All I know is bapu spells Am... which rhymes with ham... which is one of the finer pork products.

@Janet... that is likely your best bet. So much awesome cello music out there. I doubt it will ever happen but I want to learn all of this in it's entirety before I die... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHzfD6XLK7Q

Just the opening measures of that is deliciously beautiful!  

That's something to strive for, isn't it?  

That is some of my favorite music ever written. One instrument. One musician. So elegant and soothing. :-)

Agreed!

I should thank you because I hadn't stumbled across this full Yo Yo Ma performance yet and it is far better (IMO) than other versions I had been listening to... which were still quite amazing. Enjoy your new musical canvas.

Janet...

I will confess that I wish you had posted about this pending purchase before making it (very seriously).

I have been an active classical (amateur solo) bassist for decades, and also have a cello.  If not careful it is easy to get really burned through Craig's List/eBay.

At the very least, please have the instrument checked out by a qualified luthier.  Depending on how the instrument is set up, it could be anything from fairly good to an absolute nightmare needing substantial adjustments to bring it into proper playing condition.  The position of the sound post, the bridge, bridge height, string height above the fingerboard all matter.  Even moving the sound post 1/8" can radically change the sound of the instrument for better or worse.

It is far easier to play an instrument that has been properly set up.  It becomes easier to produce a decent tone with the bow, and it will also help with left hand fingering technique.

Hopefully the instrument does not have any serious structural problems (or if so, that the problems were disclosed).  Some problems are easy fixes, others frightfully expensive.

Depending on the condition of the bow, you may want to get it rehaired.  It is much more difficult to make a good tone with a bow that has worn out, brittle, hair.  Also, depending on the age of the strings, they may need replacing (but at least cello/bass strings last much longer than guitar strings).

Anyway, I really do wish you success with the cello, and that you truly do have a lot of fun with it.  Among other pieces, I hope you are eventually able to work up to at least some of the Bach Cello Suites.

Oh, one other thing, if you could get at least a few cello lessons that would also help.  One can get away with quite a bit, but without learning proper technique, you risk hitting a ceiling, as beyond a certain point, decent technique is required in order to simply be able to play the repetoire.

But again, have fun!!!!

Beepster....I'm listening to him as I read gardening magazines.   Quite relaxing.  :)

Jim, I suppose I should have asked...I really wasn't sure if anyone around played the cello (should have known though!).  I really figured that for that amount of money I could always resell it if it doesn't work out.  I'll see if I can find a luthier around here...must be one somewhere.  The young man seemed a bit like me...it wasn't too easy to learn on, and he'd rather spend more time at the piano.  So I got the feeling that if anything is wrong with it, he didn't know.  But who knows.

I'll see if I can get it checked out.  But don't hold your breath on any masterpieces from me.  My hands feel like they're beginning to get arthritis, so if I can't get that under control, I'm sure it will be too hard to learn to play even simple things.

(but I did get thru the opening part of 'Ode to Joy.' (by ear) At least I found the notes and I knew what I was playing.)  :)  

Janet, sorry for being so forward, but these sorts of things hit very close to home.

I really do hope that you have a lot of fun with it.  It can be a great joy to play.

Oh, that's fine.  I understand.  :)  Thank you for your concern!  Like I said, I have no grand visions...just really wanted to try it.  And felt spontaneous, I guess. :)