I think it is great Darol has put this site up for 5-string fiddle discussion. I actually own three 5-string fiddles. I have one by Willium Hu of Snow violins. It is there JHS Strad model, a Martin Brunkalla 5-string viola....it is based on a scaled down Tertis pattern and measures 15.25 in. and has a scale length of 14 in. ,and last but certainly not least (I always save the best for last) a 5-string built by Barry Dudley (Stradibarrius)....it is loosely based on the Del Gesu Cannon pattern but slightly bigger. The Dudley 5-string is definantly my favorite. It has a std. violin scale length and the slightly bigger body and supports the C string very well. It has a nice dark tone but still has enough bite to project well. The other Snow and the Brunkalla are great instruments in there own right too, but the Dudley 5-string suits me better. Let's get some discussion going on this site. Tell your friends about it.....spread the word. If we exchange ideas and information we can all learn something !!!!
I also have five or six of them. Three are of my own design and bear my TwoTree moniker; one is a Scott Cao 15" and another I picked up off of ebay a while back. The last one is a Strauss 5 string Electric I bought in '95.
i just ordered my first 5 string fiddle. where can i get info on how to play it, where to get strings and anything else that might help me play it. tks
As far as strings go D'Addario Helicores seem to do well for a lot of people..they make 5-string sets as far as how to play, just play it as you would a regular fiddle ...the C string is a fifth down from the G....explore playing fiddle tunes an octave down for starters....
hi fiddler 59, tks for your help. i checked most of the major fiddle string manufacturers and the only other string i found was made by supersensitive red label in med pressure. will a viola string fit the fiddle? tks for your tip on playing. if you or anyone else knows where i can get info on playing a 5 string please let me know.tks john
hi fiddler 59, berg suggests i try a 3/4 viola string. i have wanted to try the thomastik spirocore for some time .i now use evah pirassi by pirastro. do you use spirocore. if so what do you think of them. is the spirocore viola c string you suggest i use a full length or a 3/4. what tension do you use. tks john
I use the regular Spiracore med. tension C string ....seems to work better for me than the Helicore heavy C string.....Helicore heavy G,D,& A string with a Kaplan Solutions med. E string....ymmv
I am so happy to find this site! I exclusively play a 5 string viola, which I lovingly call my "fiddola". It was modified from a 15 1/2 inch 4-string viola by the R. Kim Tipper & Associates Fine Strings workshop in Victoria BC. They did a glorious job! (I think they have done 5-10 very successful conversions now). I am a professional musician/composer and I am completely converted to the 5 string and it's possibilities; I feel like somebody put a box of crayons with an extra colour in my hands. I am still brimming with new ideas and it's been years now...
Ditto on the Spirocore C string. It made all the difference in the world on my Dahlia. I also just acquired a five string by Lukas Wronski. The Helicore C string sounds just fine on this instrument. In fact its an awesome instrument. I'll get some photos out of it soon.
Hello yea me too i'm very glad to see this site!! i started playing viola when i was in a band doing a sort of mixed-crossover-folk and already had 2 fiddlers. i looked for a longe time for a 5string fiddle and it seemed that it would be really hard to find one (one which sounds good "unplugged" ), at least over here in Europe. Eventually I came upon a five string viola and spontaneously fell in love with it. the sound i was looking for should be something rather somber and deep and since i'm very much interested in western european, scandinavian and old (medieval/renaissance) folk music, i'm very happy for the possibilities it offers to make it sound nearly like a hurdy-gurdy or a nyckelharpa! it is most definitely a viola since it can't be played with a violin bow, i use an old 3/4 bow which is heavier than my ordinary violin bow. So some fiddle styles requering very fast bowing are not possible, but i just decided that this is it and if I wanted to play in a fast, "fiddly" style for more than just a few tunes, i'd just use the violin. it was made by Julie Maroncles and looks like this: http://www.luthiers-huriel.com/julie.maroncles/altos.julie.maroncles/alto.5.cordes.01.04.html .