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When should I get my bow rehaired?
There are many signs which indicate it is time to have your bow rehaired. The most obvious one is when it is missing many hairs. Most commonly hairs break from the playing side edge. For the violin and viola it is the left edge as you hold the hair facing you when you hold the bow at the frog. For cello and bass it is the opposite side. Continuing to play on a bow that has many hairs missing from one side can not only cause the bow to respond less effectively but can bring on or aggravate warping of the stick. Occasionally hair suddenly starts to pop out in clumps or all at once.
Another obvious sign is if the hair turns very dark or if it doesn't bite or cling to the string when playing with a moderate amount of rosin. Some people believe the hair has tiny teeth which with the help of rosin grips the strings and pulls a beautiful sound with relative ease. I don't believe this is true. I have studied hair under a microscope and it is my belief that each hair when first put on the bow has a different and irregular shape from the other hairs used. Over time when stretched and played a lot the hairs become smoother and smoother. This causes it to slip and make the player rosin the bow so much it becomes scratchy and rough without a good quality of tone.
If you find yourself using more and more rosin than usual and not getting enough grip on the strings it is time to get a rehair. If you practice a lot (4 of 5 hours a day) you may need to get your bow rehaired every couple of months. For most people every 6 months to once a year is enough if all or most of the hairs are still intact. Don't attempt to wash the hair as you can damage the bow and it won't do much good as it is the smoothness of the hairs that cause the slipping.
Another reason to have the bow rehaired is if the hair becomes too long or too short. In general the hair becomes too long when it is used for a while and becomes stretched. The hair will not grip the string as well when it is too stretched. In the winter the hair tends to become too short and in the summer too long as a result of temperature and humidity changes in these seasons. If the hair becomes too long relatively soon after it has been rehaired it can be shortened by the person who rehaired it or someone who is experienced in bow re ha iring.
If you are having trouble tightening or loosening the hair don't force things. The screw or eyelit may be worn. Bring the bow in to a repairman.
How do I keep the violin clean?
Rosin dust should be removed immediately after each playing or practicing session from the violin and the strings. Use a soft, lint free cloth after each practice session. This is necessary because rosin dust collects on the body of the instrument under the strings and on the strings, and if it builds up it will be difficult to get off. If you do this consistently, it shouldn't be necessary to use a violin cleaner/polish. If you do use a polish, choose one formulated only for violins such as the Hill or the Renaissance brands. If the varnish is hard, (you can tell this if over the years it has come off in small chunks, or the repairman tells you it is hard), you can use Xylene to get off a long build up of crud usually under the strings. This product can be purchased in most hardware or home improvement stores.
What do I do if the bridge becomes bent or falls off?
The bridge should be individually cut and fitted to your instrument so that the feet fit the top exactly and the strings are at the correct height above the fingerboard. The correct positioning and fit of the bridge is very important to give the optimum sound and ease of playing for your instrument. If the strings are too low there will be a tendency to buzz, and if they are too high, this can cause tenseness in the left hand and possible damage to the muscles.
Over time the bridge will have a tendency to pull forward towards the fingerboard as the strings are tuned. When this happens the bridge will warp and unless it is fixed can eventually break. Examine the bridge from the side. If the bridge has pulled forward, very gently pull it back with the thumb and forefinger at the top and bottom of both sides of the bridge. When viewing the bridge from the side, the back (facing the tailpiece) should be perpendicular to the top. The front of the bridge will have a slight slope.
A warped bridge can be fixed. It must be done by an expert though. Over time if it has been flattened many times it just might be necessary to have another one fitted. In straightening a bridge it is heated and clamped until it returns to its original shape.
If the bridge falls, loosen the strings and place a soft cloth under the tailpiece to protect the top from the tuners. Pop the bridge back in place, putting its lower side under the string with the highest pitch. The center of the bridge foot should be aligned with the center of the inner f hole notch. The strings should be centered over the fingerboard in regard to the left-to-right orientation. As you bring the strings up to pitch, take care that the top of the bridge is not pulling forward. If it is, gently pull the top of the bridge back, making sure that it stands perpendicular to the top of the instrument. A well maintained bridge should last many years and it shouldn't be necessary to replace it as long as it fits correctly. If it is necessary to replace the bridge it must be done by an expert.
What do I do if the soundpost falls down?
A soundpost is absolutely crucial in getting a violin to sound well. A cheap commercial violin with a properly placed soundpost will sound much better than a Stradivarius with a soundpost down. Aside from the poor tone, you can tell when the soundpost is down when you hear something rattling around on the inside of the instrument. This can happen for a variety of reasons. It may occur if you drop the instrument or bang it into something. The soundpost could fall if you take all the strings off the instrument at once when you are changing them. It also tends to happen during great fluctuations of humidity. The top and back swell when it is warm and humid and the soundpost simply becomes too loose and falls. Take the instrument in to your repairperson. It will only take a few minutes to set the post back up, but it is very much a job for a professional and a difficult and risky job for an amateur. I have seen many instances of torn up treble f holes as the result of inexperienced soundpost setting. For the better violins it is essential that it is positioned correctly.
How can I tell if a string goes bad?
Always use good quality strings. Cheap strings can make the best violins sound terrible. Even if they don't break, strings should be replaced after a certain period of time. Old strings are lifeless, false and dull sounding. I have found there were three main reasons strings went bad aside from the time they were on the instrument.
First is obviously how much use they get. If someone practices 5 hours a day he or she will obviously wear out strings faster than if someone practices 30 minutes a day.
