This has been said in other threads and I'll be the one to say it in this one...Be very careful buying a fiddle on ebay. You won't have a clue what it sounds like until you get it home. Check things out locally first.

That said, I bought a fiddle on ebay nearly a year ago. It was a very interesting one, with strange measurements. But it looked good, the price was right, and I liked the tone of the guy selling it. My heart sank when I took it out of its case, rose again when I played it, and sank to amazing depths when I took it to a local guy who repairs and rents out violins. His exact reaction was, "someone made this instrument by looking at pictures of violins." He then poo-pooed my precious vernacular fiddle for having everything wrong with it. I don't care, though; it sounds beautiful when played. The one thing he was right about: the neck is too heavy and is difficult for a female beginner because it throws off the balance so much. That's okay too, because I don't get a chance to play with it very often.

Best of luck in your search and your new obsession. If it isn't an obsession now it soon will be!