So, you’ve just bought your first violin, and you want to take good care of it. Or, maybe you’re trying to upgrade your setup in order to maximize the sound of your violin. From violin wall hangers to cases, and humidity; instrument care can be complicated, with too many options, opinions, and companies to count. In this article, I’m going to lay out some of the most reliable companies to buy instrument care products from, and the reasons each product may or may not be necessary for different situations.
Violin Wall Hanger
Many violinists like to store their instrument on violin wall hangers while they’re at home, because it makes it more convenient to pick up the violin and practice.
They may find that they are more likely to play if their violin is sitting right in front of them, rather than stored somewhere out of the way. But there are several things to take into consideration when using a violin wall hanger.
Sturdiness
It’s very important that the wall hanger is sturdy enough to hold up the violin. This is usually not a huge problem, since violins are usually pretty lightweight. But if you live in an area with frequent earthquakes, this could be cause for concern, and I would rethink the idea of storing any instrument on a wall hanger.
We’ll also discuss huminity further in a later section of the article, but it’s important to keep the humidity level in mind when deciding to store a violin outside of the case.
If the room is too dry, it can lead to the parts of the violin separating, or wood cracking. If you live in a dry area, storing your violin on a wall hanger also means keeping a humidifier in the room.
Violin Wall Hangers
There are several violin wall hangers on the market, but they are a pretty standard product, and can’t do much harm as long as they work as advertised. Here is a link to a good wall mounted violin hanger to check out.
Cases
Most new violinists just use the case that came with their instrument, and don’t think twice about buying a different one. That approach works fine for a little while, but as time goes on it usually becomes to be more and more necessary to get a better quality case.
There are several types of cases, including soft cases, hard cases, double instrument cases, and flight cases. And all these types can be bought at several price points.
In my experience, the hard cases are usually more protective, so anyone planning to be a musician for life should definitely invest in that. The most sturdy ones are the flight cases, which are usually made of carbon fiber. Double instrument cases are for people who like to carry around or travel with two instruments. Some have space for two violins, others for one violin and one mandolin. Here are links to several companies that make reliable violin cases:
1. Aileen Music Case
The first one, Aileen Music, is the least expensive case. They are usually about $100, and are relatively good quality, although they are not as sturdy as the flight cases. I would never put my violin in this case in checked luggage on a flight, for example. But if it’s in my control, I feel pretty safe with this case.
2. Calton & Hoffee Case
The next two brands, Calton and Hoffee, are much more expensive cases, between $800-1000, but they are extremely reliable. I even heard from a friend that he once accidentally ran over his Hoffee banjo case (with a banjo inside) with his car, and the instrument was totally untouched afterwards. These cases may be on the more expensive side, but you can really trust them when it matters.
Humidifiers
A humidifier can be the thing that saves your violin from being totally destroyed in the dry winter. Since wood expands and contracts in the humidity change, this can cause the wood to warp, crack, or parts to come apart. If this does happen, don’t freak out. Just take it to a music shop or luthier and get it repaired.
However, the whole situation can be avoided by keeping the violin in a humidity controlled environment. There are two popular types of humidifiers, one that goes in the instrument case, and another that goes inside of the violin itself.
The Oasis Case Humidifier can just clip onto the edge of the violin case, and if there isn’t a way to connect it that way, it also can just be placed inside the case. Since it’s soft, it won’t hurt the violin if it rolls around a little bit. It’s very easy to use, and you just have to follow the directions and refill the water every so often.
The Dampit can go directly inside the violin, and is also very effective at keeping the violin at a constant humidity. You just have to remove the humidifier before playing and put it back in when you go to store your instrument.
Although there are many things to consider in regards to safely storing your violin, over time you will build up all the necessary equipment and knowledge. Learning how to take care of your instrument is a process, just as learning the instrument itself is.
Good luck!
Alani Sugar