Greg - so what is the string band tradition in British music? What time period, basic instrumentation, and types of tunes (maybe some typical titles)?

Here in America it generally was/is - fiddle/s, clawhammer banjo (or resonator for bluegrass), guitar, sometimes mandolin and sometimes upright bass -- instrumentals played for dances, with some songs. Tunes & songs differ, depending on whether it's pre-bluegrass (old timey) or bluegrass.