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Polishing a Violin

The Checkup

I'm often asked to describe the process that happens when a player brings an instrument in for a checkup. When a violin is brought to the shop, I go through a series of steps to determine if any adjustments or repairs are required. This is just a quick process, and players can learn to do some of the steps themselves.

First, I check that all the seams are glued (I give a little pull all around and look for movement because sometimes they're not glued, they're just sprung shut). I check for cracks everywhere, especially from the A–string peghole. I give a light tug upwards on the bottom of the board to make sure it's glued down at the bottom of the neck (look for a gap when you lift the board).

I push the strings aside and make sure any grooves in the fingerboard are minimal. I measure string height at the end of the fingerboard (the maximum E–string height should be about 3.5mm to the center of the string and the maximum G–string height should be about 5.5mm). I almost always end up pulling the bridge back, because most players don't pull it back far enough (the back side should appear to be perpendicular to the top), and I center the strings on the board, make sure the center of the bridge is aligned with at least one of the f-nicks (sometimes the nicks aren't level) and perpendicular to the center of the instrument, or in the place where the bridge has always been, if that's evident and it doesn't sound worse there. Moving the bridge in any direction definitely affects tone, so I'll do a quick check to make sure I haven't adversely affected tone.

Next I unscrew the fine–tuner screw and rub a candle on the threads, and shove a little wax down the hole. I check string grooves at the bridge to see that they're not buried in the bridge; at the nut I make sure they're not so deep that the string is hitting the board at the nut but is always slightly above it. If any strings are looking in the least shabby, I suggest the owner replace them. If there's time, the owner doesn't object, and the strings are in good enough condition to be loosened, I'll quickly lube the pegs.

The above are things than can easily be done regularly by players. Additionally, I do some quick tonal checks, including playing the instrument, and I make sure the post fits. If I notice something really out of whack and I think I can fix it easily, I may suggest a fix, or offer do it on the spot. I can almost always make someone's violin sound better in 10 minutes or so, if they're open to the idea, but I never pressure someone to change something when he or she is happy with what they have.

Finally, I do is ask the owner if there's anything else s/he wants me to address, such as a tonal problem. Then I wipe all the rosin off the top (for home use, I particularly recommend Stewart–MacDonald's Preservation Polish, used very sparingly), and hand the violin back.

Generally I don't look for theoretical problems caused by a different approach to instrument construction than my own, unless the result is a serious tonal problem and it can be fixed, or unless a player is looking to spend a lot of money to make things perfect. If someone likes his or her violin, it's not for me to try to talk them into something different. I also avoid expressing my personal opinion about the quality of the instrument and its authenticity unless I've been asked to comment. Even then, I'm really careful about what I say: killing the messenger is still a popular sport.