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So, I have been looking around locally for a different violin ( As I mentioned in another thread, I have a student cremona I just don't like the sound of ) As I am really new to playing an instrument, I was a little intimitaded about changing strings myself. Or really doing anything to my current one, for fear of doing damage. Then I watch Fiddlerman's tutorial on changing strings and was just like WOW
That looks easy. I can do that. Then it got dangerous, as now here is what I am thinking of doing. I see a lot of Violins on Ebay. I am thinking about finding an old one that I can get cheap, then get new fittings, strings, bridge and just trying to experiment with learning to do all the basics. I figure this way I can continue to practice on my cermona as is. Work on the other one and if I do something wrong. I can just keep changing it around and see what happens.
Does this sound like a bad idea? I guess what I am really asking is " Is doing this a lot harder than it appears?"
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I really have no business replying, knowing nothing about this. But, depending on where you live, it may be a better investment of your time, money and energy to see if you can get a few hands-on lessons from a luthier on home care and maintenance of your vioin. One word of caution - it is my impression that most of these folks aer VERY reluctant to do such tutoring. Not because they want to hog al the violin work for themselves from us paying customers. But because they know we will just screw thins up!
There, I managed to tell you I know nothing, express an opinion and then shoot it down all in one email.
Yes.
However, noodlin with a sacrificial violin is good experience. Make sure you do your surfing homework so you are familiar with the finer points.
If you need any help with fixing up an old violin I or someone else here will be more than welcome too help you.
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I think y'all know how I feel about this one 
I say go for it! You could build from scratch if you really want to know how a fiddle works, or start with a kit for a less time consuming project. The trouble with those cheap eBay fiddles is that some of them are true crap and will never sound good no matter what you do to them, which might be discouraging.
IMHO there are too few people out there who have no curiosity about how things work or how to build stuff - anyone who has even a passing interest in something should take a chance and give it a go 
Lots of help to be found on this forum...
Mary in Springfield, Oregon http://www.thefiddleandbanjopr.....dpress.com
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Being Curious about how it works it usually what gets me in trouble. But I am one of those folks who learns best by doing and this just seemed like a good way to become more comfortable with making adjustmentsk changing strings, or even just changing the appearance with new fittings without having to run to the local music shop everytime.
But on the flip side I am also one to seek advice about it, if something is more complicated and am I going to bite off more than I can handle.
I know there is a risk with ebay, but I am looking more to understand the mechanics and procedures, than trying to get a cheap violin and then make it sound good.
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You'll be an expert in a few years. 
This is how we learn.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Well Round one did not go so good. I decided to try a set of new strings from the cremona, the one thing I did not count on, but was a valualble lesson learned was that originally all the strings had micro tuners. I thought I really did not want that, but was not sure about the tail piece and if it required them. Well I opted on the safe side and did the D string first. After some trail on how to add on the micro. I got it set up and tuned. So I decided to go ahead and try the A string. Well I did the same thing, but as I was attempting to tune it. Something went wrong and POP
The ball broke on the string. So I am going to head to the music shop today and see if they will restring and let me watch to see how or what they may do different or where I may have gone wrong. This is how we learn, Right?
On a good note. I was very happy with the warmer sound on the D string....
Oh and I found a new ( Old Early 1900 German made, no cracks or seams ) That I am going to have the Music shop set up and I think my $100 cremona will become my teacher on how to work on a Violin.
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