General
Tips | Adjustments
| Bows | Bridges | Cases
| Cleaning
Environmental | Strings
| Serious Repairs
One of the most important maintenance steps is to select a competent luthier! Generally, a call to the local symphony business office will result in some acceptable shops to call. Beware of those who use white or carpenter glues...or super-glue. Beware of those who suggest re-varnishing.
SEAMS: Gluing of seams is the most frequently needed repair. The violin family instruments are put together with relatively weak hide glue, water reversible. Hide glue has high shear strength, low tensile strength....just opposite of white glues. Tops are glued on with half strength glue, for a good reason. Wood expands with high humidity (summer) and contracts with low humidity (winter.) If the tops and backs were solidly glued on, the wood, especially of the top, would crack, since it could not come loose during humidity changes. Cracks reduce value somewhat, especially those over/under sound posts or along the length of the bass bar. So, let the seams come loose...first notice may be a buzz...then have them glued back by a professional. This is the lowest cost repair in the luthier's arsenal. Time to glue a seam may take three hours or so.
SOUND POST: The post will need changing from time to time. The body of the instrument is constantly changing due to seasonal changes and other environmental conditions. Most always, the post needs lengthening (a new one) in normal use. Adverse environmental conditions cause the need for a shorter post, or maybe just an adjustment. Please do not adjust the post yourself! Very frequent adjustment wears a concavity in the top and the setter damages the ff holes. NEVER use scissors post adjustment tools. They are wreckers of ff holes and posts.
BRIDGES: When set at the proper 90 degree angle (tilt) the bridge must not be bent. The feet must show good contact with the top on all edges (no gaps.) The strings must NOT be buried into the bridge grooves. If any of these conditions exist, the bridge needs to be replaced by a professional. Bridges do come in various quality levels. The better the wood, the higher the price of the blank. All bridges must be custom fit and shaped (tuned) for your particular instrument. Improperly fitted bridges wreck the top, besides not producing optimum sound.
FINGER BOARDS: When a finger board comes loose, wrap the tail piece with something soft to prevent scratches, then loosen the strings. If not loosened, the neck will bend due to string pull. If the strings are tight for 24 hours, the neck will have a permanent bend....resulting in a more costly repair. Finger boards, over a period of years, become rutted in the high traffic areas. Sometimes, the board changes shape. Both problems result in buzzes and poor intonation. At this juncture, the board needs re-contouring to proper smoothness and swoop. This is done by planing the board and sanding. Re-contouring should be done every 4 to 10 years, or when badly worn. Eventually, the board will need replacement as it may get too thin. Boards are replaced every 40 to 50 years. When the board is replaced, the nut will be adjusted to proper height and with the correct grooves.
SADDLES: Saddles, under the tail piece at the end block, do come unglued, causing difficulty in maintaining tune. It is a simple job to re-glue or replace a saddle. The saddle needs to be shortened every 5 to 10 years. The top shrinks and the saddle doesn't, making it too tight. If not shortened often enough, cracks will develop up the top from the saddle ends. Incidentally, a high saddle tends to sweeten the sound. A low saddle tends to make the sound more brilliant.
PEGS: Balky ill-fitting pegs are impossible to deal with by the player. New pegs, when installed, should be used several times a day to make them and their holes maintain roundness. Unused pegs shrink oval shaped, as do the holes they are installed in, resulting in the familiar "ratchet-ing" feel..like cogs slipping, and not holding at some spots. Pegs do wear out and change fit over time, refusing to stay put. Normally, pegs tighten in the summer and loosen in winter. Frequent use prevents this problem. However, when the small end of the peg sticks out 3 mm. or so from the peg box wall, it is time to re-peg. Eventually, the peg hole becomes enlarged by many fittings of new pegs. The holes must then be filled with new wood (bushed) and new pegs fit. If the holes are left large, the peg box is in danger of splitting out, especially at the A peg on violins and the D peg on violas and cellos. New pegs will soon need lubrication, such as "Hills Peg Dope", to make them work right. If they slip, a small amount of a dope, like "Hiderpaste" will make them hold. Your friendly luthier will normally do this at no charge...especially if he put the pegs in!!
We all know a properly adjusted instrument is a joy to play.
STRING HEIGHT: Simple things make a big difference in "playability", such as string height. Personal preferences differ, of course, but, in general, violin strings are 3 mm. above the end of the finger board at the E and 4 mm. above the board at the G. Some professionals and teachers want the heights to be one mm. higher. The viola A is 4 mm. above the board, the C 5 mm. above. The cello has the A at 6 mm. above, and the C 9 mm. above the end of the board.
