altistitar* Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 When I was at a music festival a couple of weeks ago, I took my viola to a luthier for cleaning. It's now nice and shiny, but the neck, fingerboard and strings are a bit sticky and that makes shifting difficult. How could I clean these myself? Obviously I can't complain to the luthier, because the festival is over and he has travelled back to Russia or wherever he lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANFIO Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Hummmm, try to clean it with a lightly wetted (with water) soft clouth. If it does not work, you can try add a very small amount of soap to the wetted clouth. But the best suggestion is: why don't you visit your luthier and take the viola with you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altistitar* Posted August 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Should I take the strings off when doing that? I absolutely hate going to the luthier, I don't know why, but I try to avoid it as much as I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANFIO Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 No, keep the instrings in their place. You may hate going to the luthier but it's necessary, we take our car to the mechanics, we go to the dentist, musicians take their instruments to luthiers and so on. You can damage your instrument in the case you try to do everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altistitar* Posted August 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Quote: You may hate going to the luthier but it's necessary, we take our car to the mechanics, we go to the dentist, musicians take their instruments to luthiers and so on. Yeah, I know it's necessary, I just have had some unpleasant experiences in the past. The luthier I bought my viola from is very arrogant and has no customer service skills - not a pleasure to deal with him! Thanks for the help, I'll go try the cleaning now. And if it doesn't work, I'll just have to bite my tongue and visit a luthier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Holmes Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Are you in an area that it is possible to find a(nother) luthier who is more enjoyable to visit?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altistitar* Posted August 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Quote: Are you in an area that it is possible to find a(nother) luthier who is more enjoyable to visit?? I have visited other luthiers, but I have yet to find one I truly enjoy visiting. Or maybe I'm just too picky... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Holmes Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Keep trying... I've heard that a few of us might actually be OK... and can keep it together at least for a short visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_Coggins Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 And try to avoid visiting around a full moon ... many luthiers get particularly feral around this time and start displaying some rather unsavoury behaviour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANFIO Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 It's winter here now but I think you will find it still very hot for your standarts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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