Replacing Strings

Vital String Tips for the Beginner

                and

How to Avoid DESTROYING your new fiddle!

            As a beginning fiddle player one of the first things you will probably do is search for and buy an inexpensive beginner fiddle. (I will provide a violin buyers checklist in a later post!)  For now though, let’s assume that since you are reading this post you have already purchased a fiddle for yourself.

            One of the first things you will probably want to do after buying a new fiddle is to replace the strings.  Good quality strings can make a HUGE difference in how your fiddle sounds.  I have personally used Dominant Thomastik violin strings for years, and I love them. (No they don’t sponsor me or anything…they are just really good strings!)  They cost around $45 bucks online.  Whatever brand you decide to try just remember, do not buy cheap strings.  When it comes to fiddle strings, you absolutely get what you pay for!

            So…now you are ready to put on your new strings!  If you read nothing else in this post remember this:

NEVER TAKE OFF ALL OF THE STRINGS AT THE SAME TIME!

            As a beginner you may not realize this, but much of the support system that gives your fiddle a good rich tone is held in place by the tension of the strings.  The fiddle bridge that supports the strings is held in place by tension.  Also, something you may have never noticed is that inside the fiddle underneath the bridge is a small wooden dowel called a sound post. 

            So lets say you are a beginner like myself many years ago, who happened to be too stubborn to ask for help changing his strings.  The first thing that happens when you remove all four strings is that the bridge will fall out.  Something that you may not notice, however, is that this will sometimes also cause your sound post to shift or even fall.  Assuming you are able to replace the bridge and figure out which string goes to which peg without any crossovers, you will then realize something has gone horribly wrong after tightening the strings.  If you are lucky your fiddle will merely sound horrible and you will realize you need professional help.  If you are not lucky the pressure on the top of the violin without the sound post support will cause a split down the center of your fiddle!

            A sound post can be fairly easily replaced by someone with the correct tool and experience.  However, a crack or split can cost more to repair than your fiddle is worth.  The last time I had a very small crack repaired on my fiddle it cost me $400 dollars, and I was given a very nice discount at that.  So my suggestion…learn the correct way to string the damn thing and save yourself a lot of hassle and a whole lot of money!

How to Correctly String a Fiddle 

Not only will this save your instrument from damage, but it will save you a ton of time and effort.

This is so easy…

1)  Start by removing the thickest string, which is your low G string. 

2)  Try not to create a double layer of string around the peg, keep it thin and wrap it in one layer beside each previous round.  This will prevent it from interfering with the A and D strings which are positioned higher.

3)  Once this string is secure, tune it close to where it needs to be.

4)  Proceed to the D string, and repeat this procedure from largest to smallest (G-D-A-E)

*Remember to perform a general retuning after each string.  This will help keep the bridge in the proper position as well as decreasing the chance of snapping a string with too much pressure.

Hope this helps…and Happy Fiddlin’

-Joe