10 Winter Care Tips For Stringed Instruments
Winter conditions can wreak havoc on stringed instruments. Wood is hygroscopic, meaning that it attracts and absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. As it takes on moisture, wood swells. As it dries, it shrinks.
With this in mind, low humidity, cold temperatures and weather can create special problems for instruments. Good common sense, some helpful string instrument accessories and a few adjustments can reduce the number and unnecessary repairs and improve the way your instrument performs this winter.
To keep your string instrument in top shape this season, Caswell’s have put together 10 winter string instrumental care tips to help you keep on making music all winter.
1) Keep the case closed
Your instrument case is a line of defence. Leaving your case closed maintains the environment inside the case and slows down changes to temperature and humidity. A padded case will improve this protection even more.
Ambient air and home heating can dry out an instrument and cold air can make it crack. A closed case will keep your instrument secure and reduce the influence of temperature.
2) Monitor humidity
If you’re concerned about humidity, you need an accurate hygrometer in order to monitor relative humidity. Most wooden instruments are happiest at a humidity of between 35–50 percent.
During the winter, exterior humidity percentage in the UK averages in the eighties and in homes it’s consistently high with closed windows and heaters blaring.
Purchase and use a hygrometer to help you regulate humidity conditions for the string instruments in your home.
A digital hygrometer, such as one from Stretto, features a memory function which records (and displays at the push of a button on a large LCD screen) the highest temperature and the lowest humidity measured during a given period of time making it an excellent tool to ensure the protection of your instrument against extreme fluctuations in temperature and humidity.
Some string instrument cases are even available with a built-in hygrometer.
3) Humidify
Maintaining your instruments humidity level is essential to preserve its playability, sound and integrity. If a home or studio has humidity that is too low, you’ll need an accessory to raise it.
A small instrument humidifier can be tucked neatly into a case. These accessories then release moisture evenly and slowly inside your instruments case to maintain the proper humidity level, preventing cracks, warping, and shrinkage to your instrument.
If moisture levels are too high, a desiccant pouch can remove up to 20% moisture from the case.
4) Don’t over humidify
The concept of wet instruments even sounds troublesome. Over humidity can cause instruments to swell dramatically and expand. This can lead to permanent warping of the instrument and the seams can open.
5) Take care when changing environments
Something as common as walking indoors to outdoors can damage your instrument. When you walk from inside your home to the cold outdoors, your body instantly feels the change in temperature and an instrument will as well.
To slow down this change or reduce the strength of the temperature fluctuation, follow the advice above and carry your instrument in a closed case when moving between environments.
6) Never leave your instrument in the car
There are several problems with trusting the suitability of a car for instruments. Firstly, temperatures fluctuate quickly in cars from small weather changes or the time of day.
Secondly, vehicle dashboard temperature readings are also frequently wrong because cars are fitted with thermistors and not thermometers, making accurate temperatures hard to gauge.
These unpredictable changes in temperature can cause your instrument to experience big changes in a short period of time.
7) Keep instruments away from heating sources
We know mentioning temperature changes has become a bit of an ostinato by now but the damage temperature changes can cause is a real issue.
The heat will dry your instrument out and a radiator/heater will continuously warm your instrument up when in close proximity. Heat also makes metal expand and components such as strings can drop pitch.
Unless you want your instrument to become brittle and potentially warped, keep it away from heat sources that can speed up the drying out process.
8) Carry extra strings
Carrying extra instrument strings should be pretty routine for most string instrument musicians but during winter, you should make sure you take them to every practise or performance and have some at home as extras.
Tuning pegs are just as subject as the rest of your instrument to the temperature fluctuations and can contract/expand. This movement can cause pressure and tension on the strings which may make them snap. Make sure you or your child know how to change the strings so you don’t have to rely on only doing it during practice with a teacher.
You don’t want to B♭at your next performance with missing notes, so always carry extra strings.
9) Don’t forget about your bow
Bows are a key accomplice to violins, cellos and violas and should be looked after just as well. Bow parts can also contract and expand in the wintertime and should be stored inside a case with your instrument to keep them protected.
As standard, you should loosen the hair a bit to reduce the tension. Always make sure to not over-tighten next time you play though!
10) Arrive at your lessons early
You should always allow yourself plenty of time in the winter. Weather conditions can be problematic for commuting as well as instruments so make sure to leave earlier where possible so there’s no need to rush.
String instruments will also benefit from getting the practice and performances early. You can let the instrument acclimate to the new temperature of the practice space. This should be done in stages starting with a closed case, then with the case open and finally with your hands when you’re warming up.
Need a stringed instrument repair?
When instruments are looked after, they can return to musicians the care that they receive. If you take the time to protect them from seasonal elements year after year then they’ll be a faithful companion long into the future.
However, sometimes the damage caused by winter conditions can’t be avoided.
If your instrument is damaged or unfortunately becomes damaged at any point, Caswell’s offer a professional repair service. We have a reputation in instrument repair that spans back four decades from our on-site workshop!
We carry out anything from minor repairs and string changes to major reconstructive repair work, so contact us today on +44 (0) 1280 707 140 to arrange a service or visit our store in Banbury.
This article was checked by the director of Caswell’s Strings, Lance Tunley who is an experienced purveyor of stringed instruments and accessories with over 30 years of experience in the field.
