I definitely agree with Ferret, that this project has much potential to be either a truly epic fail or a total wonder.

I haven't chimed in much on the discussion, since I wanted to give the concept some time to percolate in my brain a bit. 

I think the biggest "danger" at this point would be to maybe put too much weight on one fiddle/violin.  There's a lot of great ideas cooking in this topic, and it might be a good idea to come to a group consensus as to ground rules and objectives as it gets rolling over the first couple of months. 

I personally see some potential for more than one fiddle to eventually end up in this project.  It could be good to sort some of the ideas out to different projects. 

This one that is already in motion, is sort of "The Traveller".  It goes to different members, gets autographed, recorded, videoed.  Sort of a group artifact or touchstone that passes through many hands and gets to be played in many cool places, maybe even some famous historical locations, if members happen to be near one.  But a member's backyard or kitchen or porch or whatever is always famous enough.  The travel and autograph and getting to hear/see it played by each participating member is a lot of fun right there. 

But if it gets upgraded too much, some members could become really hesitant about autographing it.  So an "Upgrade Fiddle/Violin" should maybe be a separate project.  Where each member who opts in would replace a part or fitting with something nicer or make an adjustment, so that eventually what might have started out as a "basket case" fiddle/violin would end up an instrument that is pretty good at least so far as playability is concerned.  They'd each get a name as they go through that process (Like the Strads and etc have gained names over the years) and then they could become the instruments that go out to stay for a couple of months with someone who maybe doesn't have a nice instrument or wants to try learning to play.  

That way a group "Lending Library" if instruments could be built up over time, to encourage new players and give them a standard of comparison so they know if a violin they think about buying is a reasonably playable instrument or "VSO".  Shipping and insurance costs for each stop probably wouldn't exceed what it would cost to pay a month on a cheap rental.  It would also give members who might have some interest in luthiery or adjustment opportunity to get some hands-on experience while getting the "basket case" up to a reasonable par.  Then they could be sent to an experienced player like Pierre who could put them through their paces and make a recording or vid showing what that particular instrument is capable of sounding like.  It could be a great learning opportunity for participants at many levels and a resource that the group can use to encourage beginners or perhaps people thinking about taking up violin again after many years.  And it could rescue instruments (old or new) that were not entirely well made or that may have been mistreated or neglected to the point where most luthiers would have to charge far more than a beginner would be wise to pay.

As a bank of such instruments was built up, they might also be able to act as a hedge against disasters.  If (Heaven forbid) a member had some tragedy like a house fire or natural disaster happen that resulted in them having no instrument to play, one of the upgraded lending instruments could be (by vote) permanently bestowed on that member.  It isn't really possible to replace an instrument that was someone's old friend, but perhaps an instrument where many friends helped put it together and fine tune it would be enough comfort and encouragement to keep them playing.

Back to brighter notes, other than "upgrade" possibilities, some members might get together over an inexpensive "violin in the white" or even build from scratch to produce an instrument that was actually made by the community.  If interested parties each donated some time or work or a material, over the span of a year or so, the result could be something really interesting and special.  Sort of a "stone soup" instrument, if you are familiar with that old story.

It would also allow for some variety.  One such project instrument could be set-up and fine tuned to fiddler tastes, another to more classical tastes.  Lots of possibilities.

But back to the current project, "The Traveller".  A celebrity, visiting assorted places and players in the group and collecting autographs and history.  The idea of a notebook or journal is really cool, but.. This is the digital age and we all have computers?  A USB flash drive wouldn't take up much space in the accessory compartment, and could store not only words but lots of sounds, video and pictures.  When it gets filled up, maybe put it on a key ring along with a new USB drive and see how full that keyring can get as it travels?  It could be backed up by folks with some hard drive space to spare that it visits?  Just a thought there.

So far as insurance?  Absolutely.  In fact, I would propose that instrument(s) for these sorts of projects, from "The Traveller" to "Stone Soup Fiddles", should be shipped with more than enough insurance to allow for buying at least TWO brand new instruments of equal quality (at least to what they were when they started) at full ticket price from Fiddlershop.  That way the project is like the hydra in the old myths.  If one head is cut off, two more grow to take it's place.  If an instrument is lost or ruined in transit, it becomes two instruments to carry the project on.  It would even be a little extra business for Pierre.  Then if a disaster happens, it would be sad, sure.  But a "booster" instead of a "stopper".

Considerations like that will be more realistic to discuss once we have a better idea from The Traveller as to what shipping and insurance will actually run. 

In the meantime, a moment for thanks and kudos to the geniuses that came up with this idea in the first place and have gotten it rolling!