Cassandra Strings Getting Started Guide For Strings
Instrument Care
Where should I store my instrument?
Instruments should always be stored inside your home at room temperature away from air vents. Instruments should also never be left in your car. The hot and cold temperatures can damage the instrument. Your instrument should always be placed in its case when not in use. Instruments can easily get damaged if left outside of their case. Make sure you securely close your instrument case using all latches and zippers.
How do I properly store my cello or bass?
Cellos and basses require additional care. These instruments should always be rested on their side away from heavy home traffic. The instrument should always be stored in its case and never leaned on or against anything.
What should I do before I put my instrument away?
After every use, you should take a dry cloth and wipe away any rosin powder from the wood and strings. It's important to make sure you take off your shoulder sponge or shoulder rest as well.
How do I tune my instrument?
For beginners, we encourage you to have your teacher or a member of our store tune your instrument to avoid unnecessary damage. Advanced players who have learned how to tune will use the fine tuners and the pegs when tuning their instruments.
There is a piece of wood inside my instrument, what do I do?
What you are most likely seeing is the soundpost. The soundpost should be sitting upright between the top and back inside the instrument. If the sound post has fallen and is loose inside you should bring the instrument back to the store immediately to avoid damage.
The bridge fell off, what do I do?
If the bridge has fallen you should bring the instrument back to the store immediately to avoid damage. Your teacher may also be able to set your instrument back up. Bridges are held by tension and not with any glue or adhesives.
What do I do if there is a crack on my instrument?
Cracks on instruments can be caused by negligence or humidity levels. If your instrument has a crack you should bring the instrument back to the store immediately to avoid damage. Never attempt to repair your instrument yourself or use commercial glue.
My pegs are stuck and I can’t turn them to tune?
Stuck pegs are common when humidity levels are high. Peg compound is used to lubricate the pegs for easy tuning. Fine tuners can be used to tune until you visit our store for the repair.
What do I do when a string breaks?
Broken strings can be replaced by your teacher at school or by bringing your instrument into our store.
What do I do if something breaks off the instrument?
If something is broken off your instrument you should bring the instrument back to the store immediately to avoid damage. We will assess the damage to determine if we can repair it while you wait or give you another instrument.
What can I do to control humidity in my home?
We encourage customers to keep the humidity levels in their homes between 40% - 60%. This will ensure the instrument does not get damaged by low humidity levels. Portable humidifiers or HVAC system humidifiers can be used to control humidity within your home.
Bow Care & Rosin
Why doesn't my bow work?
The horsehair on the bow requires rosin for it to produce sound. Follow the instructions your teacher gave you to apply the rosin on the horse hair.
How do I apply rosin to the bow?
Start by tightening the bow by turning the tension screw near the frog. Apply the rosin by rubbing the rosin cake along the full length of the bow hair. If you are applying rosin for the first time on new horsehair you will need to apply it for about 1-2 min. Six to eight strokes are plenty before each use, after the initial application.
Why is my rosin not working on the bow?
New rosin is usually smooth and shiny, and it takes time to become rough enough to grip onto the bow. You can take some sandpaper to rough up the shiny part of the rosin. Once the top of the rosin is roughed up you can begin to rosin your bow again.
How do I care for my bow?
You want to make sure you avoid handling the bow hair with your hands and fingers, and always loosen the bow after use.
Should the hair be loose on my bow?
Yes, you must always loosen your bow before putting it back into the case. To tighten the bow turn the screw at the end of the bow clockwise. This will tighten the horsehair for playing. Turn the screw counterclockwise to loosen when finished.
Why can’t I tighten my bow?
The bows horsehair stretches over time and will need to be re-haired. It's important to always loosen the bow after every use. This will extend the life of the horsehair.