Keeping your instrument clean and protecting the varnish

Always wipe dust, sweat and rosin off the instrument and fingerboard after playing with a soft, non-scratching, lint-free cloth. There are commercial cleaners and polishes available, but they contain solvents and abrasives that might damage your varnish. If you already have a build-up of dirt and rosin on your violin have it cleaned by a violinmaker. Stay away from the varnish with household cleaners and anything containing alcohol.
Try to handle your instrument mostly by the neck to avoid getting dirt and oils on the varnish. If you always rest your hand on the same spot of the body in playing pauses you can wear the varnish away or dissolve the glue with the moisture of your hand. The right upper rib, which you already touch when you play in high positions, is often affected by this kind of wear. A violinmaker can protect this area with a layer of protective varnish or in bad cases with some plastic foil. Some makeup and aftershaves can also damage the varnish near the chinrest. Try changing the product or covering the area with a cloth when playing.
Confine stickers, tape etc. to non-varnished areas if possible. They can take pieces of varnish with them when you remove them.
Finally, make sure your shoulder rest doesn't scratch the varnish. The little rubber tubes on the feet can be replaced at low cost if they wear out. On a tailpiece with fine tuners make sure they are not turned in so far, that they touch the violin. Turn the screws of the fine tuners out and retune the violin at the pegs once in a while.

Posted in Maintenance; Tagged Cleaning and Varnish, Violin; Posted 8 months ago by Hazel Cruise 1 Minute(s) to read