Gut strings that go quickly out of tune, gut frets that slide up the neck, an unknurled bow which requires the player to control the dynamics with a finger on the bowstrings, a bridge low enough to make it easy to play 4 or 5 strings at once but tricky to play on just one, a bowing techniques that requires the player to rotate the instrument into the bow to reach some of the strings while supporting the instrument with the knees-I mean, does anything sound more awkward to play!? I gave up when I started to develop tendinitis from all the awkward body positions required to play them in a traditional manner!.Www@QuestionHome@Com