A Custom Carbon Fibre Case for a 1725 Pietro Guarneri Cello

A cello made in Venice in 1725 by Pietro Guarneri recently arrived at the A-Case workshop in Pula, Croatia, for a new custom carbon fibre cello case, made specifically around its individual dimensions.

The instrument bears the inscription:

“Petrus Guarnerius Cremonensis Filius Josef fecit Venetis Anno 1725.”

Known as a Pietro Guarneri of Venice cello, it is an instrument with three centuries of history and a long connection to the professional cello world.

A tailor-made case for a historic instrument

Making a case for an instrument of this age requires more than selecting a standard size. The case has to accommodate the individual measurements and characteristics of the cello while providing secure support for an instrument that has been played and travelled for generations.

At A-Case, each tailor-made carbon fibre cello case is made to order around the measurements of the individual instrument. The interior is fitted with adjustable, removable supports so that the cello is held securely without unnecessary pressure on the instrument.

For this particular cello, the case was produced as a fully custom fit rather than adapted from a standard interior.

From 1725 to the modern workshop

The contrast was striking: a cello made in Venice more than 300 years ago, being measured and fitted in a modern workshop in Pula.

The production team carefully checked the fit at every stage, adjusting the interior support system to follow the instrument's shape and dimensions. The aim was straightforward — the case should hold the cello securely, while allowing the instrument itself to remain the focus.

Once the case was completed, the cello was placed inside for a final fitting before it returned to its regular concert schedule.

Hana Rabadan and an old friend

The cello is played by Croatian cellist Hana Rabadan, who began playing at the age of seven and has already established herself among a new generation of young musicians.

In 2024, at the age of 16, she won the Papandopulo Competition, becoming the youngest competitor in that edition. Her musical development has included work with internationally recognised cellists and participation in masterclasses and seminars in Croatia and abroad.

For Hana, the Guarneri is more than an instrument she performs on. She affectionately calls it her “old friend” — a fitting description for a cello that has accompanied generations of musicians before reaching her hands.

A case made for the instrument

A historic instrument deserves a case designed with the same attention to its individual characteristics.

That is the principle behind A-Case: tailor-made carbon fibre cases, made to order for individual instruments rather than simply selected from a standard size range.

Three centuries after it was made in Venice, this Pietro Guarneri cello now has a tailor-made case for the road ahead.