Second, whether the player tended to pound his fingers on his left hand. Nobody has ever shown that pounding fingers improves the tone or the intonation. You can stop the string by pressing it against the fingerboard or you can use a tremendous amount of force. There is absolutely no difference in the tonal quality. Extreme force will take its toll in the strings.
The third is the dermatology of the person playing. If a person's hands sweat a great deal, the strings will corrode. They turn a different color when salt gets into them. This causes the string to deteriorate very quickly. It can be easily observed. Just look at where the fingers fall in the lower positions and compare the color to the upper reaches on each string. I had a friend at Juilliard whose hands sweated so much he bought A strings by the dozen!
A helpful hint here is that silver doesn't corrode nearly as much as aluminum and nickel alloys. If your hands tend to sweat a lot, if at all possible, get a silver D string for your violin, viola or cello. It costs a little more but will last a great deal longer. Also wipe your hands as much as possible.
Put new strings on one at a time. This keeps some tension on the top and will help in keeping the soundpost from moving or falling. Guard against the bridge being pulled forward while tuning new strings up to pitch.
What is the reason for having summer and winter bridges and soundposts?
In warm and humid weather the tops of string instruments tend to swell, which causes them to push the bridge upward. This causes the bridge to raise upward and lifts the strings too high above the fingerboard for comfortable playing. It also has a negative effect on the tone. A lower bridge is necessary here as it becomes very uncomfortable to stop the strings with the left hand. In cold weather with less humidity the exact opposite occurs. The top of the instrument contracts thus lowering the bridge. The strings then become too close to the fingerboard resulting in buzzes and a negative change in the tonal quality.
If the soundpost was fitted during the cold weather it my become too short for summer use when the top expands. The tone will become fuzzy and weak when this happens and the post will tend to fall. Conversely, if it was fitted in warm weather it may be too long for winter use when the top contracts. There is a negative effect on the tone and can even in extreme cases cause the top or back to crack in the soundpost area. This is an extremely bad occurrence with long lasting negative effects.
How often and why should I have my instrument adjusted?
A violin is made from many individual parts and several different types of wood. Wood, being a porous material, is sensitive to changes in atmosphere, temperature and especially humidity. As each part of the violin expands or contracts at a different rate, factors like the neck angle or the tightness of the soundpost are affected, which in turn will influence the quality of sound.
Another cause for an instrument being "out of adjustment" is the bridge or soundpost being moved during daily use, either in the case of the bridge, while the player is straightening it or the bridge and soundpost being accidentally being knocked. Even a small movement of the bridge or the soundpost can have a large impact on the sound and response of an instrument. Often a small adjustment is all that is needed to restore the violin to its former beauty of tone. Occasionally, it sounds even better than before!
What should I do if I get a buzz?
Occasionally a violin may develop a buzz or lose volume and quality of sound. There can be a number of causes for this, but the most common is an open seam -- the glue that holds the violin together can dry out. Gluing a seam together is not a difficult repair for an experienced violin repair person.
Finding buzzes can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. They can be caused by a loose tuner, something touching the instrument such as a chinrest touching the tailpiece, or a fingerboard that needs resurfacing among many other things. In unusual instances, the linings, bass bar or interior blocks can come loose. In that case, the top of the instrument must be taken off in order to do the repairs. I once had a buzz on my Gagliano that couldn't be solved for about three years. It turned out to be the decorative button on one of the pegs that came loose. This was solved by a little Elmers Glue!
What should I do if my pegs slip or get stuck?
Even normal tuning will cause both pegs and the peg hole to wear smooth. This causes slipping. Remove the peg, and try putting old fashioned school chalk on the parts of the peg that are shiny. This will create some traction. If the peg still keeps slipping, it may not fit properly and will need to be replaced. If a peg is too tight, try rubbing it with a bit of dry bar soap. Lava brand soap will work quite well. Even a child's crayon (use black if the pegs are ebony) will work reasonably well.
Bear in mind humidity has a significant impact on pegs. They will tend to slip in the winter and get stuck in the summer. If the problem is chronic, take the violin to a repair shop and check with an expert. The problem might be just a seasonal headache that needs to be dealt with alternately depending on the time of the year.
What is the effect of weather extremes and what should I do about it?
Always keep your instrument away from extremes of temperature and humidity. The ideal temperature is 72 degrees and humidity of 50 to 60 percent. Keep your instrument out of direct sunlight and away from heaters. Even in the dead of winter direct sunlight is very dangerous. Avoid putting the violin in a trunk of a car or in a closed, unoccupied car. Heat can cause damage to the varnish, seams can open and serious cracks can occur.
In the winter when the temperature outside drops below 20 degrees it is advisable to keep the instrument in a room with a humidifier or a vaporizer. When going outside or to a rehearsal or concert I would advise using a Dampit or some humidifying device in the case. In the summer in humid climates it is advisable to have a dehumidifier in the room where the violin is stored. Extreme warmth and humidity will among other things tend to melt the glue in the violin which can cause the neck to drop and seams and repaired cracks to become unglued.
What do I do about open seams and cracks?
Open seams and cracks are extremely bad for both the health of the violin and its tone. It is not advisable for the typical player to attempt to close a seam. It is an absolute no no to try to fix a crack. Extremes of weather can cause seams to open and cracks to develop. When this happens take the violin to a good repair person. The longer the repair is delayed the worse the situation can become. Both the seam and crack can easily spread. The violin can twist and turn making a minor crack or seam repair into a major one. In the case of an open seam, if not taken care of quickly, the seam can cause a crack which is far worse for the health of the violin.
Don't rub your fingers or hand on a crack as it will put both dirt, salt and oils from your skin into the crack making it harder to repair and disguise for the repair person. Each crack will have a negative effect on the value of the violin.
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