New to This Group

  1. Mandobart
    Mandobart
    Hi, I've been on the cafe since 2009 and joined a few groups. I found this group thru the back door from fiddle hangout. It was playing mandolin that got me back to violin, my first instrument. Currently playing a cheap but surprisingly decent Bellafina 16.5" 5 stringer, my old student Roth with octave strings (sounds like a mellow cello now) an old 16.5" sweet sounding viola and my Grandpa's 1880's German trade violin. Looking to get into Hardanger next.
  2. Jim Garber
    Jim Garber
    it sounds like you are more of a viola player with those larger instruments. Have you looked at any Hardangers or played one? Not so easy to find, at least here in the US.
  3. Mandobart
    Mandobart
    There's a guy who advertises them across the mountains in the Seattle area. I've got to hold some very old but unplayable Hardingfele. Never played a live one. Grew up with violin but have gravitated to the longer viola scale.
  4. catmandu2
    catmandu2
    I've been wanting a hardingfele for years. I had a trad-scandi ensemble with an elderly Norwegian fellow who played hardingfele. Then of course, I've long wanted a nyckelharpa...both instruments quite scarce in the US

    I've found other solutions to assuage my need for sympathetic-stringed resonance (short of picking up dilruba): namely, a large hackbrett-style hammered dulcimer, and oud. With my recent concentration in various styles of playing on other instruments--I haven't played the fiddle in nearly a year : (
  5. Mandobart
    Mandobart
    catmandu - If you are still looking for nyckelharpa let me suggest Tom Jessen. He's built my two favorite instruments (F4 OM and 10 string mandola) and is a great guy. Very reasonably priced considering the workmanship and incredible tone.
  6. catmandu2
    catmandu2
    Thanks MB -- nice stuff (I could find a use for that 10-string dola especially : )

    And I'll also report fwiw, that...thanks to a recent "fiddling" thread--and compelling me to glance at this group (since I DID have cause to start it at one time )--I picked up my fiddle and played it!
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