A Question of Experience

[ludditerobot]

Today marks my two-week anniversary in my life as a fiddle owner. I bought the cheapest fiddle Musician's Friend had to offer, and it could be just because I don't tend to play with my guitar and mandolin that close to my ear, but I'm blown away by the volume and resonance of this thing. But I know that it's a $80 instrument and people buy and sell these things for hundreds and thousands of dollars, so there is big room for improvement. And I listen to Darol Anger, Michael Doucet and Bruce Molsky on Fiddlers Four or Mark O'Connor on New Nashville Cats and I'm so blown away by the pure technique that I'm not sure I'm hearing the tonal differences of the professional-level instruments they're playing.

So, what is it about a better instrument that I should be listening for? A better bow?