Having consulted the wife, the source of all fiddle knowlege here at my place, she tells me they tune one whole step down to match the accordion, which is usually in "D". She also tells me it is to keep the sound mellow.

Of course, she has been wrong before, (I can say that here, she never reads this!) She also is following up on her promise to quit the fiddle altogether by giving the instrument away last night...(sob!)

Mikal