... Loyde Loar?

[lindensensei]

Hi All,
I've been asked so many times what the difference is between fiddle and violin that I finally decided to build a fiddle the way a real bluegrasser might like it. #I went back to the early 20s and used a snakehead for my final headstock design and got rid of the scroll and wooden pegs. #Added Grover machines and for a special touch and to celebrate Loyde Loars contributions to the American musical instrument I gave the newly designed fiddle a double 'L' hole instead of the 'F'. #It looks like a mandolin from the neck up but all the rest is purely Fiddle.
Dan Linden

[David M.]

Cool. How's the tone? The headstocks remind me of ukes (not that that's bad or anything...).

[Philip Halcomb]

Very nice Dan... But to explain the difference for the folks who might not know. It's my understanding through the research and reading of done on the matter that a fiddle and violin are one in the same. Fiddle comes from german and violin comes from latin.

[red7flag]

Steve Perry, violin maker extroidinaire, might chime in here. From what I remember him talking about with me, some woods and set up tend to get that bluegrassy tone. He talks about different woods and set up for a classical instrument. I think he said figured maple for bluegrass and broadleaf for classical, but am not sure. I will shut up and let Steve or somebody who really knows this subject take over.
Tony

[John M. Riley]

Sometimes when my group plays out at shows, we have people ask our fiddle player what the difference is. He always said "If your a city person you call it a voilin, but if your a country boy then you call it a fiddle"

[Jerry Byers]

Sometimes when my group plays out at shows, we have people ask our fiddle player what the difference is. He always said "If your a city person you call it a voilin, but if your a country boy then you call it a fiddle"
I agree with that. It all depends on how you work the bow.

[ksig]

I always heard that the difference is that you don't spill beer on your violin... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Lane Pryce]

Sometimes when my group plays out at shows, we have people ask our fiddle player what the difference is. He always said "If your a city person you call it a voilin, but if your a country boy then you call it a fiddle"
He is right,and just to add a little to his answer it is what you play on it too!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif Lp

[lindensensei]

I think the whole reason for building these differently was so that when someone asked I could point out actual differences. #The tone of the blond instrument (#2) is very open and woody with a very nice throb in the double stops. #The Snakehead (#3) is much sweeter and has a very tradional tone - aka Vasser. #Honestly, I love the Grovers. #I mean, they make life wonderful.

[Roydw3]

I heard a great fiddle player from Arkansas last night. He mentioned that the difference is you carry your violin in a case and you carry your fiddle in a burlap sack.

He had an Amonti (spelling?) violin that was about 400 years old. Wow was the tone great. He could really play.

Denny

[lindensensei]

I hope he wasn't carrying it in a burlap sack...

[Bill Van Liere]

A classical player will tell you that the difference between a fiddle and a violin is about $30,000.

[Tom C]

There was an article in Bluegrass Unlimited about a builder -Cooper. He builds both fiddles and violins. He says what bluegrass musicians look for in tone compared to classical. From that, he makes the internal volume a little different among other things. I also heard the profile of the bridge is a bit different. One more arched than the other.

[JGWoods]

A fiddle holds more beer.
Bridge arc is a matter of taste. Fiddlers like'em flatter than violin players- to generalize a lot.

[lindensensei]

Yeah, Tom, that's true. I set one up for a gentleman who wanted to be able to play three notes at the same time. He was happy... I couldn't get a clean note out of it. I have a suspicion he went through a lot of bow hair. But then I just build 'em. The classical contition is a set degree of arc with 11.5 mils between strings at the bridge and the Fiddle player likes about 10.5. Also the d string sets at the top of the arch on a violin and the fiddle likes to split the difference between the A and D. ...Probably more info than you wanted.

[an uncalloused fingertip]

You call it a fiddle when you buy it ... and then a violin when you sell it.

Rook

[an uncalloused fingertip]

Actually, the headstocks on the fiddles above seem like a resemblance to the old fiddles/rebecs of the middle ages and renaissance (without the gears, of course). I cannot remember where I saw it, but it was a modern rebec/fiddle constructed with mahoghany back and sides; it was a pretty neat mix.

ROok

[Bill Snyder]

Bob Wills fiddle was a second hand instrument made by some Italian fellow named Strad something or other. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Dave Hanson]

Violin is a derogatary name for a fiddle.

Dave H

[F5G WIZ]

The difference in a fiddle and a violin? That's easy! A Fiddle has a red neck! haha

[daveb]

The difference ? Oh thats easy.
A Violin has STRINGS....
A Fiddle has STRAANGS......!!!!!

[My F-5]

The difference is the nut behind the tailpiece

[Danny Clark]

THE DIFFERENCE
SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING!!!!!

[straight-a]

Violin is a derogatary name for a fiddle.

Dave H
If that's true then I heard Bernstien cuss out his violin section during a rehearsal.

"Okay fiddles, let's start at measure 186." http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Dfyngravity]

Yep, same instrument, just with slight changes to get that certain tone wanted. Just as a mandolin that is made for jazz or classical and one that's bluegrass through and through....both are still called a mandolin.