Category: violin repair

The soundpost of this violin has come loose. I need to put it back in place for a friend to try it out this weekend. Is there any way I can put it back myself or must I take it to a repair place? Thanks.

You are going to go to alot of trouble to do something a technician can do well in less than an hour. You have to fish out the soundpost and then loosen all of the strings to relieve the tension on the body of the instrument. Then with a soundpost setter (try www.sharmusic.com) you will need to stab the soundpost and fit it back into place. You are working with wood, so if you try this too many times without success you will ruin the soundpost.

I would just go with the pros on this…the charge for resetting a soundpost is minimal, but the charge for cutting and fitting a new one is steep. You can fish it out and save the tech a bit of time, but I wouldn’t do anything else yourself.

i am inexperienced in tuning my violin, but i know how to do it. When i was tuning the E string I must have done something really wrong. Right now it is loose and i can not get it tight again. Can you figure out what happened?? Do i need to go to the repair shop?

Thanks

Take the string right off and have a look at it ; it may have broken in which case you will need a new one.
Remember to push the peg in as your turn it otherwise the peg will be loose.
Check the fine tuner on the E string and make sure it is not broken.

Do not buy a new peg. Pegs have to shaped and fitted by an expert. They do not come ready to use from the shop.

If it is still loose after all this then you will have to have a luthier look at it but I am sure it is one of the above solutions.

I got a violin in the mail that was damaged, sent by USPS and insured for the full value. I got an estimate for the repair, which was about $100 less than the full value. But when I took the claim form into the post office, they said they wanted to take the violin from me, saying "we don’t do repairs". I am sure the form said you can claim just for repair costs. I don’t want to lose the violin, it has sentimental value. Is the post office clerk wrong?

Take your problem to the local Postmaster General. Explain the situation, show the repair estimate, and hope you can get it resolved. The clerk is right about general policy but somewhere there is an appeal.

I’ve had this violin since 2005 and purchased it from Sam Ash.
It has had a small crack near the tailpiece for about a month.
Where should I take it to get it repaired?

You should take it to a luthier at a violin shop. Do not try to fix it yourself.

An old violin found in the family farmhouse needs a minor seem repair. I would rather fix it myself than send it to a repair shop. Based upon other items found with it, we are assuming it is from mid 1800’s.

if the violin is from the 1800’s you wouldn’t want to put glue on it and mess it up. even though it might be expensive, take it to a violin repair shop. you don’t want a priceless violin to become… price-less do you?

My violin needs two new strings, tuning, and i need someone to repair it for me

"How much would it cost do you think?

You can go to someone and I think they’d give you a good estimate. I’m sure it would be fine if you checked a few places to see who would give you the best price. It’s difficult to say because I don’t know the specifics of your violin.

I just bought a cheap little violin which needs a few minor repairs and then I hope to have a go at learning to play.

I probably cannot afford this until after Christmas but I might have the money for a music lesson every two weeks. I am just wanting to learn to play and I’m not bothered about exams and such. Do you think a lesson every two weeks would be worth while or do you really need to have lessons every week to progress?

Many thanks for your opinion!

Anna
Just a note to say I am an adult beginner.

Right now to prepare for college auditions, I’m doing (piano) classes every other week. They seem to be working well – I’ve only had 2!

But once a week is more beneficial.

However, in your case, as a laidback learner, every 2 weeks wouldn’t be that bad (or expensive!)

I just bought a cheap little violin which needs a few minor repairs and then I hope to have a go at learning to play.

I probably cannot afford this until after Christmas but I might have the money for a music lesson every two weeks. I am just wanting to learn to play and I’m not bothered about exams and such. Do you think a lesson every two weeks would be worth while or do you really need to have lessons every week to progress?

Many thanks for your opinion!

Anna
Just a note to say I am an adult beginner.

Right now to prepare for college auditions, I’m doing (piano) classes every other week. They seem to be working well – I’ve only had 2!

But once a week is more beneficial.

However, in your case, as a laidback learner, every 2 weeks wouldn’t be that bad (or expensive!)

My mom’s violin has been in it’s case, under her bead for the past 20 years. I got it out a little while ago to rescue it, and possibly fix it up for her. It’s kinda pointless to fix it because I am not planning on learning the violin, and my mom is not really caring about it, but I know she will be interested in playing with it if it is fixed. Anyway I just feel bad for the violin. It’s like an abused puppy..lol. But the bridge is no longer attached to the violin and 3 of the strings are broken. The bridge stays up fine under the tension of the remaining string, but not if I remove the remaining string. Is it supposed to be like that? (Forgive my ignorance, I know nothing about violins.) And how to I replace all of the strings? How much do new strings cost? If I have to take the violin in to a repair shop, how much will fixing the bridge cost (if it’s even broken..)? For all of you violin players this is probably a dumb question to ask but the violin is not my specialty, lol) I will appreciate any answers given!

The bridge is NOT supposed to be attached via glue, it simply stays in place via the tension of the strings. You may wan’t to take it to a shop just to check for no cracks, sound post still straight etc. Also after 20years you may want to replace all the strings. If you take it to a violin shop they will replace the strings for you. Im not sure of cost because i live in NZ and it will be compleatley different. And no this is not a dumb question to ask! Hope this has helped a little

I know someone who recieved a letter in his P.O.box meant for someone else and there was a signed check inside made out to a violin repair shopnot a name .He says he can sign a fake name on the back and cash it.He said there is no way it could be traced back to him.Is that true?

No, that’s not true. Banks are smarter than that…

If he has an account at the bank, they’ll write his account number on the back of the check before they’ll cash it. If he doesn’t have an account at the bank, they’ll make him put his thumb-print on the check, and show some ID. Either way, when the violin shop tells the customer they didn’t get paid, the customer will call the bank, and the bank will do some research, and your friend will GO TO JAIL.

Tell him to do the right thing, and forward the check to the violin shop or return it to the sender.