Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
(0 votes) 
Regulars
Offline
Unless I don't practise during the heatwave, I need to know how bad sweat is for my violin and how to avoid harm from it. I guess I can put a cloth over my shoulder and chin, but what about my hands? Those of you who live in the more humid parts of the USA can maybe share your views?
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Honorary tenured advisor
Regulars
Offline
If I didn't have an air conditioner, I would probably destroy the finish on my fiddle with the heat and humidity here in Pennsylvania. I have no first hand experience or knowledge about this, but I read a few articles on the internet and found these suggestions:
-Take your instrument in to a luthier and ask them to place clear tape on the shoulder of your instrument and on the frog of the bow where your hand will make lots of contact with the wood. The tape will protect your instrument and bow.
-Plan to change your strings more frequently than other people, because sweat will cause them to go dead. A gold-plated E string withstands the corrosion from sweat much better than any of the other metals.
-Some people swear that putting anti-perspirant on their palms works well. Wash first with soap and water and then apply generously before playing.
-Wipe your violin with a clean tissue or soft cloth frequently. Don't let the sweat have a chance of eating through the varnish.
-Be sure you wipe your strings down well after you play, maybe even with a cloth dampened and wrung as dry as can be, since perspiration can eat strings.
Jim
Regulars
Offline
Even the cloth on the shoulder is no good - an hour ago the sweat was running off my face onto the violin!
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
I'm sure we'll be back to normal in a week or so. 
Regulars
Offline
You guys keep that mess over there. We have clear blue skies and 70f today.
I've always wondered with all the concern and guidance to monitor and control humidity ( guilty ) and temp for our instruments.. How so many people manage with outdoor festivals, workshops, concerts especially here in the southern U.S. I'm sure a lot of sweat involved. Id say just wipe it off and keep playing.
Regulars
Offline
There is no substance that should ever come in contact with your instrument. In fact, it is best not to touch the instrument at all... LOL... just kidding!!!!!! 
I am sure that there is something in sweat that causes some kind of problem with the varnish on the instrument.
I wash my hands before touching my instrument every time I play. I then wipe down my instrument with a dry cloth when I am done playing as best I can. This is probably not removing all the oils and every disgusting amount of bodily fluid that comes in contact with my violin, but I do what I can.
Just think what would happen if there was no varnish, or if luthiers over the past 500 years had not perfected the way the wood was protected. I think it is remarkable how these instruments remain in such good condition for as long as they do.
There's a ton of advise for caring for string instruments... just ask Google. I just do the standard keep it clean and wipe with a dry cloth after each use.
- Pete -
Offline
I know all about sweat and playing the violin. Check me out around 7:34 and every time they did a close up after that. 🤦♂️
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Honorary tenured advisor
Regulars
Offline
LOL... @Fiddlerman I remember finding this on YouTube a few months back. Isn't that when you had a full head of hair? (Hey...I can poke fun since I am scalp follicle deprived myself these days!) What year is that video from?
Jim
Regulars
Offline
A high tech solution is obviously play on a carbon fibre violin.
In the 1970s, an innovative company came out with a motorcycle helmet with an integral solid state air conditioner. Did not last long on the market. Ran off the cycle’s battery. I always thought it was a clever idea.
A similar device should work for a violinist.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
Regulars
Offline
- Pete -
Regulars
Offline
Dang you cleaning hydraulics or something? 😂
Regulars
Offline
Just in case someone did not want to have any contact with their instrument... here is one option. LOL.. (obviously, it is a joke)
- Pete -
Regulars
Offline
Cold churches have one advantage, then!
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
And then there's this
- Pete -
Regulars
Offline
How about a simple head band?
Opportunity is often missed because it wears suspenders and looks like hard work.
Offline
MoonShadows said
LOL... @Fiddlerman I remember finding this on YouTube a few months back. Isn't that when you had a full head of hair? (Hey...I can poke fun since I am scalp follicle deprived myself these days!) What year is that video from?
That was done in the early 1990's 
A TV news group was doing a documentary on Jan Larson, a violin maker that lived in the area, and wanted me to play it. This is the video that they shot but not the actual documentary. I have that somewhere as well but it's in Swedish.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Regulars
Offline
Fiddlerman said
A TV news group was doing a documentary on Jan Larson, a violin maker that lived in the area, and wanted me to play it. This is the video that they shot but not the actual documentary. I have that somewhere as well but it's in Swedish.
Publish!
On second thoughts, maybe you should check the copyright first.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Offline
I'll try to find it. Not worried about the copyright since it was done in Sweden and I'm the one playing. Jan certainly wouldn't mind as it's great advertising for him. The news station probably would not care either since it was a LONG time ago and they may not keep track either. It is however, in Swedish. LOL
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Regulars
Offline
Not a language I speak a word of, although Tuva Novotny makes me want to learn it, lol! Otoh, I spotted a copy of Let the Right One In at my violin teacher's flat last week, and that would put you off, featuring, as it does, nothing but the grimmest parts of Stockholm in midwinter.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
1 Guest(s)
Mouse
ELCBK
Fiddlerman