Cars for cellists?
richard hihn
: However, here I am, a 56 year old woman, driving what is esssentially a
: muscle car for 19 year-old boys and which has a horrendously cramped and
: uncomfortable back seat and is very hard for passengers to get in and out
: of. My friends are urging me to get a car that is more comfortable for
: them and more appropriate for a mature woman (I'm not sure I buy this
: second argument--I like the sportiness of it).
Sorry, I have no real helpful advice. However, buy the car which will
be comfortable for YOU, not for your friends. Let them buy their own
car which suits THEIR needs.
It is only "appropriate" if you like it. Forget Madison Avenue's
warped values. Consider you and your cello first!
Dick
Peter Stahl
My wife and I were in exactly the same situation about a year ago.
We ended up dragging her cello case to various car dealerships to
see whether it would fit in the cargo area, leaving the passenger
area for the passengers.
The most magical thing happened with the Honda Accord Wagon. This
car is narrower on the outside than most of its competitors (e.g.,
Toyota Camry). And at first glance, it appears the cello won't fit
in the cargo area. But if one opens a sideboard storage compartment
(intended for soda bottles or some such), the neck of the cello case
goes right in, and the whole case fits beautifully! It's even
better than a much roomier solution (like a van), because the fit
is snug, and the instrument can't rattle around.
The cargo compartment is carpeted, and a cover can be pulled over
so your cello will be hidden. Our cello couldn't be happier.
--
Peter Stahl - pst...@engr.sgi.com - 415-933-2787
http://reality.sgi.com/employees/pstahl_engr/
Jennifer Lynch
richard hihn <rh...@saims.skidmore.edu> wrote:
>... Consider you and your cello first!
>Dick
i missed the start of this thread. has someone mentioned how awesome the
nissan sentra is yet? cheap, small, takes hills just great, and can fit
an entire string quartet in the trunk (uhhh their instruments, that is).
that means a cello too!
jen
R. Michael Terry
>
> The most magical thing happened with the Honda Accord Wagon. This
> car is narrower on the outside than most of its competitors (e.g.,
> Toyota Camry). And at first glance, it appears the cello won't fit
> in the cargo area. But if one opens a sideboard storage compartment
> (intended for soda bottles or some such), the neck of the cello case
> goes right in, and the whole case fits beautifully! It's even
> better than a much roomier solution (like a van), because the fit
> is snug, and the instrument can't rattle around.
>
Well, but why not get the Toyota Camry so that you don't have to use
kludges? My wife and I own a 1993 Toyota Corolla Wagon. Cheaper than the
Camry. It's perfect. My wife is a cellist and a viola da gambist. She is
able to get into the back of the Wagon (with one of the split seats down
-- a must by the way so you can have a back seat passanger) a cello, a
bass viola da gamba, a treble viol, a tenor viol, and still have enough
room for her music bag, a collapsable bench that she likes and her concert
clothing. (yes she's had some gigs in which she has to carry all that
stuff!
Of course to get all that in, the sun visor thing has to go, but it's easy
to take out and put back in. Finally, you can get it in a five speed
(which is what we got) with airbags for under $20,000. We get about 25 mpg
in the city (NYC) and nearly 30 on the road. In short, we love this car.
Good Luck.
Mike
--
R. Michael Terry
JESSICA GRAHN
: In article <461i8j$b...@murrow.corp.sgi.com>, Peter Stahl <pstahl> wrote:
: >
: > The most magical thing happened with the Honda Accord Wagon. This
: > car is narrower on the outside than most of its competitors (e.g.,
: > Toyota Camry). And at first glance, it appears the cello won't fit
: >
: Well, but why not get the Toyota Camry so that you don't have to use
: kludges? My wife and I own a 1993 Toyota Corolla Wagon. Cheaper than the
Well, It only fits certain cases, but if yours is the right one,
a Toyota Tercel (hatchback) works. However, if you have the case that
most cellists seem to have (which is too wide in the base, for the car
anyway)then I can't help you. Though now that I think about it, I house
sat for my piano teacher, and had to drive her Subaru wagon, and that fit it
excellently.
Neither of these are exactly sporty options, however.
Jess
Stephen Drake
LLM<> Just after I started playing the cello about five years ago, I
LLM<> bought myself a jazzy little black Toyota Celica hatchback because it's
LLM<> easy to get the cello in and out and it has a shelf that comes down so
LLM<> that the cello doesn't have the sun beating down on it and is virtually
LLM<> out of sight if I ever have to leave the cello in the car for a few
LLM<> minutes. It's quite a good car for toting a cello around.
LLM<> However, here I am, a 56 year old woman, driving what is
LLM<> esssentially a muscle car for 19 year-old boys and which has a
LLM<> horrendously cramped and uncomfortable back seat and is very hard for
LLM<> passengers to get in and out of. My friends are urging me to get a car
LLM<> that is more comfortable for them and more appropriate for a mature
LLM<> woman (I'm not sure I buy this second argument--I like the sportiness
LLM<> of it). So I'm trying to identify other cars that might be more
LLM<> comfortable for passengers but still have a cargo area which a cello
LLM<> will go in and out of easily. I prefer a stick shift and haven't ever
LLM<> owned an American car, though I'm perfectly willing to consider one if
LLM<> it has a good record of reliability. Any ideas from the cellists out
LLM<> there? Linda Lopez McAlister <mcal...@chuma.cas.usf.edu>
I've tried to get my cello in a number of cars, but the easiest one was
my Volvo 740. My large case lies flat on the rear seat for quick hauls,
and fits easily in the trunk with lots of room left over for other
stuff. You can even get a second cello in the trunk! Plus the car is
tremendously comfortable in all the seats. And it's got a great stereo!
I don't think stick shifts are available anymore in volvos, as they're
not deemed to be as safe, but some of the older models might have them.
I highly recommend a car with a secure trunk, in case you want to stop
off at a crowded restaurant in an urban area after a concert, and don't
want to bring your cello in. Our principal cellist here in the Nashville
symphony had his cello stolen out of the back of his Nissan pathfinder,
in the busy parking lot of one of the malls in town in plain daylight.
Steve
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