Fluter turned Fiddler?
I have been looking on and off (for years) for a fiddle. I wanted one with pretting inlays on the back (not the best sound I hear, but I like pretty). I even had a friend of mine [who deals in very wierd musical instruments…he always has something unusual (he gave my honey a banjolin…first one I ever saw) and cool (his main ax is a vintage Gibson Mandocello v. pretty!)] to keep his eyes peeled for something in my price range…Lets say under $500 US. No avail…no fiddle. I looked in used instrument shops, antique stores, flea markets, garage sales, fiddle shops…nothing. I discovered ebay and did some searches….some really pretty fiddles at prices I couldn’t justify especially as I don’t play yet. So I stopped torturing myself there.
So I said to myself, "self, if you really want to learn to play the fiddle you should just get one and start learning". I was thinking that when the time was right I would find the fiddle I was seeking and in the meantime I would be learning. Well, after having that revelation I decided to just check ebay once more as I hadn’t been there in about six months…and there it was…an unassuming fiddle with a cool inlay on the back sitting at $149 US with an hour to go. It has had a crack repaired but that was the only thing that seemed to be wrong with it. So I became a registered ebay user and bid on it….well an hour later I won the auction with a bid of $193.50.
So now I’m waiting for my new instrument to arrive and have been reading up on past discussions of fiddle care and feeding. I have been making inquiries into lessons and doing some research into reputable fiddle shops to have my new purchase assessed. I have been looking at fiddle cases and planning to visit some shops shortly after my fiddle arrives for trying out bows (bringing a fiddler with me since I probably won’t be able to tell very well)
It’s all so exciting….I just have to remember that once I start trying to make noise with it, I’m gonna suck….big time. Anyways, just wanted to share my happy news.
~Autumn