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Are you satisfied with your fiddle? Tell us about it.
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dogs and fiddles

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February 14, 2011 - 6:15 pm
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So how does a rank beginner ever have the opportunity to try a Guarneri when they have no asperations to do anything more than have fun with freinds at a Sunday jam?  I would love to be able to try better instruments and I do want (very much so) to improve my skill but at 42 I am in this for fun, not profession.  My violin is a Shen, a step up from their student models.  It's a nice little insturment.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
February 14, 2011 - 6:26 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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Well maybe you can get my instrument when I get the Strad.  LaughLaughLaughLaughLaughLaugh

LIFE IS GOOD!!!!

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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lenasv.

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February 27, 2011 - 4:15 pm
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I play on a Gliga from 2007 I bought for 300 euros. it is a quite weak instrument and not suited for chamber music' but has the loveliest tone on the A and D strings in pianissimo imaginable. i love it!

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
March 13, 2011 - 11:49 pm
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What kind of problems do you notice with the G and E strings? You may be able to even the tone out with strings or a sound-post adjustment.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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lenasv.

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March 14, 2011 - 1:01 pm
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On the G-string, it is a lack of power, that I notice. (It starts requiring pressure to get out strong sound.) ALso, for osme reason, it is not possible to play the first 1 cm close to bridge on the G-string and the A-string. I have tried doing it, but it simply has no sound at all, despite all different angles, speeds, pressure I have tried.

On the E-string, it meeked all the time I took a lose string, and many tones sound simply bad, starting from F in fifth position. It got much much better, after that the luthier took a look at it...but still...I have E-string-o-phobia :)

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
March 15, 2011 - 12:00 am
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You deserve a better fiddle. Hope you nail a high enough paying job after school to get the fiddle of your dreams :-)

OK, just an observation, Squeeks on the E string can mean that the sound-post is too tight, weak G string usually indicates that the sound-post is closer to the high strings. If a qualified luthier moves the sound-post to the left towards the G the post would be looser as well. This could take care of both problems.

There is one guy that I trust 100% in the north of Sweden, Lima. His name is Jan Larsson and he built my violin. Do you have an opportunity to visit him? You wouldn't regret it.

 

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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lenasv.

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March 17, 2011 - 5:50 am
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Maybe! I just need to get a bit of money first :)

The luthier improved the violin a lot. he did what you suggested, i think, and it really helped. still, i dont like the sounds i produce when playing on the E-string :)

What about marrying Stephen Hawking? It could surely speed up the process of getting a violin LOL

 

 

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
March 17, 2011 - 9:32 am
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Your boyfriend might not like that idea.  Wink

Ask your luthier to try moving it even closer to the G string, or if it may be appropriate to shave the pin slightly.  I assume that you have a good luthier but talk to a lot of people to make sure that he really does know what he is doing. Adjusting a fiddle properly is really an art.

I actually have the tool and move my own post when necessary but I do not suggest that anyone experiments with this themselves. Doing so yourself can cause much more damage than good unless you know what you are doing. I do however want to emphasize how much difference it truly can make.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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LoopyLoonyLuna

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May 23, 2011 - 11:01 am
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I have had my violin for more years than I care to admit. My parents bought t for me in middle school when my instructor laid it on the line that my 3/4 size rental was going to seriously hold me back. At that time we had an incredible Luthier in town. He'd been in the business forever and showed us two instruments. The first was shiny, new and gorgeous with a lovely case. The second was used and looked like the ugly stepsister of the first. It had a crack that he had repaired, and my only clue to its origin was the word GERMANY stamped inside. Being a teenager I was less than impressed.

So why do I still have it? It has a lovely tone and has no qualms about projecting. My various instructors have praised it over pettier, pricier, better pedigreed instruments. Someday I do wish to purchase a second violin, but I have no plans to get rid of the one I have. After all these years it's like a part of me.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 23, 2011 - 11:13 am
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Thanks LLL,

I love that story. And why get another instrument when yours has a lovely tone and projects well. People look for years and can't find that in an instrument.

Congratulations

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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John Thornton
USA

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May 23, 2011 - 1:35 pm
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It has been the present writer's experience that self education is the most important thing when searching for a good instrument.

