Rickert and Ringholz Musical Instruments

Magginis Strung as Octave Fiddles

Article to appear on 10/7/08.

New YouTube Clips from Recent Festivals

New YouTube videos at http://www.youtube.com/DoctorFiddle

We only set up shop at two fiddlers' conventions this year, The Hoppin' John Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention in Silk Hope, NC and the Tennessee Valley Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention at Athens State University in Athens, AL. Attendance was up at Hoppin' Johns, but it's only the second year of this great festival and there were only several hundred attendees last year.

Attendance (and people wanting to buy anything except food) seemed much lower than prior years. We suspect that at lot of people did not attend due to fear of not being able to get gas for the return trip...turns out that Alabama did not have the gas shortage suffered by Georgia and parts of North Carolina (where we were coming from).

Did not get ANY video from Hoppin John as we were crazy busy selling and setting up instruments for customers. Sales not so good at Tennessee Valley, but we got some GREAT video, with permission to put onto YouTube, of course. See the new videos at http://www.youtube.com/DoctorFiddle. There are more coming within the next few days

Enjoy!

Help Us to Help You!

We know that our instruments are not cheap. One of the reasons is that they are made in the U.S.A. instead of "off-shore" by underpaid workers. We want to prove wrong those who laughed when we said that we are going to stick to our ethics and not exploit workers, here or anywhere else in the world.

If you see something that you want but just can't afford right now, email Don Rickert (drickert@bellsouth.net) about making a partial initial payment and then "rent to buy" with 0% interest over some reasonable period of time (3 to 6 months, for instance). We make no guarantees, as we are not in the credit business; however, we will bend over backwards to make something work for you (we benefit as well). Bottom line: People love our instruments, we are very trustworthy, we are easy to work with, and we need to sell our stuff...so please consider this "win-win" offer.

See our growing selection of baritone (octave) fiddles, pochettes, backpacker and travel violins and fiddles and our new octave violas (also known as Chin Cellos) at www.fiddleandbowstore.com.

Some Days are Extra Good!: We're on Darol Anger's Website

Darol Anger has a reference to us on his home page (www.darolanger.com) and some kind words. No gloating; just extreme gratitude! This makes for an extra good day for which to be thankful...enough said.

Tripping Up the Stairs on Baritone Fiddle and Pochette

Don Rickert of Rickert & Ringholz and Darci Jones of Hooley and Fiddarci Lutherie play a jig on baritone (octave) fiddle and the new Adventurer Travel Fiddle (a pochette). Dr. Rickert never practices and he takes full responsibility for ALL bum notes, weird chords and creative timing. :-)

Link to video on YouTube

Link to www.FiddleandBowStore.com

Video: Drowsy Maggie on Baritone (Octave) Fiddle and Pochette

Yeah, it may be over-done, but Drowsy Maggie always gets a lot of hits...plus this one has a baritone fiddle playing true second fiddle (not just the tune an octave lower) to a modern pochette, also known as a backpacker fiddle. Don Rickert (of Rickert & Ringholz) and Darci Jones (of Hooley and Fiddarci Lutherie) playing. As with all videos in which Dr. Don appears, all the flat notes, just plain wrong notes and strange chords are his contribution...a side-effect of chronic lack of practice.

The link to this video on YouTube

Link to www.FiddleandBowStore.com

Hear a Rickert and Ringholz Octave Violin (Fiddle) in the Hands of an Expert

To own a great octave (baritone) violin or fiddle, you don't have to spend several grand.

Violinists Ben Powell and Duncan Wickel (on Octave Violin, in the red shirt), guitarists Jon Sosin and Adam Tressler, bassist Dan Carpel, and mandolin player Eric Robertson perform acoustic string music. If I am not mistaken, all are from the Berklee College of Music. Even if you don't like Jazz/Bluegrass fusion, give it a listen. In his solos, Duncan Wickle shows what a committed and gifted player can do with a baritone fiddle.

Watch this Performance, which occurred on May 22 at the Kennedy Center.

BIG SALE on our Most Popular Instruments and Accessories

Everybody has money issues. You've got 'em and so do we. This is a time of year when it is difficult to sell ANYTHING, especially "non-essentials" like cool musical instruments. I know that many of you have been looking for a way to afford some our most expensive instruments. Well, now is the time. Read on:

We've temporarily cut prices so low on some of our most popular instruments and some other accessories that you may not believe what you see. For example, you can now get a Type II Octave Fiddle for $2,400, which is about $1,000 off of the normal price. We're selling our new Adventurer Travel Fiddles for $450 (ALMOST HALF PRICE).

We are so keen to stimulate some action that we will even consider crazy things like half down and 60 days to pay the balance. You have to call us (404-713-3750) about this and have good credit.

Anyway, if we have something that you want and have not been able to afford, it's pretty much now or never, so get on over to www.fiddleandbowstore.com NOW!. The next three buyers of a Type II Octave or Cradle of Harmony Octave or  will get a free standard fiddle.

Promotional on Baritone Fiddles Now Over

Our offer of a FREE HIGH-END MEISEL VIOLIN with the purchase of either a Type II Octave Violin or Type II Cradle of Harmony ended on FRIDAY 4/25.

Special Ed and the Short Bus Going for the Cradle of Harmony Baritone Fiddle

See our posting about how you can get one of our instruments for free. We are happy to announce that those bad boys of Alternative Old Time, Special Ed and the Short Bus, are going for the big money. If they get at least a Third Place in a juried fiddle competition (presumably in the Old Time Band category), they get one of our best instruments, the Octave Violin Cradle of Hamony.

Link to Special Ed and the Short Bus on YouTube (at Galax,VA)

OR

See the video right here: