• Avoid Extreme Temperatures

One of the greatest enemies to the life of a violin involves extremes in either hot or cold temperatures.  All you have to do to destroy one of these instruments is leave it in a hot car, a cold basement, or any place where it gets really cold or hot.

• Good Storage Practices

Another way to almost guarantee damage to a violin is to store it outside of its case.  Also, you can do the same thing by leaving the shoulder pad on the violin, then attempting to make the case close by force.  Did you hear that crack?  That's not good.  Oh, and make sure you loosen your bow before closing the lid.  Just trust us on that one.

• Watch Your Rosin Usage

Baseball pitchers use rosin to help them perform their best.  So do violin players.  But remember that you should rosin only when the instrument needs it.  Too much can affect vibration quality and, due to the acidic nature of rosin, can damage the finish.

• A Cloth is Your Best Friend

By cloth, we mean lint-free.  Make sure you use it after every playing to remove any sweat and oils that may have accumulated on the finish.  If not, you might not like what you see the next time you play.

• Use Quality Strings

Unlike, say, a knock-off version of a Snuggie, cheaper is not better. Poor quality strings can result in such issues as cracks and warping.

• Little Issues Now or Big Problems Later?  Your Call.

If you sense something awry with your violin, don't try to solve the problem yourself.  Our experienced repair staff at California Keyboards will help (if you're renting and have Peace of Mind coverage, the repair is free).  But if you wait, what was small can get big really quickly.