave (very fun, now I can finally be that jazz double bassist I’ve always dreamed of being)
So far I can say for a cellist it's only good for reverb, delay and live as a pre-amp or volume. More on this soon. Perhaps a video demo if you’re lucky… or yet another version of Bird’s Lament? hahaha…
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REVIEW: 32 key Belcanto Melodica
So now we know hipsters wear Kånken backpacks and listen to music with WeSC headphones, ever wondered what instrument hipsters play in their hipster band? The Melodica. A piano-like, accordian-sounding keyboard with a mouth piece or long tube that you blow into. This instrument is so versatile. It can play as background fuzz, solos or beautiful harmonies. Watch out cello, I think you have a rival.
Ok ok. It’s not a Hohner Melodica but now I have one. And it’s red.