So, your former best friend sat on your violin and broke the top into 3 pieces, then claimed it was your fault for leaving it on a chair. Can you get it repaired? And how much will it cost?

At the Owyhee Mountain Fiddle Shop, we specialize in the repair of stringed instruments and bows. In addition to violin-family instruments, we work on guitars, banjos, mandolins, and other stringed instruments.

We also sell cases and violin stands, so that you can leave the chair to your friend.

Can it be repaired? Almost any damage can be repaired. The question is really one of time and cost. It is nearly impossible to give an estimate over the phone or e-mail, but I’ll gladly give you a free estimate when you bring the instrument to my shop. If you are uncertain of the instrument’s value, I can give you my opinion of that as well. Then, with the information in hand, we can decide on the proper course for your instrument.

People are naturally reluctant to approve a repair that reaches or exceeds the instrument’s worth, but there are exceptions. I’ve worked on a number of modest instruments that had significant family value -- such as a mail-order violin that a Great Grandfather played in the 1920s. I can give you the ‘cold hard facts’ and you can decide on the additional sentimental value.

In addition to trauma repair, there are on-going maintenance issues with any instrument. Do your pegs slip? Is your bridge warped? Are your strings too high or too low? Do you remember the last time you replaced your strings? These are comparable to automobile maintenance, such as changing the oil or buying new tires.

One seemingly simple problem that occurs from time to time has to do with the soundpost. This is the small dowel of wood that you see through the treble side f-hole. It is held between the back and front of the instrument by tension and friction. If it falls over, you should immediately loosen the tension on your strings. The soundpost offers support to the treble side of the bridge, and without it in place, downward pressure from the bridge could split the top of your instrument.

To prevent untimely damage to your instrument, treat it well. What I tell folks is that they should never leave their instrument in a place where they wouldn’t leave a child or pet. Don’t store it in the basement or attic. On a hot summer day, if you leave your instrument in the car, you may come back to a nicely boxed fiddle kit. The hide glue will become liquid. Typically, the neck joint fails, and you’ll find the fingerboard collapsed against the body.

This advice applies to non-violin family instruments as well. Though your guitar may not be put together with hide glue, extreme heat can cause the finish to blister.

Copyright 2004 -- Ken Pollard