Questions tagged [maintenance]

For questions about keeping an instrument or related gear in playable condition.

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Is it possible to "add" a rotary fifth valve to a 4-valved tuba?

I am currently playing Wessex TB 692 Grand, which is 4-valved BBb tuba. I have always cherished a 5-valved BBb, so I wonder if it is possible to add a rotary 5th valve to my Wessex horn.. Is this ...
Keith's user avatar
  • 143
6 votes
1 answer
117 views

Will a soak in mouthwash hurt mouthpieces?

I’m teaching wind instruments to grade 7 and 8’s after a decade of teaching primary music. Since covid, my school board mandates a specific cleaning solution must be used for sanitation. Brass and ...
Mrs. W's user avatar
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5 votes
4 answers
888 views

Order of valves in a trumpet

I'm re-furbishing an old French three valve trumpet. The valves have been mixed up. There are no numbers on them, unlike modern trumpet valves. Is there a simple way to ascertain which valve goes into ...
Tim's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
49 views

Silk classical guitar string gauge is too big for bridge holes

My classical guitar has a plastic bridge with pre-drilled or precast holes gauged for standard nylon classical strings. I got some silk strings which are a bit higher gauge and don’t all fit by just ...
Alistair Rio's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
22 views

Wooden recorder services in Sydney [closed]

I need someone to replace the cork on my wooden descant recorder and can't find anyone to do it in metropolitan Sydney. Does anybody have a recommendation? I am not desperate enough to post it off ...
Liviaantonia's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
638 views

Grand piano positioning to compromise between acoustic and good piano care

After owning a digital then an upright piano, I am now considering the possibility of acquiring a baby grand piano (166 cm / 5'5" according to the manufacturer's website). But since a grand is, ...
Clockwork's user avatar
  • 573
4 votes
1 answer
327 views

Electric guitar ground wire

I recently bought an old electric guitar (an SG copy) on eBay, as a little restoration project. I have some basic experience with electronics from university, but that was 15 years ago and I've never ...
Chris H's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
278 views

How often should I change tom heads (batters and resonants)?

I have had my current tom heads on since February. I only play on my kit for an average of once a week, and not long when I do. Should I replace them all, batter and resonant heads? I feel like I ...
Jason P Sallinger's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
326 views

Safe to remove ball from end of ball end string?

I (sort of) recently got a new violin and as the tailpiece does not match my earlier rental I now have a mismatched ball end E string from my extra set. Looking at the string it definitely seems like ...
qfwfq's user avatar
  • 141
3 votes
1 answer
117 views

Using friction pegs with standard classical guitar headstock

Would it be reasonable to use guitar friction pegs with a regular classical headstock? I've never seen that, all friction peg versions of flamenco guitars have a different headstock design.
maciej's user avatar
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1 vote
3 answers
147 views

Intonation problem with guitar

I have a Fender Model CD-60 NAT, which is having some intonation problems. I fully intend to take it to a professional, but would like to understand the problem and the most likely fix beforehand. ...
insipidintegrator's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
260 views

French horn - clicky/noisy keys

More of a practical question here. I've had clicky keys (on the French horn) for a while now and I plan to get them fixed soon. But does anyone know a temporary fix to the problem? I can't seem to ...
starlly's user avatar
  • 103
0 votes
2 answers
130 views

Is there a way to prevent a wooden guitar from picking up ambient smells?

I played a show last night with my acoustic guitar in an environment that was thick with the smell of fried food, and as a result this morning my guitar smelled like fryer oil. This certainly isn't a ...
GGMG-he-him's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
451 views

I dropped my violin! Is it OK? What should I do? [closed]

Okay, the unthinkable has happened. I dropped my violin (or viola or cello), or something fell on it, or someone knocked it over. What should I check? Can I correct any problems myself? Should I take ...
Andy Bonner's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
1k views

How to replace string on Donner standard series

My son just got his first guitar. I know NOTHING about guitars. One of the strings broke and we can’t figure out how to replace it. The videos I’ve found on YouTube make it look easy and spend about 5 ...
Patrick McElhaney's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
152 views

Preserving the pitch of Tabla by keeping it in a dry cabinet

I have purchased a dry cabinet to store my camera lenses. I also found out in its manual that you can use it to store instruments and scientific materials as well. I wanted to know if using a dry ...
abunickabhi's user avatar
12 votes
3 answers
2k views

How to clean the bathtub after cleaning brass instruments

Every few months I clean my French horn in an enamel bathtub filled with warm water and added dishwasher liquid. The oil and grease residues that attach to the detergent float to the water surface and ...
Pierre Schroeder's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
215 views

Would it be frowned upon to change the color of a 170 year old square grand Knabe piano?

I recently acquired a square grand Knabe Piano from the 1850’s. It was restored about 30 years ago and now has some chips in the finish and I don’t really care for the color or fact that it has brush ...
Lehla's user avatar
  • 39
2 votes
3 answers
587 views

How can I improve the sound of my trumpet?

I have two student trumpets at home. The first trumpet I bought over 20 years ago for $80 USD and it's been in my mother's attic since then mostly. The second trumpet is a student rental from a local ...
alfonso's user avatar
  • 163
4 votes
3 answers
870 views

Is it Ok to leave a guitar with a broken string?

Just broke the high E on my guitar and won't be able to get new strings for about 2 weeks. will leaving it as it is damage the guitar at all? the guitar is an Ibanez rga42fm with a fixed bridge All ...
Random Guy's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
262 views

Upright piano's keys feel heavier than they did when tested in the showroom

I bought a refurbished upright piano (Yamaha U1D). The keys feel a bit stiff, and sometimes if I hit a key softly it doesn't make any sound at all. It didn't have this problem when I tested it in ...
lifeformed's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
110 views

Drawing on Classical Guitar with Open Pore Finish

this might be a somewhat naive question, but I am curious if using some type of permanent marker to draw on a classical guitar with an open pore finish will cause any issues? I'd like to give it a go, ...
Rob Proctor's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
704 views

Recently bought upright piano has at least one key ever so slightly deeper than the others. Is it detrimental to learning?

So, I bought my very first upright piano nearly 3 months ago after the numerous helpful replies I received to my questions here. I've been playing it a bit now and then. Sometimes, while I was slowly ...
Clockwork's user avatar
  • 573
11 votes
4 answers
2k views

Violin fingerboard issue

I know something is wrong with my fingerboard and I'm attaching a photo here. The fingerboard is too low with no projection at all. I don't know if this is the right place to ask. I had given my ...
Ruchi's user avatar
  • 305
4 votes
1 answer
206 views

Is it safe to use a mouldy case for an electric guitar?

My guitar hard case (Stagg Vintage-style series gold tweed deluxe hardshell case for electric guitar) has changed color to green and dark red on the some parts of the outside, and it seems that the ...
dave.s's user avatar
  • 65
2 votes
1 answer
232 views

Acoustic Guitar: Remove gloss coating from an inexpensive acoustic

I have just bought an inexpensive acoustic guitar. The guitar has a gloss coat on over the wood like most higher end ones, and I'm not the biggest fan of the shine. If this was a higher end guitar I'd ...
Jordan's user avatar
  • 155
1 vote
1 answer
216 views

Are these type of "Horizonal" wall mounts safe for hanging a guitar with a gigbag

I did read this thread Storing guitar in a gig bag and hanging from a wall hook. It concluded with a "don't hang with a gigbag, it becomes a big barrier between playing the guitar often and ...
RishiNandha Vanchi's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
459 views

Normal fret wear or particularly low-quality fret wire?

I've been playing a cheap guitar for maybe an hour every day for the past two years. At first I was very happy with the way it played, the frets were perfectly level and I was able to set it up ...
New User's user avatar
4 votes
4 answers
1k views

How do you stop gunk from building up on guitar strings?

On a steel-string acoustic guitar, how do you prevent gunk from building up on the strings? Every time I play, the strings, particularly the B and E strings, will literally (okay maybe not literally) ...
Shidouuu's user avatar
  • 262
4 votes
1 answer
83 views

I have a Skywin oud, 11 strings. Do the pegs need to be in a certain order, like in length?

So I'm not sure if my oud came strung correctly,they look a bit worn but it came with 6 pairs of replacement strings and one 11th string. What if while restringing, I took all the pegs out without ...
Jjfad20's user avatar
  • 41
1 vote
2 answers
113 views

Fixing loose strap button screw in solid-body guitar [duplicate]

I have a strap button screw in my Squier Affinity Strat that I have to re-fasten every week or so, and I'd like to carry out a more permanent repair. There is no visible damage to the screw hole or ...
guest's user avatar
  • 13
4 votes
1 answer
163 views

What are the different maintenances a piano should receive during its lifetime?

For the past three months, I have been doing extensive search prior to buying my acoustic piano about how to keep the piano in good shape. Most of the information I found online was about the things I ...
Clockwork's user avatar
  • 573
1 vote
0 answers
30 views

How do I stop hearing a radio station through my Marshall MG15DFX? [duplicate]

I just purchased a used but in good condition Marshall MG15DFX combo amp for practice in my room. Almost immediately I started hearing a local radio station through the amp even when there is no ...
Kyle's user avatar
  • 11
3 votes
1 answer
98 views

Tool that can turn this kind of particular screw in upright piano?