TAIL GUT: After ring is greatly improved if the distance from the bridge crown to the tail piece fret is proper length by adjusting the tail gut. If the bridge is 90 degrees and all else ok, the string section between the bridge and the tail piece will, when plucked, ring at two octaves above the next highest string. For instance, on a violin, pluck the G string behind the bridge, it should be two octaves above the open D string if all adjustments are correct. If well adjusted, the ring will sustain quite nicely. Optimum sound and projection are the result of the proper bridge spacing from the tail piece. This length is normally 55 mm. for violin, 61-63 mm. for viola, and 120 mm. for cello. The assumption is that the bridge is 90 degrees to the belly and other adjustments ok. Smaller sized instruments will have proportionally smaller distances behind the bridge.
SOUND POST: Post adjustment is critical. Your favorite luthier can, by simple post adjustments, balance the power and sonority of the strings. He can brighten and or darken the sound, and with a variety of combinations of movements, make the instrument sound as good as it can. Sometimes a new post is indicated.
The bow is as essential to the instrument as the player or the strings. It deserves as much respect and care as any other member of the playing "team." The stick must be kept free of rosin build-up. Wiping with a soft cloth after each playing session will do nicely. The bow must be loosened after each use, or it will stretch hair and lose camber. Proper camber is indicated when the hair just almost touches the stick when loose.
ROSIN: Rosin should be used sparingly and only if the bow slips or doesn't grip. Too much rosin creates a mess and actually causes the hair to feel slick......hastening the need for rehairing. NEW HAIR: Hair should be replaced when it has no more grip, when it gets too long, or when hairs are lost on "the player side" of the ribbon. Failure to rehair when edge hairs are lost will result in a permanently warped bow which will have to be straightened.
BOW HAIR BUG: Bows left unused in the case for a few days or a few weeks are prime fodder for the bow hair bug. It is really the larva of the carpet beetle, and thrives on rosined hair and only in the dark. If the bow is used every day, the bug will not eat the hair. If you ever notice shredded hair in your case, get the bow rehaired soon, vacuum the case well, and place two mothballs (camphor type) in the case. The fumes will kill existing larvae and prevent eggs from hatching.
REHAIRING should be done by an expert. More bows are damaged by inept repair persons than by other accidents. Proper hair amount is essential. Strong bows get more hair than weak ones. Too much hair makes the bow sluggish in response. Too little hair produces weak sound. Hair, having been a living substance, lasts only six to eight months before becoming brittle. Frequency of installing new hair depends on use. It is common for very active players to rehair once per month.
The very act of tuning pulls the top of the bridge toward the fingerboard. The bridge must be placed back upright, ever so little, each time tuning takes place. Maximum power transfer from the strings to the belly takes place when the mass of the bridge is 90 degrees to the belly. A warped or bent bridge severely decreases power and sonority.
BRIDGE BENDING: If the bridge is left bent....normally toward the fingerboard, it will become permanently deformed. At this stage, if it is put at 90 degrees, the feet will not fit and a new bridge is needed. To check the bridge position, make sure it is directly across from the inner ff notches. Then take a plastic ruler, place it between the bridge and the tail piece. when the end of the ruler is squarely on the belly, the bridge back should be parallel with the ruler edge, touching the bridge back and the belly at the same time. If the bridge does not touch, it must be gently pulled (from the top) toward the tail piece until it is 90 degrees. A curve in the bridge relative to the straight ruler edge indicates the need of a new bridge. If you are uneasy doing this procedure, your friendly luthier may do it for no charge...it only takes a few seconds to adjust.
BRIDGE STRING GROOVES: Each time a string is changed, a soft lead pencil is used to lubricate the string notch (graphite) at both bridge and the nut, under the string (more about this in the String Maintenance section). Lubricating the string grooves will lessen the effects of pull when tuning, and will make the bridge tilt easier to correct.
STRING NOTCHES: Anytime a string buries itself in the bridge, the bridge should be replaced, or, at least vellum glued over the groove to lessen its depth. Ideally, the groove depth should be only one third of the string diameter at the bridge and the nut. Shallow string notches lengthen string and bridge life, make the tilt easier to correct, and greatly improve both response and after-ring of the instrument.
The best instrument protection is offered by the "suspension" type of case. It supports the instrument at the end block and the neck heel, effectively holding it firmly. This prevents the neck from being broken out due to the case being dropped. Full fitted cases hold the instrument so it cannot move inside the case, also preventing breaking due to sudden shocks. Thermal shock can be prevented with one of the popular foam cases, ultra-light, and a padded cover/bag. A good case is an investment in prolonging the life of your instrument.
It is best to wipe rosin from the strings and top immediately after each use. Rosin left on a few days attaches itself to the varnish, making cleaning difficult. It is suggested to have the instrument cleaned once a year by a professional luthier. Sweat and grime can damage the varnish over just a short time. Also, layers of rosin severely decreases the sonority. This happens gradually, not noticed by the player. After a good cleaning it will sound like a totally different instrument! Use only a soft cloth for cleaning....most cleaners/polishes actually damage the varnish.
The violin family of instruments is very sensitive to external conditions. Put your violin where you would be happy to put your newborn baby, and you can't go wrong!
