4/4 cello, Alexandre Lefrançois, 2023 Mirecourt France

Lutherie d’Atelier Aubert

Alexandre LeFrançois

This 4/4 cello was built by French luthier Jean François Nicolas of the Mirecourt area. This is one of the better models in the “Aubert Lutherie” line. The cello is finished in a beautiful red-brown oil-based lacquer.

The back is made of flamed European maple wood. The sides are also made of maple and beautifully flamed. The top is Alpine spruce with a nice pattern of evenly spaced annual rings.

All the sound wood used has had a drying period of more than 10 years. The Aubert workshop in Mirecourt, France, is known for their amazing collection of European tonewoods.

The dimensions of this (4/4) cello:

  • upper width 35 cm
  • narrowest width 24 cm
  • bottom width 45,5 cm
  • body height (to the heel) 76 cm
  • the scale is 69 cm (keel to bridge)
  • the cello fits in an ordinary cello case.

The current setup consists of:

  • a Teller ebony tailpiece with integrated fine tuners
  • a French cello bridge
  • The tuning pegs are pallisander, which is unusual because this wood has become exceptionally rare. Apparently Aubert still has a stock of pallisander.
  • The fingerboard is a beautiful quality ebony.
  • The cello has a Weidler steel pin.

String setup

The cello is strung up with a full set of Thomastik Dominant PRO strings. The final setup for this instrument can be chosen by the buyer, in the sound optimisation proces where the buyer will be supported by cellist and cello-string-specialist Mirjam Daalmans from the Gallery.

Alexandre Lefrançois is a contemporary French luthier who works under the direction of master luthier Vincent Morin. He is part of the company Aubert Lutherie, which was founded in 1867 by Emile Aubert as a bridge workshop for string instruments. In the 20th century, Aubert Lutherie began making bowed instruments, and the company now produces beautiful cellos handcrafted by skilled artisans.

Aubert Lutherie instruments have all the beauty and strength you expect from handmade French cellos from the Mirecourt area. And this cello is a fine example.

Alexandre Lefrançois has built this cello all by hand himself, under the direction of Master Luthier Vincent Morin in 2023.


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