Re: violin buying question to you trusted cafe goers (NMC)
Many people start at 65. Some even become good. When you take up an instrument late, you don't have the pressure of trying to be a brilliant player. Have fun.
Fiddlers don't talk about brands in the way that guitar players and mandolin players do. In all my years playing fiddle, I have never once been asked who made my fiddle. I've been asked the age and background of the instrument many times. Personally, I wouldn't even think in brands when shopping for a fiddle, unless there is a particular fiddle maker who appeals to you. If I wanted a different fiddle, I'd go to a reputable violin store and find an instrument that sounds good to me. If you have the option, guidance from an experienced fiddler would help. A new instrument has little if any status in the fiddle world. I don't pretend to understand the science, but the sound of a violin mellows with frequent playing. Avoid thrift store fiddles unless you're with someone who knows a great deal about violins.
Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
"I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.
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