I tried to search in piano anatomy and glossaries but couldn't find any result. I also tried google search with image and it incorrectly identified my picture as "webbing". Can anyone help ...
Joy Jin's user avatar
  • 247
1 vote
2 answers
347 views

Will about 10 loose hairs in a violin bow make any difference when I use it?

It's something like the image above, just less loose hairss. While I was looking at it, I tried playing the violin, and some hairs got loose. Do I just cut them off or yank them off? This little book ...
Bianca's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
2 answers
592 views

Lower strings buzz after switching from 0.010" to 0.009" gauge, should I raise the saddles to fix it?

I replaced the strings on my low end Stagg electric guitar. I changed from 0.010" to 0.009" to make it a little more comfortable to play. After replacing the strings I notice the A and low E ...
MeanGreen's user avatar
  • 837
4 votes
3 answers
502 views

What are the direct consequences of exposing an acoustic piano to environment hazard?

From what I gathered, the following should be done to keep the piano in good condition: No direct exposure to sun light, moon light, heat source nor air conditioner. An average temperature of 20°C, ...
Clockwork's user avatar
  • 573
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

What are the dangers of extreme temperature for an acoustic piano?

I am planning to buy an upright acoustic piano in the future. But before I do, there are some points I need to clarify. I initially did not want to buy an acoustic piano, because I was afraid of all ...
Clockwork's user avatar
  • 573
16 votes
3 answers
6k views

Guitar strings feel electrified

When my electric guitar is connected to the amp it's fine but when I connect it to my mult fx Zoom g1on and then to the amp, the strings and the bridge feel electrified. Like there's friction when I ...
Lelouche Lamperouge's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
5k views

How long--does it take for humidity to affect acoustic guitar?

We know that high or low levels of humidity affect acoustic guitar, but how long does it actually take before a guitar starts to get affected by humidity? Furthermore, what do you think are the ...
Shahzad Rahim's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
659 views

How does temperature affect acoustic guitar?

We understand that an acoustic guitar must be kept in around 40%-60% humidity levels. As lower humidity levels cause the guitar wood to dry out and shrink, which can lead to cracks in the guitar. Also,...
Shahzad Rahim's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
272 views

Chromatic harmonica slider becomes less smooth after playing for about 30min

I have a Suzuki Chromatix SCX64 16-hole chromatic harmonica. Recently I find that the slider becomes less smooth (or even gets stuck somehow) after I play for about 30 minutes. I tried disassembling ...
pjhades's user avatar
  • 133
2 votes
1 answer
980 views

Fret Wear on 2016 PRS CE24

When changing my strings and cleaning the fretboard and frets a couple of days ago, I recognized that my frets seem to be really flat already. I have attached some images. The guitar is round about ...
Philip's user avatar
  • 23
3 votes
3 answers
810 views

Which way do I put the violin blanket?

I was wondering which way do I put the violin blanket in a violin case because there are two sides, one that is soft and one that is hard(ish) made out of plastic (or whatever material it is). I want ...
Violin's user avatar
  • 128
2 votes
2 answers
176 views

What range of violin bow hair tension is generally accepted?

I am trying to learn violin using online resources only. After about 80 hours of practice I destroyed a bow eyelet. My guess is that I applied too much tension on bow hair and/or bow quality was low. ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
87 views

Why is there fret buzz on an acoustic after not playing it for a year?

I gave my brother’s girlfriend an acoustic guitar and stand over a year ago. I was over at their place the other day and I thought I would play the guitar. Of course it was out of tune, but I was ...
drg's user avatar
  • 167
2 votes
1 answer
348 views

Does dust hurt acoustic guitar?

I usually play guitar regularly, and I always put it on its stand but sometimes due to college work I can't play for a few weeks in between. And what happens is a layer of dust accumulates on my ...
Shahzad Rahim's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
2k views

Electric guitar intonation flat above 12th fret, no luck with usual methods

My Floyd Rose equipped electric guitar has mostly spot-on intonation across the fretboard minus the high e string above the 12th fret, where it is pretty consistently flat (1-2 red LEDs from the ...
barnybumble's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
2k views

Cleaning porous rosewood fretboard

I have a Fender Stratocaster with a rosewood fretboard. The wood is fairly porous, and over time I have had something like dirt, dust, or possibly wax build up in the pores of the wood grain. The ...
Aaron M. Eshbach's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
214 views

Questions on Guitar Maintenance & New Gear

I am a beginner guitar player, I started playing 9 months ago. I got a second-hand strat copy (the headstock reads Thunder) as my first instrument. I also bought an ultra cheap ($30) amp which does ...
Harshit Joshi's user avatar

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