Tune-up Time

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How to Know When it is Necessary

    1. What is the health of your strings? Some strings go dead before going false, and you may have not noticed it over the course of weeks or months.

 

    1. Is your bridge properly placed and straight? Keeping your bridge straight is a skill all advanced players should know. The multiple pounds of downward pressure on a bridge will warp if it is not maintained.

 

    1. Does your instrument have any openings or cracks? Sometimes even a very small open seam that is hard to see can significantly affect your tone. The smaller the opening, the less cost of repair!

 

    1. Are the fittings in good shape? Fingerboards recurrently need re-shaping, tailpieces can be cracked and the improper length or weight, tail-guts can be in danger of breaking, and peg shafts can become warped or out of round. All of these things can severely impact your playing, and are often easy and inexpensive to fix.

 

    1. Must not use and/or stick any foreign substance and or materials on the body of the instrument. Never use Alcohol, acetone and or Chemicals on your instrument. Any and all of the above actions will destroy the varnish and adversely affect the instrument.  (You are only allowed to mark or stick on the Fingerboard and Chinrest).

 

    1. Proper Bow maintenance requires loosening of the hair after each use. This will prevent warping of the bow and keep the hair flexible.

 

    1. Broken Rosin must be thrown out. Usage of broken Rosin may damage the bow hair and definitely mess up your case. It will be nearly impossible to clean off sticky rosin inside the case.

 

    1. Please do not use Duct tape on the case. We always provide FREE name tag. This is the best way to properly label you case.

 

 

We must see each instrument before estimating cost and time necessary to complete each repair. Unfortunately it is impossible to estimate from a telephone call or pictures.

Care of Stringed Instruments

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I. Temperature and Humidity

1) Always use a Dampit whenever the heater is on in your home, or when it is in a dry region. Take the dampit out every day: during this time, soak the dampit in water for 20 seconds, squeeze out the excess water in a towel, and put the dampit back in the instrument. Do this twice a day if the temperature outside is below zero. If you do not do this, you are increasing the possibility of cracks and openings.
2) Keep the instrument away from direct sunlight. Do not store the instrument near radiators or heat vents. If you have a room that is humidified, that would be the best room to store it in. In general, avoid any and all extremes in temperature and humidity.
3) Never, Never, Never transport or leave your instrument in a car trunk—in cold weather the instrument will get cold very quickly; in warm weather the instrument may get very hot causing the glue joints to come apart and varnish to soften and stick to your case.
4) For the same reasons as above, Never leave an instrument in an unattended car. Most insurance companies do not cover theft or damage to an instrument in an unattended car.

II. Polishing

Never let rosin build up on top or underneath the strings. Clean the rosin off before you put the instrument away.

III. Bridges

Check your bridge and straighten it often! The side of the bridge facing the tailpiece should be perpendicular to the surface of the violin. Tuning the strings generally pulls the bridge towards the fingerboard. If the bridge moves off the perpendicular it will warp, and shortly there after it will break. Have your teacher check it also if you are taking lessons.

IV. Strings

Change the strings at least once per year. Strings break, and usually at the most inconvenient time. It is a good idea to have a spare set with you at a concert or a recital.

V. Pegs

Warm humid weather will make pegs sticky. Lubricate the pegs with peg compound. Dry, cold weather will make pegs slip. Use backboard chalk to make the pegs hold firmer.

VI. Maintenance

Visit our shop 3 ~ 4 times a year for free maintenance.

Never leave an instrument where it can be stepped on,
Sat upon, or knocked to the floor.

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