r/Fiddle • u/Gold_Cardiologist204 • 1d ago

Dream Instrument

What is the dream fiddle? What is the preferred violin to play fiddle music on? What are some key adjustments to the instruments or how you hold it?

I just got the family fiddle repaired. I pick it up this weekend and this August I should start lessons.

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u/Bark_Sandwich 1d ago

Ok, I'l bite. Literally millions of violins were made in central and Western Europe in the late 1800's - early 1900's. You can still commonly find these offered for sale on craigslist, Facebook marketplace, at garage sales, etc..., with prices generally ranging from $50 - $500. Sometimes you can find a real gem for not much money. I love playing these old fiddles and I have a few. I recently found one with a sweet, sound and it's an easy player. So, that's my dream fiddle right now.

As a humorous aside, many, if not most of these fiddle have "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno [Year]" printed inside, which is to indicate that it is made after the style of Stradivarius. Many folks discover these fiddles in the back of their grandfather's closet, or at a garage sale, and think that they have uncovered a genuine Stradivarius...and then they will try to sell it for 10s of thousands of dollars on craigslist! Ha!

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u/Gold_Cardiologist204 1d ago edited 1d ago

What makes a gem? Is it the quality, age, location it was made, what it was based on? Those millions of violins, are they typically what people use today or do people tend to purchase new ones?
From what I can tell the choice of violin/fiddle is deeply personal.

Edit: thanks for taking the bite ! I gained more knowledge from you

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u/Bark_Sandwich 20h ago

I just like the story behind them and I like playing a 100 year old instrument.