HOMCOM F30-001 Manuel D'instructions page 2

Violin instruction book
Violin maintenance & use
1. A good violin can be played for quite a long period of time and some of violins made by Italian violinmaker as
early as 16th century can still be used. The life span and condition of a musical instrument is directly connected
with its maintenance and changes of humidity and temperature and collision. Violin, viola or cello owner may
prolong the life span of his instrument by proper cleaning and maintenance. But the most important is to consult
with experienced string makers.
2. AIR
The extreme humidity and temperature condition shall be avoided in violin maintenance and the violin shall be
put in the room with a humidity degree of 45-55%.
3. BRIDGE
It is very important for us to keep off rosin and dust from the surface of string instrument. Surface varnish of violin
will be damaged by rosin for its slight acidity. When rosin and dust are thick enough, vibration of the violin may be
suppressed, which of course affect the string vibration. Daily work for musician is to clean up rosin and sweat; the
complex cleaning should be done by experienced string maker. You'd better not to use ordinary cleanser, which
often contains organic ingredient and damages the instrument
4. Cracks
Two kinds of wood cracks may occur: parallel and vertical cracks along the wood grain, which is caused by
vibration or short of water resulting in wood shrink. Vertical cracks rarely happen, which are often formed before
the birth of the instrument. The main reason is distortions of grain annularity. Crack is common question faced by
all the musical instruments. You'd better not to touch it because fingers with grease and sweat may filter into the
crack and detach glue water. Strings must be taken off immediately If cracks are serious enough to influence the
structure of musical instrument (for example, in case the crack is close to sound post, bass bar or F hole), Some
of crack can be renovated outside (such as cracks near the F hole), but generally, we must open the musical
instrument and mend it from inside
5. Ways of repairing
1、Rhombic spill is glued along the direction of crack inside the timbering.
2、Mend is inserted inside the timbering.
3、Use lambskin as mend You must be careful when using lambskin or other animal skin because they may
shrink severely, which may result in the transmogrification of wood. From the experience over several hundred
years, the way of mending does not influence the tone and timbre of the musical instrument