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Help:Fiddle Shopping
| Billy | 17 Jan 00 - 04:46 PM | |
| Sorcha | 17 Jan 00 - 05:17 PM | |
| Owlkat | 17 Jan 00 - 11:33 PM | |
| Willie-O | 17 Jan 00 - 11:47 PM | |
| AllisonA(Animaterra) | 18 Jan 00 - 08:44 AM | |
| Mark Clark | 18 Jan 00 - 11:07 PM | |
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Help:Fiddle Shopping
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Subject: Help:Fiddle Shopping From: Billy Date: 17 Jan 00 - 04:46 PM A bandmate of mine is currently looking for a new fiddle. He's been dissatisfied for awhile now, but he's having trouble finding fiddles to try. Any advice on which fiddles are worth pursuing? He's looking for a moderately priced instrument; any suggestions? He's also interested in the electronics side of things; what works, what doesn't. |
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Subject: RE: Help:Fiddle Shopping From: Sorcha Date: 17 Jan 00 - 05:17 PM There is a huge discussion on this at maestronet, The Fingeboard. You could go there and search the archives. Lots of good advice. Don't know where he is, but Elderly Instruments, Shar, & Soutwest Strings have web pages, and will ship instruments on approval. Be prepared, tho, from what I have seen, violind prices hav gone OUT OF SIGHT!! On the Maestronet page, moderatly priced means about $2,000, without a bow or case. He really needs to talk to somebody in a shop or get a fiddle player to help him. Luck! Sorcha |
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Subject: RE: Help:Fiddle Shopping From: Owlkat Date: 17 Jan 00 - 11:33 PM Hi hi, Warning, warning!!! Danger, Will Robinson!!! Fiddle shopping in the dark can just as easily yield a 350 dollar actually worth 2500 dollar find of the century or warped splinters held together with epoxy. If you know fiddles, then go bravely forth and good luck. If you don't, team up with a fiddle-head(No, not the vegetable) and go with a guide. Read up what you can about fiddles, too. There's a lot out there online to read. Cheers, Owl. |
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Subject: RE: Help:Fiddle Shopping From: Willie-O Date: 17 Jan 00 - 11:47 PM Well, if you ever hope to play on television, make sure he avoids anything made in Saxony, France. It's widely known that there's already way too much Saxon violins on TV.... (ducking for cover) As for what works and what doesn't... Willie-O |
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Subject: RE: Help:Fiddle Shopping From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 18 Jan 00 - 08:44 AM Depends on where you are. I found a sweet little fiddle at Wooden Strings in Arlington, Mass, appraised at approx $500, with a rent-to-own policy that's quite painless. I'm a beginner, so it suits me just fine. I agree that buying a sight-unseen-unplayed instrument of any kind is risky business- your bandmate should probably take a day to get to a city that has a good fiddle store and try out a number of instruments. Brattleboro VT is my closest city that has such; I just lucked out with mine. Some say that the instrument has to want you as much as you want the instrument! Good luck! Peace, Allison |
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Subject: RE: Help:Fiddle Shopping From: Mark Clark Date: 18 Jan 00 - 11:07 PM Fiddle pricing is an odd thing. The price of a fiddle depends on it's pedigree; who made it and in what shop, the craftsmanship of certain construction details, its age, and perhaps its condition. The odd thing is that the tone produced by the instrument has almost no bearing on the price. For that reason, instruments may be found that please the ear but have relatively little value for want of a good pedigree. Dealers will often ship instruments out on approval and if you don't like one, simply send it back. Of course an instrument purchased that way will almost certainly bear the going market price. If he wants to hold out for that great deal, he can scout the local bluegrass festivals and such til he finds someone selling a suitable instrument. In any event, he should learn everything he can about fiddles and learn to spot a good one both by sight and by ear. And he should buy a good bow, not just use the one that is thrown in with the fiddle he buys. A good bow will cost as much or more than your fiddle. I once saw a young woman walk into Kenneth Warren and Sons in Chicago and pay $3000 for a bow! And that was thirty years ago. Good luck, - Mark |
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