Fiddleheads Violins' Instrument Tone Guarantee

We Stand by the Tonal Qualities of Our Instruments

The instruments we sell are carefully selected owing to their quality design, materials and ability to mature tonally. It is proven that a good instrument's tone will improve as it is played and tone may diminish in an instrument which has been left unplayed.

New instruments which have not yet been played need to be "broken-in." [Read my article on the subject]

A player may witness a change within the first few days or even hours of playing a quality new instrument. Even more tonal maturity is easily apparent after 6 months and a violin is considered fully mature after a couple years of play. The longer you play it each day, the faster you will witness the tone improving.

Since some new instruments may take a while to break in, their tone may not open up within the limited time they play it in shop or have on the 2-week trial period in their homes.

We are confident, however, our instruments will improve greatly as played and be completely different instruments after a year of play.

Our Promise to Our New Instrument Customers

Therefore we guarantee that the tone of your new new violin, viola or cello will improve significantly as played within the first year.

We are so certain of this that if the tone does not improve with regular play over the next twelve months we will take the instrument back and refund your money.

Is there a catch? Nope.

This is not an empty promise or a cheap, promotional gimic used to sell cartons of crummy violins. Not a single instrument of ours has been returned owing to lack of tonal development over time.

We have implemented this policy and promise to prove how confident we are with our instruments' tone and to allow our customers to buy with complete confidence in our new instruments.

It is in our best interests that the violins live up to our promises, which is why the lower-priced instruments are not included. They simply cannot open up in the same way as our nicer instruments can.

In order to qualify for a return under our Tone Guarantee the player must have played the instrument regularly for the entire year. This is because new instruments must be played regularly to "open up" and without regular and daily play the tone may not mature as quickly as it should. We are not responsible for the lack tonal improvement on instruments which were neglected to be played or properly cared for.

In the event an instrument is to be returned, it must not have sustained any damage in order to be refunded. We are very reasonable on this point. For example, minor dings which can be polished out are acceptable. Any such returns would be subject to a fee to cover paypal/merchant fee (credit card) expenses and shipping, if applicable.

Need more info?

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Suggestions for Maturing the Tone of Your Instrument, New and Used

By Fiddleheads' Owner, Rhiannon Schmitt

Play it, Play it, Play it.

Simple. Just play the darn thing!

Regular, consistent play breathes life into an instrument.

No one knows exactly why this is, but it's been witnessed over centuries that playing an instrument keeps it "alive." Why do you think the top museums and shops have their instruments played daily by professional musicians to keep the tone?

Just pick it up and play it an hour each day to witness the tone improve. What do you think we violin shop owners do for hours each day? Sit around and pick our noses? Naw, that gets boring, even for us.

New Strings Breathe Life into an Instrument

Would you drive a new Ferrari with ragged all-season tires? Your strings are like the tires on a performance vehicle. Bad strings will drag down your instrument's tone.

Therefore, replace your strings every 6-12 months. Don't let them fade out and blame the instrument for the dull tone. Also experiment with different types of strings to find the tone you most prefer. Rhiannon's strings of choice are Pirastro Evah Pirazzi strings.

Upgrade Your Bow

Are you still using the cheap bow that came with your first violin? Remember the bow you use should match the instrument and that a good bow makes all the difference in the tone you produce on your instrument.

Not only will you find it easier and more enjoyable to produce a better tone, but your instrument will break-in faster.

Let your Fiddle Enjoy Your Stereo

It may sound ridiculous, but your instrument will benefit from a daily music listening session by or on the stereo speakers. Or keep your instrument in a room where the television is on much of the time.

The vibrations from the speakers will cause your violin, viola or cello to resonate and will speed up the tonal break-in period. Experiement with a wide range of music to add fun to the experiment.

Adjustments & Proper Setup

In keeping with the Ferrari analogy, you need to know your instrument well enough to diagnose when something isn't running quite right or there's a funny noise coming from "under the hood."

When you first receive the instrument make sure to memorize the exact placement of the bridge and sound post. This will help you determine if the instrument requires luthier servicing in the event the instrument is ever bumped hard or dropped.

The best thing you can do to avoid luthier repair bills is to keep the bridge from warping: see warped bridge photo at left.

Each time you tune your violin with the pegs check that the bridge remains straight, especially after major tuning changes or changing strings. If necessary, gently correct the bridge angle as you tighten the pegs as it may be pulled toward the pegs by the strings. (In fact, the bridge should lean a tad back towards the tailpiece).

If you're unsure if your violin is properly setup ask your teacher or a luthier to show you what to look for. Finally, from time to time, check for any buzzes, seam cracks, wear or any other problems.

If you notice anything unusual I am happy to assist customers with any concerns via phone or email. The testmonial to the right is an example of a player who called seeking advice on what she thought was a soundpost problem. Sue came home on very cold day and discovered an incision in the soundpost she had not previously noticed and thought the post was supposed to be in the middle of the violin, not to the side. Was it broken?

Luckily, for her, everything was normal. The incision in the post is from the luthier installing the post and the soundpost is meant to be off to the right, near the E-string. Now Sue knows what to look for on her violin to keep it out of fiddle sickbay.

With care and some maintenance you won't have to pay any unnecessary "mechanic" bills.

Careful storage and transport

Also see my articles "Winter With No Strings Attached" and "Careful with that Axe, Eugene"

It can never be stressed enough how important careful storage and transport routines are to your instrument's health. What good is a gorgeous-sounding cello if you're going to trip on it in the dark and smash it to bits... That was a rhetorical question, by the way.

Never, never leave your instrument in the car. Big no no. BAAAAAAD viola player. Not only could it be stolen, but it could be damaged by the extreme heat, humidity, cold and dryness which are more extreme in vehicles throughout the year.

When travelling by car make sure the instrument will not fall over or be damaged where it is stored. Try to travel with it in the back seat on the floor rather than in the trunk or boot.

Don't let the airline check your fiddle. Get hostile and froth at the mouth before you let them put it under the plane. Tell them Rhiannon gave you that advice and watch airport security laugh at my little joke. Really, I'm sure they will love it!

No, really, try not to fly with your instrument under the plane. It's just a risky proposition.

Use a hygrometer if extreme dryness is a concern where you live. The Dampit is best as it goes inside the instrument and humidifies it from within.

Wrap your instrument in a cloth before putting it in its case. [Not great advice for cellists or bassists: you people should just cough up the cash and get a poper hard-shell case with wheels so you won't break your instrument or your back, hence the wheels.]

Don't keep the violin in its case under your bed, where it tends to be cold and dusty. Instead find a large space on a bottom book shelf where the case can rest. If you like leaving the instrument out where it is easily accessible, use an instrument holder or stand rather than resting it on its back on your cluttered coffeetable or greasy dinner table.

[Okay, anyone who knows me has seen me put my fiddle on my paper-infested office desk, but I do have a very nice violin rack which I also use].

Just don't leave your violin on your bed. Dumb thing to do, especially if you are a teenager and prone to throwing things across the room and whacking your violin. Not naming any names... Mary!

Enjoy your Instrument

Just play it and enjoy it. The tone will open up and you will want to play it more every day... until the next upgrade!

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