    
Tuning
Take care when first tuning any stringed instrument to turn it away from you.
The most likely time for the strings to snap
unexpectedly is on their first tuning, and it is important to keep your eyes
protected. Using a tuning device such as a tuning fork, pitch pipe or electronic
tuner helps tremendously. Tighten all the strings up slowly close to pitch, then
use the tuner to do the final tuning,
Harps should be brought up to pitch gradually, in stages, as the wood of the front needs to take up a slightly curved shape with the
tension of the strings. During the first week, tune up a tone and a half flat, then increase the tension a semitone at a time over the next week
or so. Another useful tip when tuning harps, hammered dulcimers & zithers is to first tune roughly to a diatonic scale, then get the
Cs right, then go round in the circle of 5ths, first playing the Gs with the Cs, then the Ds with the Gs etc.
Before you tune a hammered dulcimer you need to get the middle bridge in exactly the right position.
Tune just the top and bottom
courses so you can still move the bridge. Then move the bridge until you get a perfect fifth by sounding the strings either side of
the bridge. Do this both top and bottom, then check the middle too before continuing with the tuning on the rest of the strings.
You
can't move the bridge once it is tuned.
Buzzes
On cheaper mandolins, banjos etc. you may find there is a metallic rattle on the odd string when you first tune them up.
First: Check that the cover on the tailpiece is not touching the strings, if it is, bend it up.
On better quality instruments where there is
a separate cover plate a piece of felt stuck to the underside should cure it.
Second: It is common where there is a zero fret (i.e: the strings pass through the nut slots straight on to a fret) for the the slot
behind the fret not to be cut deep enough for the string to touch the zero fret.
The slot can be deepened with a penknife or a needle
file.
Third: The adjustable bridge may be too low. First check that it is in the right position (see intonation), then slacken the strings, turn
the adjusting screws to raise the height a little, tune up and re check.
Intonation
Mandolin and Banjo bridges move! It should be placed so that the note fretted at the 12th is
identical to the harmonic at the
12th fret, usually at a slight angle with the treble end closer to the nut and the bass end closer to the bottom.
Check all strings to
get the best compromise of bridge position, perfection is not physically possible.
Cold
The only really dangerous element of cold for stringed instruments is sudden temperature change.
When going from warm to cold
or cold to warm, your instrument needs to be insulated. If you have a padded case, use it.
If not, wrap the instrument in blankets or
towels. Once you arrive at your destination, keep the instrument cased or wrapped until the outside of the case has been at room
temperature for several hours. If your instrument is still icy when you open the case, zip it back up and wait a while longer.
If you
take your wrapped instrument from your warm house, to the inside of your warm car, to the warm inside of a building, do not
worry at all. It is only when the instrument is left in the cold for a long period that you need to go through a warm-up procedure.
Heat
Heat is a serious problem for your instrument. Luthier's purposefully use wood glues which soften when
heated (to 145o F) so that an instrument can be disassembled for service when necessary.
Direct sunlight is hot enough to soften the
glues in your instrument and weaken or destroy the joints in the piece.
Do not display an instrument anywhere that will be
exposed to sun as the light moves across your room during the day. Never leave your instruments in the car on a hot day.
If
it is too hot for you to sit in the car, with all the windows closed, in the direct sun, without sweating - it is too hot for your
instrument. When you turn off the air-conditioning and leave the car, take the instrument with you if you cannot park in the shade.
A good rule of thumb is to never leave your instrument anywhere you would
not leave your pet.
Damp & High Humidity
Never store your instrument in a damp place, eventually the neck or other parts will warp as they soften up.
In extreme cases the
glue may be affected too. If you live in a very humid climate, silica gel in the case can help to absorb some of the moisture.
Dry Conditions
This is the main enemy of most stringed instruments. Wood will shrink in very dry conditions, and cracks may appear in your
instrument. Ideally, solid wood instruments like about 40% humidity.
In very dry weather try to keep your instrument in its case, with a
humidifier. There are lots of humidifiers available on the market, or it's
easy enough to make your own. One of our favorite methods is to cut a
sponge to fit a plastic, travel soap dish. Punch a bunch of holes into the
top of the cover, and wella, you have an inexpensive humidifier that works
well.
NOTE: It is generally not necessary to humidify instruments made
of plywood, just those made of solid pieces of wood.
The strings will last at least twice as long if you wipe them each time after playing.
This will also reduce the amount of residue that
builds up on the fingerboard. Your fretb board is unfinished and needs
to be 'fed' regularly with a pure lemon or almond oil. Make sure any
commercial body polishes are appropriate for your instrument finish. Handmade instruments often
have a natural finish which needs special care. We like Martin's pump
bottle for all the new finishes including the back of the neck. It does a
superior job and doesn't seem to build up. Another superior cleaner is,
believe it nor not, Mequiar's #2 automobile car polish. We use this
almost exclusively on very dirty instruments and chrome pieces (remember
those banjos).
Please don't lean your instrument upright against a wall or chair where it could accidentally
get knocked over. We've repaired too many headstock cracks
because of this oversight.
Keep the strings up to tension all the time, unless you are leaving it for several
months, then drop the tension three or four half tones.
Keep it in a case or padded bag if at all possible to avoid minor knocks
Never check it in as luggage on an airline flight. Always carry it with you wherever possible.
Often times, the airlines will accept your instrument inside the cabin with you
if you carry it on in a gig bag instead of a standard soft-shell or hard-shell
case.
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