Fatcat Fiddles just returned from the Wintergrass Music Festival in Bellevue, Washington where we showed all our new instruments at a booth in the Makers room. I got to rub elbows with two extraordinary luthiers from Bend, Oregon, Jason Bowerman and Andrew Mowry ……. Beautiful instruments!! I also got to meet the fine gentlemen from Bent Twig Guitars from Libby, Montana. Their innovation was very inspiring. The whole room was filled with some of the finest instruments, bows, and talented people that you will ever meet.
I didn”t get to see a lot of the shows because I had to work my booth, but I made it a point to see Della Mae on Thursday night. I am so glad I did because they were absolutely awesome! I also peeked in on a few numbers from the Peter Rowan Band. I have been a Peter Rowan fan since the Seatrain days back in the early Seventies. Also in that band was the great fiddler Richard Greene.
The people I met were amazing. They ranged in age from very young to very old, and you could never tell who would be the next person to pick up one of my violins and play them. It was very satisfying for me to hear all these talented people playing beautiful music on my instruments. I had so much fun, I might have to make it an annual event.
The Fatcat Fiddle crew at Wintergrass 2019
Tom and Torbjorn manning the booth
Lots of interest showed and really enjoyed all the feedback
The new F. M. Ashley models
Ashley/Mount accoustic - electric 5 string with a Zeta pick up and pre-amp
F. M. Ashley Walnut and Cedar 5 string with Zircote fingerboard and tail piece
The Freedom Fiddle on display with the new Bodo V. Padouk 5 string
Padouk EXP 5 string with Redwood top and maple purfling. Also sports a Zeta pick up and built in pre amp for amplification.