I was playing in a session at Whitby two years ago along with a very fine violinist. He plays clasical music with a local orchestra and string quartets, He teaches violin to a high standard, as a fiddler he tends to be a little stiff,
He decided to play a well known clasical piece during the session and all other players stopped playing and there was a total hush over the whole crowd. At the end of the tune there was great applause which is unusual in a music session and someone commented that his must be a very expensive violin to sound like it did. He replied that it was a £60 Lark. "I wouldn't bring an expensive fiddle to Whitby in case someone sat on it" He said.
There's many a fine tune played on an old and cheep fiddle.
Cheers Bill