Humidity

Incorrect humidity is the leading cause of violin damage. Both too much or too little can cause surfaces to become unglued, warp, or crack. Humidifying is especially important in the winter when the heat in your home dries out the air. Pegs can stick or loosen excessively and the instrument’s voice can be affected to a considerable degree. Much of this depends on climate and storage conditions. Do not store your instrument in extreme hot or cold locations, and never leave your instrument in direct sunlight or in the trunk of your car on a warm day as the heat could melt the varnish. Various measures can be taken to guard against these possible damages. An excellent precaution is to have a reliable hygrometer in your storage area and a Humidifier in your case. The optimum humidity for a bowed stringed instrument is 50%.

Pegs

As you change your strings, take a moment to lubricate the pegs with a peg paste. Most peg difficulties – stuck pegs, rough turning, sticking, slipping – can be avoided with some simple lubrication. Also, lubricate the notches of the bridge and nut with graphite from a sharp pencil, in order to allow the string to pass over these notches with the least amount of friction. This is particularly important for the bridge, which can get pulled out of alignment by the strings.

Cleaning

It is very important to keep the surface of stringed instruments free of rosin, dirt and dust. Rosin is slightly acid and can, when left for long periods of time, attack the varnish and adversely affect it. In extreme situations where the rosin and dirt have built up to a considerable extent, it can dampen the vibration of the belly, as it often does when it gets built up on the strings themselves. The recommended method of cleaning is to use a soft cloth to remove rosin dust, oil, and dirt from the instrument immediately after each use. Some of the most beautiful examples of classical varnishes, are those which with proper maintenance, have been spared the need for constant polishing.

Strings

Old strings become lifeless and as they age, can go false. False strings require more tension to keep in tune, thus putting excessive pressure on the instrument. Replace the strings at least once a year, or more frequently if the instrument is played more than an average of 30 minutes a day. Remove and replace each string one at a time as removing all four strings at one time may cause the soundpost to fall or the bridge to shift out of place. If you are not comfortable changing your strings yourself, we offer this service free of charge when you purchase your strings from us.

Fine Tuners

Fully-extended fine tuners can seriously damage the wood or varnish. Guard against tuners touching the top of the instrument by checking the bottom of the tuner frequently. When the underside of the tuner comes close to the top of the instrument, loosen the tuner screw just until the screw raises or lowers the pitch of the string. After the screw is loosened, use the peg to tune the string back up to the correct pitch. Make sure the tuner screw or nut doesn’t become too loose or it may buzz/rattle.

Cracks and Open Seams

Check your instrument regularly for cracks and open seams. In any quality of instrument, excessive dryness can cause both cracks and open seams. We recommend you have a Hygrometer in your storage area and a Humidifier in your case. The optimum humidity for a bowed stringed instrument is 50%.

Humidifying is especially important in the winter when the heat in your home will dry out the air. Have a qualified luthier glue open seams and cracks as soon as possible so they do not get worse. Do not apply cleaner or polish an instrument that has open cracks or seams as this may make any future repairs difficult.

Soundpost

The soundpost is the heart and soul of the instrument and must be adjusted as the instrument changes with weather conditions. It is not recommended the musician attempt to adjust their own soundpost – an inexperienced hand can cause serious damage to the inside and top of the instrument. Always release the tension of the strings if the soundpost falls and take the instrument to an experienced luthier for adjustment.

Bridge

The bridge should remain with its back (the side facing the tailpiece and furthest from the fingerboard) perpendicular to the top of the instrument. Tuning tends to pull the bridge and if not re-adjusted and straightened regularly, can cause warping so severe that the bridge can snap and the force in the collapse of a bridge can damage the top of the instrument. The bridge should also have some protection in the form of a parchment on the highest string to keep the string from cutting down into the bridge over time.

Fingerboard

As is the case with the rest of the instrument, regular cleaning of the fingerboard from rosin dust with a soft cloth, is the simplest, best and most effective long-term way of taking care of the fingerboard. Older or more persistent grime on fingerboards can certainly be removed by applying a very small amount of rubbing alcohol or ethyl alcohol to a cloth or paper towel and wiping down the fingerboard. As is the case in cleaning the violin strings, however, great caution must be exercised here to make sure that no alcohol whatsoever comes in contact with the top, where it will damage the varnish. If grooves have formed on the fingerboard after long and intense use, a qualified luthier can resurface a fingerboard without affecting the playability or sound of the violin. Depending on the condition of your fingerboard your instrument may have to undergo the complicated process of replacing the fingerboard.

The Stick

Loosening the hair after playing keeps it from stretching, preserves the camber of the bow and helps the stick from warping. Should a bow require straightening or cambering, a qualified luthier can restore a bow to optimum playing condition with the careful use of heat, knowledge and skill.

The Hair

Active players require frequent bow rehairing, typically every six months in order to maintain the best quality of sound and responsiveness. Student bows may be rehaired less frequently, depending on usage. If the hair stretches a lot, the screw may eventually cease to tighten. If you encounter resistance when tightening the bow, do not force the screw any further as continuing to do so, could crack the stick. Always loosen the hair after playing.

The Eyelet

Inside the frog of your bow is a small metal part called the eyelet. The bow screw travels through the eyelet and serves the dual function of tightening the bow to playing tension and securing the frog firmly to the stick. Over time, the thread of the eyelet will wear. If your screw will not tighten, the eyelet may need replacing.

The Tip

The most fragile part of your bow is the tip. Always hold the bow by the frog, not by the tip or by the hair, and carry it with the tip raised. Never tap the tip or strike the head of the bow. The ivory, silver, gold or high-grade plastic tip face that lines the tip, serves to protect it during normal use. If the tip face develops a crack, it should be replaced by a qualified luthier.

Rosin

Far too often we encounter over-rosined bows. It is unnecessary to rosin the bow every time it is used and too much rosin produces a gritty sound. Apply rosin sparingly and evenly. Light coloured rosin is best for damp climates and dark coloured rosin for cold dry climates. Due to it’s alcohol content, rosin will tend to dry out in about a year. We recommend annual replacement.