HEAT: Violin makers glue starts to soften above 90 degrees. Prolonged exposure to 90 degrees and above causes the instrument to lose neck angle (the strings are very high at the end of the fingerboard.) In a car trunk, temperatures can easily go above 200 degrees in the summer. Even a closed automobile gets too hot, when unattended, in the summer. At 200 degrees the violin will lose its shape and the varnish will soften and run, sticking to the case! Your violin family instrument is only comfortable where YOU are comfortable. Also, a black case left in direct sunlight will very soon be too hot for comfort.
COLD: The violin family of instruments is glued with animal hide glue. This glue loses all strength below 32 degrees F. At this temperature, a sudden shock can cause the instrument to come apart!! Removing a cold violin from its case in a warm room will cause the varnish to crinkle (form a "crow's feet" patterns.) Also the moisture in the room condenses on the varnish, melding dirt and rosin to the varnish....cleaning is then very difficult.
HUMIDITY: At low temperatures, the relative humidity is low, typical of winter or heated homes in the winter. Lack of humidity causes the wood to shrink and crack. Low humidity can also cause the bow hair to shorten. If the bow was put away tight, the hair shrinkage could pop the head off the stick!! Remember, your instrument is only comfortable where you are comfortable. Would you be comfortable in a car trunk or a closed car during the freezing weather??
LONG TERM STORAGE: The instrument should have the strings loosened about a half step or so. The bow should be loosened completely. Clean both the instrument and the bow before storing. Put two moth balls in the case or bow quiver (explained in Section 5.) Leave the instrument, in case, in a heated/humidified/air conditioned area...not in an attic or a basement. Check the instrument at least once a year for crack, loss of neck angle, slipped pegs, broken strings, etc. Replace the moth balls once per year.
The quality of sound you produce starts with the strings. String type...and there are many...is a personal choice. Whatever you use is ok. In general, the better the quality of the strings, the better the quality of sound produced.
CLEANING: Keep the strings clean and free of hand scum and rosin build up. Heavy accumulations of rosin make the strings sluggish and false sounding. Cleaning can be done with a soft cloth lightly moistened with rubbing alcohol. Take care to NOT get any alcohol on the varnish!!
FALSE STRINGS: These strings cause two notes to appear, or ring, when the string is plucked or bowed. They produce mushy sound and tuning is difficult. They go false due to age, windings coming loose, rust, or weakened places in the string core.
POPULAR STRINGS: The most popular strings are made with a synthetic core, replacing but imitating gut. These strings stay tuned well in varying environmental conditions, compared to gut core ones. They sound almost as good. Gut strings lengthen when warm or exposed to high humidity, making tuning difficult. Synthetic core strings change a little, but opposite gut. They shrink in high humidity and warmth...lengthen in low humidity and cold temperatures.
STRING BREAKAGE: When strings break in the peg box, it is due to either the groove not lubricated with graphite or the groove too deep, binding the string and producing high tension between the peg and the nut. Also, nut and bridge grooves too deep will cause breakage at the nut and at the bridge crown. String age...too old...also causes the string to part over the nut or bridge. Breakage between the bridge crown and the tail piece is either due to the bridge grooves being too deep or not lubricated, or both. A
BIG TIP: frequent tuning during weather changes...radical changes in temperature and humidity...will greatly help equalize tension in the hot spots and reduce string breakage.
Serious cracks, crunches and broken necks require expert attention. See your favorite luthier for advice.
When the strings are too high off the finger board to fit a bridge, there may be several causes. The first suspect is that the heel of the neck has pulled out of the mortise. This requires a neck reset. Next, the heel button could be broken away from the back, at the purfling, and the neck out of the mortise. BIG MONEY repair...open, put in a button patch, reblock, close and reset the neck.
Lastly, the finger board could have warped, sagging drastically. Only a new finger board is required. When the strings are too close to the finger board and a new bridge can't solve the problem, there are several causes. First, the finger board may have been partially unglued, in the center of the neck, and the neck has bent due to string pressure. This pushes the finger board end very high or bends it, or both. The cure is straightening the neck and probably replacing the finger board. The most common cause of the strings touching the finger board is body drift. Think of a rectangle, the top, back and blocks of the instruments, viewed from the side. The body can drift to a trapezoid shape, the top and back parallel, but the end block top and heel block top leaning toward the neck assembly. This raises the finger board end drastically. Bridges are not made high enough to raise the strings off the board. The cause is unglued end and heel blocks. String pressure tries to draw the end toward the heel, pushing the finger board up. In good instruments, they are taken apart, new blocks, and a neck reset. In the case of lower priced instruments, body drift is caused by their being assembled with synthetic glues which have no shear strength. The synthetic glues creep and drift forever, unlike animal hide glue. An inexpensive instrument of this sort is best discarded and a better one obtained.
© 2000 - Casa del Sol Violins Ltd. - All Rights Reserved