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Beginner Fiddler on the (very )cheap.
Beginner Fiddler on the (very )cheap.
Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 (0 votes) 
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Jarvo
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May 4, 2016 - 9:07 pm
Member Since: May 3, 2016
Forum Posts: 18
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At the age of 57 I have succumbed to the violin ...or in my case Fiddle, because I accept that I will never play it in a classical style but would rather whoop ( I wish to be able to)it up a la Bluegrass and Country and Blues ....and poo...

So I have bought a real cheap and cheerful (having read all the caveats etc ) £35:00 "no name" ...probably Chinese ..possibly Outer Betelgusian at that price given it came with case ,bow and Roseanne (though I am still waiting for her to turn up) screech Box from Amazon. There was also a little box of soapy looking stuff as well......

My reasoning was thus , 35 squids is not a lot to lose if after a month or so you hate it, can't get on with it , can't play it , the cats hate it (they do) the neighbours hate it (they don't !!!). A oppose to a couple of hundred squids and the same thing happens.

It goes into the stable of ukes and gitjos and banjfiddles that I can't play either and whilst I take my music seriously I don't take me seriously so all I want to do is have some fun with this little box of scratchy sass and attitude.

Jarvo, hope we can have some fun together. united_kingdom-4178

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damfino
my own little world
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Regulars
May 4, 2016 - 9:20 pm
Member Since: July 23, 2015
Forum Posts: 2113
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Welcome to the forum! Hope you enjoy learning to fiddle :)  

☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
World's Okayest Fiddler
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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
May 5, 2016 - 2:40 am
Member Since: March 22, 2014
Forum Posts: 3744
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Aye, welcome @Jarvo !    hahaha you missed out the sick-squid joke...

A reasonable and measured approach - if it don't work for you - nothing really lost - but - I'll bet you get hooked !  

I wish you success !

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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Fidelestre
Texas
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May 5, 2016 - 7:20 am
Member Since: June 21, 2015
Forum Posts: 240
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Welcome, @Jarvo ,

I also started with a very cheap violin - about $50 new, purchased about a year and a half ago. While I don't recommend the super cheapo starter as ideal for everyone (mainly because they can be a real pain to tune), it worked for me until I was able to upgrade after a few months.

If your violin seems impossible to tune due to the pegs slipping, try some peg compound. It worked wonders for my cheapo. You do have to unwind and reinstall the strings in order to apply the peg compound. I found that the tuning became much easier after applying the peg compound and allowing the violin and strings some time to adjust to being at playing tension.

Warning - violin can be addictive, and you'll probably find yourself wanting a new violin pretty soon!

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Jarvo
Members
May 5, 2016 - 1:02 pm
Member Since: May 3, 2016
Forum Posts: 18
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Thanks folks , just about to order some peg compound now, it seems that mine will hold it's tune for a few days and then have a sulk and won't hold for a few hours ...

 

After using machine head and planetary tuners it's like going back in time by 40 years to my first Kapok Brand Ukulele , which had wooden tuning pegs and the same thing with that LOL.

 

Cheers

 

Jarvo

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
May 5, 2016 - 1:14 pm
Member Since: March 22, 2014
Forum Posts: 3744
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Cool.... Sounds like you're on your way....

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 11, 2016 - 11:30 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

Sounds like a great plan.
Welcome to the forum. :)

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

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