I have 10+ years on cello and have owned three. I have also played electric guitar for about the same amount of time and own two, so I'll try to help out a bit.
DeadlyKungFu wrote:
- bring a tuner
- check the intonation, an open string has the same note as the same string fretted at its halfway point
Cellos (and, generally, instruments played with the bow) don't use fretted fingerboards. Intonation is usually tested at harmonics, and the cause of poor intonation is, more often than not, cured by simply replacing the strings.
DeadlyKungFu wrote:
- check for neck buzz (action is too low)
- make sure the action isn't too high
String height on an instrument with a wooden bridge will change seasonally unless you are in a very stable climate. The only real way to fix it is to have a new bridge carved. Cellos don't have truss rods like guitars.
DeadlyKungFu wrote:
- check for cracks, scratches, stuff like that
Definitely check for gaps along the seams, and cracks, especially on the front of the instrument which, on well made instruments, is usually not carved as thick as the rear. Wear in the finish of a cello may just be a sign of use and age, which unlike solid body guitars, can significantly improve the tonal quality of the instrument.
DeadlyKungFu wrote:
- make sure you get a case in the deal
A good cello case will easily cost upwards of $500. Don't count on a dealer to throw that in for free. A private deal will be more likely to include a case.
DeadlyKungFu wrote:
- if nothing else, buy something that looks good and is in reasonable shape then spend $100 at a luthier to get it fixed up.
Be
very careful with this. A cello is not a guitar, and skilled guitar repairmen are much more abundant than those who work on classical stringed instruments. Example: I just took one of my guitars to one of the best luthiers in my (large) city and it'll cost me roughly $50 for a full "tune-up" and a new set of strings. A quality bridge recarving and a new set of strings alone will cost upwards of $150 on a cello.
Incidentally, the term luthier is not, to my knowledge, usually associated with classical instruments any more.
Some other notes:
- Make sure "Lothar Semmlinger" is the name of a man and not a factory.
- I have always preferred microphones to pickups when recording classical strings.
- This is really long and off-topic for my first post on these forums.
