There are a few techniques you can use to effectively repair your instrument. Although violin restoration is best left to the professionals, minor scrapes or dings can be repaired with a few items found in your own home. Be extra careful as the wood can warp or be damaged further if you are not sure about what you are doing.
Before going to the damaged area, it is best to clean your instrument. First, remove all of the strings. This will help you hold the instrument easier and avoid any accidents. If the strings are old, you might want to consider changing them after the repairs. After removing the strings, remove the chin rest, bridge and tuners as well.
Cleaning the instrument will make it much easier later on when you’re handling the instrument. It also helps to reveal any areas that you might also need to repair. You can use a soft paintbrush to brush away the dust. Go all over the body and under the fingerboard. Don’t forget the peg box and tail piece. The scroll is also an area that you might want to concentrate as it is quite often neglected.
Next, you should use a cotton swab to remove any stubborn dirt and grime. Dip it lightly in some mineral spirits, but don’t overdo it as you don’t want the liquid to drip all over the body and possibly end up inside. Go over the whole body and back side first. Then concentrate on the edges and corners where the dirt has accumulated. Do a clean sweep with a cotton cloth until there is no more grime.
Dings and scratches should be too much of a problem, so concentrate your efforts first on the cracks. All you need is wood filler for these areas. Use this sparingly so that you won’t affect the sound of body too much. Leave it dry for at least twelve hours, and then you can use a stain to match the color of the violin.
Put on the new strings as well as the chin rest and pegs. Tune it up and test it out. Wait for the strings to settle before determining whether or not you need further repairs.
These minor repairs should be easy for anyone to do, but for much more serious damages, you would do better with a violin restoration service. You will have to spend a bit more, but the quality of their work is worth the price.
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