Saturday, my SO and I found an old fiddle at an estate sale, for which the seller wanted $125.00. At $85, we agreed on the sale. Today, I was able to get it to a luthier for a look-see. Rob at
Fiddle and Bow Music in Dallas says it's a German violin from about 1910 or so. Could be earlier or later, but that's close to what I thought, too. Since we agree, Rob is
obviously correct.
The bridge is down, the soundpost rattles around inside, and the strings haven't made a joyful noise in a long time. Bugs ate the bow hair. There seems to be a seam separating where the ribs meet the top on the treble side down by the bottom of the fiddle, but nothing appears to be seriously wrong with it. The arch of the top and back is more pronounced than my first fiddle, a Chinese import.
North Dallas, by the way, is a great place to be a fiddler. Within ten minutes of my house are two good luthiers! Both willingly examined the violin as soon as I walked through their doors. The generosity of the folks involved with these instruments is a constant delight.
Fiddle and Bow Music is where I study, so of course, they get the job of setting it up, but props also to
Jay R. Rury Violins for courtesy and willingness to look it over.
I'm told it's getting harder to find a fiddle at garage/estate sales, so it's particularly pleasing to have found this one. Wonder how it will sound?
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