Feature:
Though the bows I got are passable, they are not all that great. I generally use other bows. The shoulder rest can tend to slip, and I might try to do something about that by way of customizing it. Nice case.
Quality:
On the whole, it's extremely well-made. It's a bit heavier than other electrics, but I like that. The neck is a little thicker than necessary, though. The bridge functions well, but it is made of rosewood or something similar. I've heard others say that a new maple brdige cut by a luthier greatly enhances playability, but I've not tried that yet. Overall, it seems solid enough to use as a weapon if you get an unexpected intruder into your home and need to smack him upside the head....
Value:
Yes---by all means! It is perhaps the least expensive quality electric I've seen. It's worth every penny.
Desirability:
It looks fine, design wise. I wouldn't mind seeing some custom finish jobs, though---other colors and patterns---that sort of thing. I think Fender's first violins probably influenced the development of other products; some of the Zetas look remarkably similar, and fender came first. I do prefer this design to most others.
Sound:
This fiddle is pretty great---especially for the money. It threw me at first because I was playing through a friend's recording machine that overemphasized the high frequencies. Put it through an acoustic amp and it was impressive. It works best with a preamp; other fiddles often have one onboard, but this one comes alive with any preamp or distortion pedal. Even the drive on little practice amps is enough. After that, it becomes equal to just about any task. The strings that come on the fiddle are terrible, for some reason; I put dominants on one and sensicores on the other (I bought a second one after liking the first). With a delay, it sounds like I'm playing traditional violin in a huge hall, with the proper distortion, it can sound just like an electric guitar. The action may be a triffle too high at the nut out of the box, but any luthier can adjust that. All in all, it's just great for the bucks!
Ease of Use:
I tplays very well with the right amp/preamp combo. One can easily get a deceptively bad first impression if you play on an amp that's not compatible with the instrument. I got a crate acoustic 60 watt amp with effects, and it was perfect. I also used a Boss DS-1 and a Coffin Case Blood Drive pedal. Interestingly, my little Epiphone practice amp works great on its built-in distortion but sounds "barely there" on its clear channel---probably because it's not boosted. As to the learning curve, though it took a couple weeks to discover the nuances, it sounded good right away. The electric is more sensitive in some ways and less so in others when compared to an acoustic violin. Yet there's a whole new universe of musical possibilities here too, and I'm still discovering them.
Support:
Never needed a thing, but I did get some free stuff. So I'll give 'em a "10."
Overall:
I might buy the FV-3 next time, or a Zeta, or a Mark Wood in addition to the Fender. They all are good in their own right and have different voices and capabilities. I'd like to have a five-string one day for versatility, and I think one could get a better pickup if you want to spend three times as much for the fiddle. But I'd keep the Fenders along with the other violins I might decide to buy, and I'd replace them with new Fenders in the event of their loss.
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