Choosing your first fiddle for traditional music

You don't need a good fiddle to start. You need a fiddle that stays in tune, holds its bridge, and doesn't fight you. That's a lower bar than most shops will admit, and it's why our first piece of advice is always the same: ask around the society before you spend anything. There are more spare fiddles in Shetland lofts than there are people to play them, and at least three of our members learned on a borrowed instrument that never went back.

If you are buying, a sound secondhand instrument in the £150–£300 range will outplay a shiny new one at the same price. Things to check:

• The pegs hold. If it drifts flat overnight, tuning will eat your practice time and your patience.
• The bridge stands straight and the feet sit flush on the belly.
• No open seams — run a fingernail gently along the joins and listen for buzzing on open strings.
• The bow more than the fiddle. A warped or under-haired bow will hold you back more than a plain instrument. Budget for a rehair (£40–£50) if in doubt.

Strings matter more than varnish. A £20 set of Dominants or Pro-Artés on a modest fiddle transforms it. Fine tuners on all four strings are not a mark of a beginner's instrument, whatever anyone tells you — half the best session players in Lerwick use them.

One Shetland-specific note: our style leans on ringing open strings — tunes like Da Full Rigged Ship want the fiddle to hum along with itself. When you try an instrument, play an open D and A together and listen for how long it sings. A fiddle that rings is a fiddle that will teach you the style.

Bring any candidate along on a Tuesday before you hand over money. Someone will play it properly, tell you honestly what it is, and — fair warning — probably try to sell you rosin.