| Author |
Comment |
rossm001
Registered User
Posts: 4
(7/30/01 10:00:29 am)
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Gliga "Maestro"
cello
Hi Everyone,
I'm looking for some info and feedback
regarding the above cello. The one I'm
interested in is
supposedly the top of the line of this Romanian builder.
I had
the opportunity to buy one locally but there was no label in the
instrument even
though when I wrote the builder's shop they said
that it is almost impossible for that
instrument to leave the
shop without an interior label. Anyone have any experience
with a
"missing' label? Also, do these dealers who advertise 7-day
money-back guarantees
really refund all your money if not
satisfied with the instrument?
Thanks,
Jeff Rossman
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CelloBass
Registered User
Posts: 29
(7/30/01 7:40:27 pm)
Reply
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Re: Gliga
"Maestro" cello
2 weeks ago I bought a "Professional" which is one step below the
Maestro. According Gliga the only difference is that the Maestro is
build by Gliga himself, but the wood etc. should be the same. I had
to take it to the luthier because the soundpost had fallen during
the transport, so I couldn't play it yet. I bought it "blind"
because it was a bargain. It has a label, handwritten. Check the
fingerboard. Mine was loose and wavy that you could feel it with
your bare fingers. Also, the Thomastik strings were no real
Thomastiks but fakes. My luthier was impressed by the wood, but it
will cost me another 400$ to get it into a good playable condition.
If it will sound OK, I will not complain. I would say, the basic
body of the instrument seems to be very good, but the setup
including the parts delivered by Gliga are of minor quality. For
example, the screws of the finetuners are rusty because they don't
attach a real brand metal tailpiece but a fake.
Horst
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Ellen
G 
Registered User
Posts: 828
(7/30/01 8:25:59 pm)
Reply
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Re: Gliga
"Maestro" cello
I've posted on these cellos a few times so I hate to do it again,
but I can tell you what the feedback here is if you want to click on
the profile and e-mail me. Very similar to what Horst had to say.
The stories have a happy ending, by the way.
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CelloBass
Registered User
Posts: 30
(7/31/01 1:28:06 pm)
Reply
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Re: Gliga
"Maestro" cello
Ellen,
I have heard that the tone of the Gligas is a bit
dark. What strings do you usually put on Gliga Gama cellos? Does
'happy ending' mean that they turn out to sound good? 
Horst
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Ellen
G
Registered User
Posts: 830
(7/31/01 4:27:07 pm)
Reply
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Re: Gliga
"Maestro" cello
This is an uncomfortable area for me to discuss on the board
because I have my own information and experience in addition to a
lot of people who have shared their experiences as well. I tend to
talk sometimes as if everyone knows all the background, and that's
when things get real confusing on a public forum.
I did try
responding to some of you through EZBoard but the message box is
full. I don't know if you'll hear from me or not. Not my fault!
In a nutshell what I am trying to say is that people who
receive a non-upgraded Gliga will most likely not be impressed with
the instrument. The money spent on upgrading, if it is done well,
should be worth it if your results are similar to ours. What you
need to do to fairly evaluate the cello is have one which is set up
for you so you can play it against similarly priced cellos, as well
as those in the next price level.
If you are forced to
purchase the cello, then start fixing it up, you are in a
nonenviable position. I am not a bargain hunter and would not go
this route. Selecting cellos are like picking friends. They require
time in a lot of circumstances to see if they are good friends or
fair-weather. Purchasing one and speculating on what it may be
capable of..... no.
HOWEVER, not everyone is as cautious as I
am. If you were to take a gamble on a Gliga, I'd say it would be a
good bet it would fix up nicely and be a very sweet cello for what
you've put into it. E
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CelloBass
Registered User
Posts: 33
(8/1/01 6:39:23 pm)
Reply
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Re: Gliga
"Maestro" cello
Ellen,
the cello itself has answered my question. Today I
went to my luthier who is a cellist, and he demonstrated the cello.
My first reaction was 'wow'! It
sounds just great. Full, deep, loud, brillant. My luthier was a bit
sceptical at first when I took the instrument to him 2 weeks ago. It
was the first Gliga he had in his workshop. Today he frankly
admitted that it outperforms cellos in the 8k$-range easily. I payed
1500$, so I am happy that I was right when I bought it without
trying it before.
Horst
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Cellospieler
Registered User
Posts: 58
(8/3/01 12:42:09 pm)
Reply
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Re: Gliga
"Maestro" cello
I have had nothing but positive feedback on my Gliga Professional
series cello. I did have to spend some cash to get it set up
properly: new strings, reshaped bridge, new endpin (Bice 8mm) and
chose to replace the bulky tailpiece with a Harmonie. The biggest
improvement in sound came when I replaced the endpin with the Bice
CF, but the sound was already good. The sound is huge, round and
dark, but that's what I go for so it works for me.
Those who
have given it a try are amazed with it, and I have been told it
would be appraised at least two and a half times what I paid for
it.
P.S. The fingerboards are sometimes "wavy" but the
"craftspersonsship" or "artistry" (or whatever you think is the
correct label is) is quite remarkable.
CelloBass--I am
curious to know who you managed to procure a "Maestro" for $1,500
when the usually go for about 6.5K, how did you swing
that?
Gliga GEMS cellos are the cellos the Gliga luthiers
learn on for anyone interested, and are usually offered as "student"
cellos.
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CelloBass
Registered User
Posts: 37
(8/3/01 4:17:05 pm)
Reply
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Re: Gliga
"Maestro" cello
Hi Cellospieler,
German name... are you German? When I took
the cello to my luthier he told me that he would like to do a
complete new setup, as he usually does on new cellos built by
himself. This included a new, first class bridge of very hard wood
with the thickness optimized to the characteristics of the
instrument. New soundpost as well. The original endpin fullfilled
his criteria and he told me that replacing the endpin wouldn't
improve the sound. I believe him because he has experimented a lot
with endpins. And he is good; the violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter had
her "Raven" Strad checked by him when she played a recital in
Stuttgart. But this may be true for my instrument, I believe you
when you say that it improved the sound on your cello.
I
don't have a Maestro, I have a "professional" which is also called
GAMA. Anyway, it was a bargain. Less than half of the normal price.
I wrote some e-mails to them, about getting into the German market
(I live there) and very unpleasant things like fooling people by
"reserved price" auctions at Ebay. They still do it, but I don't
care. In my mind it is not an appropiate way to sell instruments.
Buying an instrument is a matter of trust, and how shall I trust
somebody who doesn't even tell me the price I will have to pay?
Finally, they asked me if they could make an offer. I agreed, they
offered, I was surprised, and I accepted the same night. To everybody
who has read this: Please don't try the same thing, else Vasile
Gliga will kill me with his biggest cello file!
Horst
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