Common faults & repairs
Visit the Skwiix Outlet to find a repairer, tools and accessories that can help with your instrument repair requirements.
The bridge has snapped
This is the nicely-carved piece of wood that holds the strings up above the belly. For acoustic reasons, it is made of a soft, very grainy wood which is strong in one direction and weak in the others, so this is a common breakage. Once again, very low priced to replace, although you'll probably need a repairer to do it for you as it has to be fitted to the curvature of the Violin belly. Again, you could learn to do it yourself for when you have the same problem at a future date.
The finger-board has come off
This black strip of wood under the strings is never glued on very firmly - sometimes, the slightest knock will bring it off - a very low-priced and quick repair item.
Tail-gut breaks
This is what holds the tailpiece to the bottom of the instrument. This can look worrying as the tailpiece, all four strings, and the bridge will then fly in different directions! It is not, however, a serious problem and will be low-priced to repair.
This stick of the bow snaps
Fortunately, they are very low priced. Often when this happens, it's not worth trying to have it repaired; it is best to replace it.
Horse hair of the bow wears out and drops
Eventually, the bow will need re-hairing at a meagre cost. If the bow is of poor quality, you might buy a new one instead - it won't cost much more.
Serious damage to the wood
An expert can quickly repair them. Your Violin teacher should be able to recommend a suitable repairer because they have to have their own instrument attended to sometimes. Skwiix strongly recommends always using a qualified repairer to maintain your instrument!
Carrying out repairs yourself can seriously damage your instrument's sound and value. Unfortunately, the size of the Violin makes it prone to accidental damage.
This is not helped because most Violin cases are not rigid. They are made of cloth, canvas or plastic. You should try to get a padded case if possible, though this will not provide the same protection to the instrument as a rigid case. Rigid Violin cases made of fibreglass are available but can be expensive and much too awkward and heavy for a child to carry.
Carrying out repairs yourself can seriously damage your instrument's sound and value. Unfortunately, the size of the Violin makes it prone to accidental damage.
This is not helped because most Violin cases are not rigid. They are made of cloth, canvas or plastic. You should try to get a padded case if possible, though this will not provide the same protection to the instrument as a rigid case. Rigid Violin cases made of fibreglass are available but can be expensive and much too awkward and heavy for a child to carry.
String replacement
Violins are less expensive to buy than Cellos, and Violin strings are also less costly - the thicker G and D strings are more expensive than the thin A and E strings. Unfortunately, they last longer than Cello (up to a year on average). They often don't break but need replacing because the steel outer casing has worn and sharp edges have appeared.