Arthur Conner; Virginia Fiddle-maker passes

[edwardofhuncote]

You can't have grown up anywhere near here, working on musical instruments and possibly not known of Arthur Conner. He was a legendary, self-taught fiddle-maker, with a true gift for the craft. I've had the (nearly) unique experience of working on one of his basses. (Reportedly, there are only two, but I heard once there is another) I have played music with several folks who play his fiddles. I might be able to dig up a couple pictures.

There are some pretty good pictures of his work in the Bluegrass Today link. https://bluegrasstoday.com/arthur-conner-passes/

 

[edwardofhuncote]

Found a couple pics of a Conner 5-string that belongs to a buddy of mine who plays in the band Blue Mule. (we do a lotta' shows with these guys) While he's not posed with it in this particular cameo, Jerry's Conner AC5 is one of his most prized possessions. (it was just the best picture I had of Jerry!)

[sonicus]

I send my condolences !

  What is the standard tuning on a 5 string fiddle ?

[pauldo]

That 5 string is a thing of true Beauty and Craftsmanship.
RIP Arthur you have done well.

[edwardofhuncote]

There may be some alternate tunings Wolf, (certainly there must be) but usually the fifth string is a low C, giving a fiddler access to the viola's range. My buddy Jerry there, is known far and wide for his ability to play harmony parts, and is often called upon as a session player for just that. The 5-string fiddle allows him even more flexibility.