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Instruction, Information & Inspiration for Players of Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass & Fiddle | June 25, 2010

Catch Problems to Prevent Big Repair Bills

Inspect the whole instrument before putting it away and closing the case. This is your opportunity to look for wear and tear, open seams (between the ribs and the top or back), or a bridge out of place. Keep an eye on spots where your hands routinely touch the varnish and have them retouched before exposing the bare wood. Noticing problems early and having them tended to promptly will prevent bigger repair bills down the line and preserve your investment.

Tom Sparks, who teaches violin making at Indiana University, observed this practice among the older string players on the Indiana University faculty. “It’s a relationship,” Sparks says, “and they’re mindful of the relationship.”

“It’s not your violin. It was not created for you,” says California violin maker Joe Grubaugh. “You’re just the caretaker ’til the next guy comes along. In fact, you probably have it because some other guy took care of it. In this throw-away society, this is something made to last.”

By Erin Shrader

Learn the benefits of cleaning your violin or viola without damage to your instrument. In the step-by-step video tutorial titled How to Clean a Viola or Violin (7 min.), luthier Joan Balter demonstrates how to clean your violin or viola. In the accompanying written guide (2 pages), you'll find 5 easy steps that can help avoid costly repairs, a new clean-and-polish routine, and how to straighten your instrument’s bridge.

Download this PDF and video guide now.

$5.99, Video (7 min.) and PDF (4 pp.) Download, String Letter Publishing

This week from Strings Daily…

Cleaning Your Instrument—a Few Dos and Don’ts
You can clean the fingerboard of a stringed instrument yourself, but, if you do, be very, very careful.

3 Ways to Teach Young Students Proper Posture
POP! (Perfect Orchestra Posture): If you are looking around the room and you see the “slumps” have set in, shout “POP!”

Learn an Elvis Love Song for String Quartet
Looking for repertoire for weddings and other romantic occasions?

Develop Good Practice Habits
Sharpen Your String Technique!, by the publishers of Strings magazine, will help you strengthen your basic skills.

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News from the String World

Waltz King André Rieu Tours USA with New Album

André Rieu’s latest marketing campaign for the June 29 release of his Forever Vienna CD and DVD (Universal Music Enterprises) and his “Celebration of Music” 2010 North American tour: “Superstar Violinist André Rieu to Conquer America.”
Read More News Updates

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