How-To: Instrument Care

If you have any specific questions, please see if they are answered below…otherwise, please ask, post a discussion, or blog about it! Someone out there will know the answer for sure!!

If you are willing to invest much time and money into your instrument, it seems logical you would be more than willing to give your instrument the Tender Loving Care it deserves; unfortunately, this is one situation in which Windex is not your best friend. There are many products to assist you and your fragile instrument in your day to day relationship, but many issues can be avoided by simply wiping off your instrument and bow after every use with a microfiber cloth and getting to know your local music shop.

Basic care is covered in this brief video, so I’d recomend viewing it quickly before we get into more in-depth information:

Varnish Care

For a more in depth look at the instrument care, let’s begin with handling and storage. In general, it is best to store your instrument the same way you received it: in its proper case with a blanket/ storage bag (for added protection) or on a proper instrument stand in a safe corner (for those few instances when you are not practicing of course). When ready to play, make sure your watch, buttons, earrings, necklaces, etc are all removed to avoid scratching the instrument while playing or preparing to play. Aim to pick up the instrument from the neck, and continue practicing until your heart’s content! As Phoebe mentioned in the video, the varnish is another fragile part of your instrument; varnish is the shiny substance brushed on the instrument’s wood for improved color, protection, and sound. However, the varnish does not like having fingerprints, dust, rosin, or other foreign substances of an unknown origin accumulating on it, so be sure to wipe off after every use as mentioned above. The better the varnish, the better the color, protection, and sound, but a higher quality varnish is also thinner, so you must be even more diligent in your dusting.

If your violin is newly made, it will be very shiny when you receive it; however, do not think you must polish it to retain this appearance. Daily dusting will be sufficient: the microfiber cloth mentioned above or a cloth diaper (clean) are both good options because they are soft, lint-free, and non-abrasive. It is not necessary, but if you feel the need to go beyond these daily routines, there are many options for periodic “deep-cleanings:” treated cloths may be purchased specifically for cleaning instruments (one should take great care not to use it on the strings or get it near the hair of the bow); polishes and cleaners are available (use sparingly; always test for compatibility with the varnish in a small inconspicuous area of the instrument); NEVER use commercial or household solvents near an instrument (even the vapors will damage the instrument).

Weather Concerns

With the handy tools you have already read, you would be prepared to get the most out of your violin for years to come, save for the temperamental weather; and temperamental weather means your violin is a temperamental creature. Humidity and temperature are the two most important aspects of weather for instrumentalists. Violins, violas, celli, and basses are made out of wood; furthermore, the glue used to hold the seams together is water soluble. As a result, small changes in the humidity or temperature can drastically affect your instrument. Too much or too little humidity can be the cause of the bent wood, cracks, neck projection problems, glue joint separations, strings which are too high or low, soundposts which are too loose or tight, and many other problems.  Here is a guide for maintaining the proper level of humidity:

It is most advisable to humidify or dehumidify the environment in which the instrument is kept the majority of the time (regardless of the presence of a case mounted device). .  Humidity is most easily measured with a hygrometer kept in the same room in which the instrument is stored; otherwise, you can buy a tuner/ metronome/ hygrometer combination unit to always keep in the practice room. Instruments may, of course, be taken from their properly-humidified environments in order to be played for reasonable periods of time.  This can be done without harm as long as the instrument is returned to its environment of proper humidity before the wood loses or gains an undue amount of moisture.

Rapid fluctuations in temperature are just as dangerous as those in humidity.  While in colder climates it is often impossible to avoid subjecting an instrument to low temperatures, it is important to make certain that the rate of temperature change is as slow as possible.  This may be accomplished by allowing an instrument to warm up to room temperature inside the case instead of playing it as soon as entering a new place. Conversely, excess heat may soften the varnish which can pick up impressions of shoulder rests and case lining fabric or, in extreme cases, may “alligator” or cause the instrument to stick to the inside of the case.  Instances of excess heat can happen at any season and are most often caused by leaving the case in the direct sun, next to a heater, or unattended in either the passenger or luggage compartments of an automobile.

String & Peg Maintenance

When you first receive an instrument, the strings should already be setup on the instrument; however, if they are new strings be aware that it will take some time for the materials to stretch and adjust to the new environment. Alternatively, if you drive to pick up the instrument yourself, always remember to never leave the instrument in the car on your return trip home (you have seen what happens to chocolate, right?); the same string principles above apply. If you feel comfortable tuning the strings with fine adjusters (at bottom of instrument) or pegs (at top of instrument), go ahead; otherwise, take the instrument to your teacher or local music shop. Strings are very sensitive, so always tune with smooth movements and never try to force the tuning process.

As time goes on, concertos are practiced and the instrument is cared for, it is possible and advisable for you to perform minor adjustments to your instrument. First, strings have three vibrating sections: in the pegbox, between the nut and bridge, and between the bridge and tailpiece.  In order to help prevent the string from breaking, these three lengths must all be able to adjust themselves to the same tension.  The grooves on the nut should be wide enough to allow the strings to pass over the nut to the pegs without bending too much.  Similarly, bridge grooves should be cut with the proper width, depth, and curve to allow the string to pass to the tailpiece with ease.  When changing strings, you should rub graphite from a soft “lead” pencil to both nut and bridge grooves – this will help the strings slide more easily and prolonging string life. **If strings break continuously, a technician should inspect both the nut and bridge grooves and make necessary adjustments.**

Second, proper fit and operation of the pegs is important to both the health of the instrument and your convenience.  A common complaint is sticking or excessive slipping.  The humidity changes laid out above play a large part in causing this problem since wood pegs will tend to become oval when they shrink or swell.  Misshapen pegs do not contact the peg box walls correctly.  **Should this be a chronic problem, a technician should be consulted and the pegs adjusted for better fit.** Pegs which fit well should be lubricated with any of several peg compound sticks on the market.

Winding the strings on the pegs correctly is also very important for the pegs to function smoothly.  Strings should be wound from the inside, out (towards the round peg head).  Additionally, by adjusting the length of the string winding which is inserted through the peg hole, a player can adjust the position of the peg head so that it is comfortable for tuning.

A common complaint often voiced particularly by younger players is that pegs do not hold.  Often this is caused by not putting pressure on the end of the peg while turning it.  An easy cure to this problem is to visualize the peg as having threads which “screw” into the peg box as the peg is pushed in and turned in either direction. This will all help make tuning and use of the instrument much more streamlined in all seasons of playing. An old-fashioned remedy for slipping pegs is the application of rosin dust; however, I DO NOT suggest this remedy since rosin dust may fuse pegs to the pegbox (which would be like concrete and not good). A better solution would be applying peg drops, which are specially formulated to solve this problem.

Check – Ups are for Instruments, too!

A periodic inspection of the instrument will allow you to maintain your instrument’s health, catching small issues before they become potentially damaging. At least once a week, you can search for problems including broken string windings, leaning bridges, improper string height, open glue joints, and cracks. Damaged strings can be easily changed by the player; leaning bridges can be straightened by experienced players; improper string height can be indicative of a variety of problems including misplacement of the bridge, low neck projection, arching distortion, and extreme changes of humidity.  With most other problems, you must ultimately establish a relationship with a violin shop or luthier who is capable of taking care of the instruments. String height problems, open joints and cracks should be promptly inspected and repaired by a technician. If leaning bridges, open joints, and cracks are left unattended, instruments can sustain serious additional damage which can be both difficult and expensive to repair.

Now, you really are prepared! If you have any unanswered questions, please do not hesitate to ask — write a comment, post a discussion, or blog about it!