Mando to fiddle

[bradeinhorn]

toying with the idea of trying to apply mando skills to fiddle. can anyone reccomend a decent entry level fiddle. i see a lot of cheap ones for sale online but don't want to buy total junk. any suggestions?

[JeffD]

My experience has been that a fiddle will cost at least twice what a mandolin in similar condition would cost. I would ask friends at jams and musical gatherings, there is usually someone who has an old fiddle around.

Also, I notice you said "trying to", which means to me that it might be better to have a friend lend you a fiddle for a while and you see if you like it and would keep with it. The amount of folks that just go out and buy a fiddle may account for the number of folks who do have an old fiddle lying around - not being played.

[OregonMike]

I would ask friends at jams and musical gatherings, there is usually someone who has an old fiddle around.
Ditto what Jeff said.

If you just want to dip your toe in the water I would borrow or consider renting a decent student fiddle - it will cost you pennies compared to what it will cost you to buy one and then not play it/sell it.

There are plenty of us that suffer from FAS also and have an extra one. You can get a good fiddle for around $1000 but don't forget to put some money into the bow as well.

If you really want to buy one I'd hang out here a little bit too:

Fiddle Fork (http://www.fiddlefork.com/)

I'd rather buy a new instrument from Shar Music than take a risk on an eBay buy unless I got it on approval.

[Jim Garber]

There are many decent old violins around. Brad, you know lots of fiddlers -- ask around. I am sure that you can find something to fool around with as long as it is set up properly.

I disagree that you should start with a $1000 violin. Many of the fiddlers I know are playing rather inexpensive instruments usually old ones. However, there are also decent new student models around from places like Shar Music (http://www.sharmusic.com/) that will do fine for you until you find your way around and would want a better instrument. Then you would know a little better what you would want in a fiddle.

I do agree that a decent bow makes a difference also tho there are some pretty decent ones out there for cheap as well.

Jim

[bradeinhorn]

thanks jim,

any specific suggestions from that site or others? will talk to some friends about a loaner.

[acousticphd]

My experience has been that a fiddle will cost at least twice what a mandolin in similar condition would cost.

Oh no, I don't think so at all. I have bought 4 fiddles for a total of ~$500. The best one I gave away as a gift, and I use two of the others ..well, semi-regularly. I bought StewMac's 2nd best bow (~$70) and another one on ebay for ~$30.

To someone else, I would probably suggest spending more like twice as much ($200-$250 on one fiddle) on a bit better instrument, and look for a Hopf or Stainer or other decent old instrument that is completely set up. There are countless of them out there. A couple players I know do use valuable or handmade instruments, but most use instruments in the under $500 range. You'll often find fiddle sellers at bluegrass and old-time music festivals, too.

[250sc]

Talk to Steve at www.Giannaviolins.com.

He has more stock than is shown on his web site and has a great reputation as an honest business man and luthier.

Good luck.

[Chadmills]

No disrespect to mandolins, but there is much more obvious variation in the sound of fiddles, even when they look very similar, and the difference is most noticeable to the player (as you'd expect.) Try before you buy is essential (plus the usual "knowledgeable friend" if possible !)
Tom

[mandomick]

If you decide to buy a fiddle of your own try to have someone else play it so you can hear how it sounds "accross the room". You'll get a truer sample that way than only hearing it under your chin.

[Baron Collins-Hill]

i too am thinking about starting up fiddle. does anyone have any experience with the stewmac violin kit? imin to building as well

[fiddle5]

If you don't want to spend a lot of cash right of the get go, then borrow or rent one for a few months. No two fiddles play alike and thus have completely different sound. Although some well seasoned fiddle players can make a cheap fiddle sound good, the irony is that a cheap fiddle is difficult to play and learn on for a beginner. These cheap fiddles on Ebay might seem to give positive results from novice and beginner players, however even they would change thier opinions if they had a good one to compare with at the same time. Most of the Ebay fiddles are poorly set up for decent action and playability, but then again, you didn't pay for the set up, just the fiddle. If you're buying new rather than used, 500 or 600 bucks should get you a reasonable fiddle that meets a minimum standard that is set up to learn on.


The real problem with making a blind purchase is that its probably not going to give you the sound you desire. Having been down this road many years ago, my best recommendation is to borrow or rent for a while. After the first year or two of playing, you'll have better qualifications to pick out a good instrument, for both sound and the ease it plays. Sure many of us fiddle players have instruments into the many thousands of dollars, but most of us have upgraded a number of times.

I can guarantee that a fiddle worth less than a hundred bucks has never been touched by someone qualified to do the set up, much less able to play one. Fiddles made with asian wood generally fall apart and crack quite quickly in north america. To further dissapointment, the $100 fiddle will need new strings, new bridge, new sound post, pegs, ect and at least another hundred to get someone with enough skills to set it up so it can play properly.

The bottom line is: cheap fiddles are poorly set up are difficult to play, and even more difficult to learn on.


mike