What is flame on a cello?

Answer 1

The flame is on almost every stringed instrument. When making instruments, they usually use maple or spruce wood to construct each musical instrument. Often, the wood grows together to where you can see the streak down the middle to which the wood joins with each other. It's more or less, the flow of grain of the wood on the back. There is almost an optical illusion to it, almost like flames, hence the flame reference. On the back, you will typically see light and dark looking flames. When you turn it slightly in the light, the flames switch sides making them change. It's kind of like a hologram card, except it's not so much a hologram, if that makes any sense at all... You can order a string instrument with more or less flame, which is more or less of the wood grain design(natural, which typically costs more).