The Steel Guitar Forum

Do any of you repair violins or know about repairing them? I was wondering:

If a three-year old violin was brought to you to repair a separation of the top from the sides, would you consider this a normal occurrence? Or would you assume that the violin had been exposed to some sort of heat/humidity stress? Or would you assume poor craftsmanship?

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I don't drink or lie, but I swear I steel!!

Sorry for this answer, Missy, but any or all of the above.
An under $500 instrument (arbitrary number) is a cheap mass produced fiddle (I didn't say junk) that wouldn't be up to master craftsman standards but still would probably need to be exposed to fairly extreme conditions to suffer structural failure. And a better built instrument would withstand more abuse.
But humidity, dryness, and cycles betwixt and between will put any wood joinery to the test.
Actually, you provide three options, the first being 'normal'. No it is not normal. But unless it is really a crappy instrument it would be unlikely that it is separating just 'cause it feels like it.
I think we narrowed it down.
It has seen some atmospheric abuse.
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jon Light on 03 November 2000 at 01:03 PM.]</p></FONT>

Not normal but those Missouri summers are tough on anything. A good shop can take those apart and glue them back with no problem. How it sounds and plays is what matters and at least its not a cracked top or something. The whole thing is wood and glue anyway so just get it stuck back together by someone that knows what they are doing. No super glue stuff. Good luck !

1)Yes, perhaps not normal, but not a big deal to take off/repair the top or any of the innards.
2) Yes, probably due to LOW humidity more than anything else.
3) No, I wouldn't assume poor craftsmanship at all. There are TONS of 1900-1920's student grade or better violins floating around, and after a ~century of various degrees of use or abuse, it's not uncommon to have to repair things. Taking the top off is no big whoop to a good luthier. Your violin may be newer. If it's BRAND new or something, I wouldn't be looking for the thing to be coming apart, but for most instances, I think it's not a biggie.

Oops - I just re-read your post: 3 years old. I don't know. Get it repaired and get a small humidifier (there's a thing you can buy called a 'Damp It') to put in the case with it.

My HO.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Steve Feldman on 03 November 2000 at 05:00 PM.]</p></FONT>

Okay then. Next question: if the owner suggests that the instrument has not seen any extreme duress regarding temperature and/or humidity changes, what would you assume next?

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I don't drink or lie, but I swear I steel!!

..I would assume that when the owner played it he sounded like a screeching cat and the dog attacked it...or the owner's spouse was waiting for him to come home from playing cards at 3 in the morning, reached for the frying pan and grabbed the fiddle instead..<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Pat Burns on 03 November 2000 at 05:40 PM.]</p></FONT>

Have some issues with violins, Pat, now, do we?

I like the way you think, Pat.

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I don't drink or lie, but I swear I steel!!

..actually, Jon, I love the violin in any genre...it's right alongside pedal steel for instruments I wish I could play..

If you are looking for someone to fix it I would recomend A good friend of mine; L.T. Childress in Ft, Worth. he has done work for me before and I have been pleased with his work. His credits #1.he has made fiddles and done work for Johnny Gimble. hell that ought to be credit enough. I am at work so I dont have his # handy but he is listed in FT.Worth info #1411.

I work on lots of volins, iam no expert, but volins fall into different, problems then most instruments, lots of things can cause the top to come loose, an it should not be a problem to fix, an should not cost very much money, take it to someone in your area, that does work for other musicians, it will be fine. JERRY

There's a guy in Gladstone, Mo (Kansas City, north) that builds and repairs violins. I don't remember his name but you should be able to track him down.

Thanks everyone!

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I don't drink or lie, but I swear I steel!!

A violin top is held on with watered down hide glue and will come un-glued just from the sweat on your hands and your neck. To test for seperation grab the violin by the neck and GENTLY tap around the outside edge at the purfling with a knuckle. A rattle indicates a separation. The back is glued full strength and should not come apart. The cut glue is used so the top may be removed for repairs. Believe it or not, the top is removed buy striking the tailpiece nut along the axis towards the neck with a hammer (even the million $ fiddles).
Repair can be done by any competent repairman who will insert the proper strength glue with a slip of paper and clamp. Any local repair facility can handle this. Ask the local high school or music school where they get their work done.

EX-Fiddler

Missy, I wondered if Camdenton was near Branson, assuming you played there, so I checked on the map and I see that it isn't near Branson..actually, it's near that godforsaken Army post, Fort Leonard Wood, where I spent a miserable hot muggy summer..pretty country, but boy was it hot!

Yeah, boy, it sure does get hot here. This is about the only place I've ever been where you have to run your heater at night and the air conditioning during the day! We had a stretch this summer of 100 degree (+ or - 5 degrees) weather for about 2 weeks. When it finally cooled down to 90, I thought fall had started...

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I don't drink or lie, but I swear I steel!!