i`ve been reading up on violin pick-ups and amplifiers. does anyone of u noe wad model/type of pickup is the best? also, i dont get how to improvise on the violin. (improvisation = looking at guitar tabs and playing the chords... nicely. ) yea. so... anyone with info regarding both subjects please post here!! or email me.

I dont know your price range, but your best bet is zeta violin with their pick up and pre amp attached. If you want more accoustic electric go strados acoustic, is you want a more electric violin sound i recommend the jazz series or strados series violin.

i already have an acoustic violin, is there anything that i could add on to the violin to make it er... semi-acoustic, if there is such a thing? my price range is around 500 bucks. thnx

Look at barcus beery acoustic pickups, these add on to your acoustic and make an electricly enhanced acoustic tone.

I just spent a week with the Turtle Island String Quartet. If you haven`t heard any of their work you should definitely check em out at TISQ.com
We had a lengthy discussion about accoustic pick ups as they all play "standard" classical instruments. They are using Crown G-100 pick-ups and their sound is fabulous. Totally accoustic.....but loud enough for the back row and no distortion. As far as learning to improvise from guitar charts? Learn your blues scales and go for it! It is the easiest way to start. I only know this (being totally square myself) because TISQ just taught my equally square high school students how to improvise....one hour of work and off they went....now they are in the goove!