 

Newer violins are fairly well standardized and excepting those produced in certain factory environments throughout the world one can expect to get a well made, decent sounding instrument for a reasonable amount of money.

Antique violins can possess tone qualities of high merit, but condition issues often disguise those qualities. Whether made in a 'factory' or by a 'school trained' luthier, each instrument bears the impress of the source.

Research and study of a general nature helps considerably, but investigating the historical background of the early makers (from any national school) but especially that of Cremona, in Italy, will enable the seeker of 'lost treasure' to more easily find one.

If any serious player (or collector) is dis-satisified with their instrument and seemingly have no 'hope' of finding one of truly good quality please contact me. I can help.

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myguitarnow
Laguna Beach

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June 16, 2011 - 2:40 am
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First, I am so glad I found you online fiddlerman! I'm 47yo and still have the groupies. My main instrument is guitar which I play in studios and tours. I've always been a multi-instrument player. I play quit a bit of alto sax and stumbled across a Cecilio alto sax and love it. Plays just as good (almost as my International Woodwind). As a guitar player, I play them all but I'm really stuck on good Gibson Les Pauls and SGs. Taylors for acoustic.

I was so impressed with my Cecilio sax and thought I had to try their violin brand for $99 bucks. What a deal! My grandfather played violin in jazz bands and what not during the depression many moons ago and I got all of his violins. 2 of them could sell for about $45,000 each. I don't touch those. I saw your video on KKmusicstore site with the Cecilio black metallic violin. Mine was delivered today and after about 9 hours of playing it, I am really impressed! I'm looking forward to learning the violin more and more and think this Cecilio violin will not hold me back.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
June 16, 2011 - 9:19 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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Hey myguitarnow,

Really glad that you found this site too. I'd love to hear more about your guitar successes.

Let me know if there is something in particular that you would like to learn on the violin that you can't find anywhere else. Also please keep us updated on your progress.Laugh

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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myguitarnow
Laguna Beach

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June 17, 2011 - 9:28 pm
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Sounds great! I'll let you know how things go and will for sure ask some questions about the violin. Tomorrow I am heading up to LA to do some guitar recording and should of been playing my guitar today but instead I was playing my violin all day and will play more tonight. I'm really hooked. love it! I'm going to buy the Cecelio solid body electric now too. I have every effect you could think of and can't wait to try the electric violin on my Deluxe Memory Man. I'm hearing Edgar Winters' Frankenstein transposed to violin in my head right now.

I'll post some links to my guitar work here soon and violin work too.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
June 17, 2011 - 11:00 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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Cool, Thanks

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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SanSkritA
Look up Sanskrita Dellerba on Facebook

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July 3, 2011 - 10:08 am
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The violin I am borrowing right now is very old, a friend picked it up at some flea market. She invested in getting it fixed, so it's not horrible, but it definitely is not the most easiest violin to play. The sound is warm, but i have to work hard at getting a sweet/good sound to come out of it. This may be good in the long run because it forces me to work hard at creating a good sound. When I was learning guitar at 11 years old (I taught myself) I was using a guitar with very high action making it extremely difficult to push down with my fingers and play chords. I had to work very hard ( and painful fingers!) but when I played other guitars in comparison there were very easy!!!! So the challenge is perhaps a blessing in disguise. I am happy to be using my friends violin and know pink-violin-girl

SanSkritA

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
July 3, 2011 - 10:18 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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Have you had the opportunity to try out a good violin?

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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SanSkritA
Look up Sanskrita Dellerba on Facebook

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July 3, 2011 - 10:20 am
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Fiddlerman said:

Have you had the opportunity to try out a good violin?

No! Not yet LOL! When I go into the city next I want to go to a violin shop and try them just for the sake of it...

I am sure a good violin is incredible to play!

SanSkritA

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
July 3, 2011 - 1:09 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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It may surprise you.exactly

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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SanSkritA
Look up Sanskrita Dellerba on Facebook

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July 4, 2011 - 9:42 am
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Fiddlerman said:

It may surprise you.exactly

 

That's probably good, I like surprises! surprised

SanSkritA

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