Violins are a great investment. The more you care for them, the longer they’ll last and the less likely they are to get made redundant or become unfashionable. The most sought-after violins are around 300 years old. They’ve been in existence for over 3 centuries, which is hard to say about any other type of item.
Most Common Repairs for the Violin
Violins can be pretty delicate instruments that have a loud and emotional sound. They’re mainly made up of wood with some metal pieces too. This makes the instrument even more likely to be affected by changing climate conditions and mishandling.
You may be in a place where it gets both really hot and really cold. It’s unfortunate, but things aren’t all that bad if you’re aware of what to keep an eye out for. There are plenty of awesome musicians living there, and they take great care of their violins too! Here’s what I suggest:
Bridge
The violin bridge is not physically attached to the violin, which means it can be removed fairly easily. It might come off while you change the strings if you’re not careful though! If the strings are too loose, they won’t be able to hold the bridge against the body of the violin.
Sometimes, the strings on your guitar will get tangled and keep your bridge from being properly centered. To fix this, loosen the strings so that you can move it to a better position.
If the bridge is bent, then it should be replaced by a new one. The luthier will have to do this job, so take it to the one you might know or to your local shop.
The Pegs
There’s no way around it, tuning pegs can be really tough, and not just if you’re a beginner. Even if you tune it to perfection and think the peg is in its place tightly enough, as soon as you release it, chances are that it won’t stay like that for long.
However, if they’re easily movable, try gently pushing them closer to the instrument as you voice a string. You’ll start to feel it becomes more difficult to move them freely.
It can be helpful to use a graphite pencil if the peg tends to stick frequently. You may color on it until you see the end of it go grey. You can also try using peg compound for better results.
The Soundpost
The soundpost is an important part of the violin, it facilitates the instrument to be able to resonate. Without it, the frequencies that the violin produces can’t happen and then you’re left with a very different sound.
It’s normal for the soundpost to fall out of place from time-to-time. To rectify this, you should loosen the strings so that you can remove all pressure from the body of the violin. Take it to a trusted repair shop or luthier to have it set back into place. They should be able to help you fix this for optimal results. If not, you may end up doing more harm than good.
Open Seams
If your violin has an open seam, don’t worry. This is more common than you might think. Changes in humidity and drastic changes in temperature can affect your wooden instrument and make it contract or expand too quickly. If the seam of your furniture is open, get it fixed! Be careful though, not everyone knows how to work with wood.
This is something that it’s important to fix as soon as you notice a change – for example, if your instrument suddenly sounds different after you play it. Other changes that might indicate this need to be fixed include not being able to make any noise come from the instrument, if the strings are broken or out of tune.
Cracks and Scratches
Picking up a scratch is never pleasant, but it’s not the end of the world either. You’ll find that it’s more about the aesthetics than anything – meaning it won’t affect how your instrument sounds. Still, with time, scratches will probably get worse and you risk losing all of your violin to some degree.
If your instrument does get a scratch, you can try to fix it yourself by applying wax and a soft cloth. If the scratch is too deep, you might want to consider taking it a luthier to have it fixed.
Cracks are something you should try to avoid. They will often lead to expensive repairs and, in the worst cases, put your instrument out of commission altogether.
If there’s only a chip broken in the wood, take the part that fell off to the luthier and have him put it back in place. If it’s just gone, it might be more expensive because he might have to make you a new one that matches the body of your instrument.
Taking good care of your instrument is vital in ensuring that it sounds great every time you play it. Play-time isn’t the only reason to visit a luthier either, they can also provide upkeep and much-needed repairs when you least expect them.
Although it may be tempting to do a DIY orchestra, you risk damaging your instrument if you don’t really know what you’re doing. It’s always a good idea to leave the problem solving to the experts. Just because an instrument is cheap doesn’t mean it can handle all experiments without any consequences!
Conclusion
I’ve been lucky to meet and work with some talented string instrument repairers and luthiers during my career as a school instructor. I find that many people are in need of repairs for their stringed instrument, but it is not always necessary as there are some simpler things they might not need to do.
FAQ for Common Repairs the Violin
How often should a violin be tuned?
Tuning a violin is necessary to make sure that the sound from the instrument is as perfect as possible. Tuning a violin is also necessary to keep it in good condition and prevent it from breaking.
The frequency of tuning depends on how often you play your violin and also on where you live.
In general, if you are not playing your instrument regularly, then it should be tuned once every six months or so. If you play your instrument often, then it should be tuned every few months instead.
What is the cost of the most common repair on a violin?
The cost of the most common repair on a violin is $25.00.
What is the cost of the most common repair for a student violin?
Violin repair is a very common issue for student violins. The cost of the most common repair is $35. The cost of this type of repair depends on what needs to be fixed, but it usually includes string and bridge replacements, as well as other repairs to the body and neck of the violin.
How do you fix a broken string on a violin?
A broken string on a violin is not a big deal. The most common way to fix a broken string is to use the tail end of the violins’s old string. You will need to cut off about an inch from the old string and then use it as a bridge to tie the new string on.
You can also use some glue if you have that at home, but be careful because too much glue can ruin your violin.
What can cause the bridge to break on a violin?
The bridge is the part of the violin that sits on top of the instrument and holds the strings. It is a crucial component because it provides a solid base for all of the strings to rest on. The bridge also helps to transmit sound vibrations from the strings to your ear. The bridge needs to be made out of wood, but it can be made out of other materials like plastic or metal.
A variety of things can cause bridges to break on violins, including:
- Extreme changes in humidity
- Overtightening or overstretching strings
- Excessive pressure from bowing or drawing a bow across one string too many times
What does “peeling” refer to on a violin?
A “peel” is the string that vibrates in a violin.
The word “peel” is used to describe the strings on a violin.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an electronic tuner on a violin?
An electronic tuner is an electronic device that can be used to tune a musical instrument. It is a type of tuning fork or strobe light that emits an audible tone when the string is in tune.
Advantages:
- The sound it produces is more accurate than a tuning fork.
- It can also be used to tune other instruments like guitars and violins.
- It can be used for transposing instruments, like changing the pitch of a violin from one key to another.
Disadvantages:
- If you are in an environment with high levels of noise, it will not work well because the sound cannot be heard.