Expert Advice: Care and Maintenance

To preserve it's fine qualities, the delicate violin, viola, cello or bass requires constant attention and careful handling.  Following are some recommendations for properly maintaining your instrument.

  • Avoid extreme temperature and humidity conditions as they may cause expansion and contractions, which affect the vibrating qualities of the wood and the perfect fit of the various parts.  This includes the trunk of your car in the winter or summer!  Maintain humidity level between 55% and 80% (a hygrometer is recommended).
  • Always keep your instrument and bow in its case or stand when not in use, and be sure to close the case!
  • Wipe the rosin powder off your instrument and the wooden parts of your bow with a soft cloth after each playing session.
  • Avoid touching the hairs of your bow. The oils from your fingers will prevent rosin from sticking and over time will ruin the hairs.
  • Loosen the bow hair when not using your bow.
  • Be careful not to tighten the bow so much that it removes the arch in the stick when playing.  The space between the hair and stick should be equal to the diameter of the stick when looking at the center-most part of the bow.  Discuss this with your teacher if you do not have experience with it.
  • Periodically check your bridge to ensure that it is in a straight and upright position, and that the feet are flush and level on the surface.  If not, please bring it in for an adjustment and any other maintenance that may be needed.
  • If your pegs are sticking or slipping bring your instrument in to be serviced.  If you are not sure how to tune your instrument it's best to ask a more knowledgeable person to help you.
  • Avoid turning your string adjusters all the way down.  They may damage the top of the violin.
  • Keep your strings in tune at all times.
  • Keep your music in a different section of your case than your instrument.
  • It is not necessary to rosin your bow every time you practice.  If you aren't sure how often to rosin your bow, discuss it with your teacher.  Our recommendation is to apply rosin on the bow approximately every four to six hours of playing.