As a intermediate cellist, i was in the market of upgrading and after trying 4 other cellos, some from well known names, I bought this one.The instrument is stunning and excellently made: highly figured, spirit varnish with not too much shine or matte, surprisingly lightweight, with a great, even tone.The best feature is its sound and playability. Its response is spot on, with an even, rich tone. Its not too bright, as can be the case in some 3 year aged spruce sources. Nuance and depth really cancelled out the wolf note making this a great instrument for those who want presence but not too much brassiness. I can only imagine how beautiful this will sound in 10 years. I recommend this to both novice and advanced players. I recommend, for the best playability, to have both a winter and summer rosin, bridge and personal string selection, based on your taste. Heliocore is what comes on the instrument ,which are great, but this instrument's range will really be set off with gut strings. 5 stars, im very pleased with the quality!