INSTRUMENT CARE

Watch this section for further updates and advice on instrument care. Questions you may address to us will also be answered by e-mail or in the column.

Violin Preventive Care

The Bow

The bow should not be over tightened when in use and loosened when not in use. A tight bow can warp the stick and a bow left tightened in a very dry atmosphere can actually break the stick as the hair shrinks.

The hair should not be touched and the stick should have excess rosin carefully wiped off. Bow hair can be restored by special treatment, if there is enough hair remaining to justify the treatment.

Bows must never be dropped on their tip, especially when left tight. Such an action can easily break the end from the bow. Breaks like these are not very successfully repaired.

The Violin

The finish is best maintained by regular cleaning with a varnish cleaner such as Hidersol. If left too long, rosin dust can actually combine with the varnish.

A 40-50% humidity is best for your instrument. This can be best maintained by the careful use of a Dampit in the violin and an in-room humidifier. Dampening devices are available for all sizes and types of stringed instruments.

Special caution should be taken when driving in a car in cold weather. The air becomes very dry and the instrument can open up in a few hours. Cold weather can damage finish especially if the instrument is warmed too quickly. It is equally important in hot weather not to leave the instrument in the heat.

The bridge should be watched because it tends to lean forward and to warp forward through continued tuning.

Some instruments in certain circumstances may require both a summer and winter bridge. This is because the finger board tends to rise in dry conditions and fall in damp conditions. This is more true in the larger string instruments, but can be true in violins as well.

Violins are assembled with weak glue, as in hide glue, rabbit glue, etc. so that the seams will loosen before the wood itself cracks. Cracks are repairable but always diminish the value and sometimes the tonal quality of the violin.

Peg slippage is also a challenge as the pegs wear and as the humidity changes. A well fit peg can be helped by various kinds of peg conditioners and pastes that differ for sticking or slipping pegs. These are available at RIchard Dugan Violins.

The case is also important. It should be strong enough to protect the instrument. A suspension case serves as a shock absorber and is a great improvement over early cases. The case should have a bow holder that secures the bow in case of a jolt. Most damage of the top finish on the violin is done by a loose bow or loose miscellaneous items bouncing around in the case. A bag or blanket around the violin is good extra protection.

A sharp blow or loosening ALL strings at once can cause the sound post to come loose inside the instrument. This should be re-set by a competent luthier.

Wolf tones can develop in an instrument and manifest themselves as howling overtones when the B note is played. These can sometimes be eliminated by a screw type wolf tone eliminator placed on the D string behind the bridge.