r/violinmaking

10 days ago, I had my violin cleaned and polished at a shop I teach at. The luthier finished the cleaning and polishing in about 30 minutes and handed my violin to me incredibly wet and greasy. (It was so greasy that it stained my violin blanket as shown in the picture attached.)

Since this was the first time I took my violin for a cleaning at a store, I didn’t know any better. I played and taught with the wet violin in the tiny lesson rooms we have at the shop in which the odor was REALLY strong. (I even made a post earlier about exposure risk because the smell felt so overwhelming.) I went back home and tried my best to dry the violin with a cloth as much as possible and even started airing my violin out.

Whatever product he used must have gotten on the fittings and even on the bridge because despite airing out my violin and case these last ten days, the smell still remains. The smell has been bothering me so much that I end up having an irritated throat while practicing that goes away overnight when I’m away from the instrument.

I have asked the shop owner multiple times what product he used and he has refused to tell me. The only thing he told me was that it is some type of alcohol and polish but when I asked for the name, he said it had no name.

Luthiers please help me with the following questions:

1. How do I get rid of the odor? It’s irritating me.

2. What could he have used for me to still smell it and have it physically irritate me? It’s sweet, woody, and chemical like. Is it even safe to practice on my violin anymore? I still have to teach and have rehearsals coming up.

I inherited this violin. The man who repaired it estimated it was made circa 1900.

Can anyone help me learn any more about the origins of the violin or identify the signature from under the tailpiece?

Thank you! :)

(Sorry the pictures aren’t great—if more or better pictures would be helpful just let me know!)

I received this violin in December and its been a big journey because this is my first restoration and I started learning the art of violin making and restoration in November of 2025

Old violin identification!
No additional information….
I would like to know If it could be interesting to buy it to restore it.

This Master Wang Zhiguo violin arrived a couple of days ago.

The set up was pretty straightforward and magically the soundpost seemed to be set despite the international shipping. It looks in my view somewhat tilted forward, but the violin is resonant and sounds beautifully.

Wouldn't want to take it to a luthier in this sweltering heat for checking.

Could some of the experts confirm the soundpost is well placed or that at least that the violin is structurally safe in the mid term?

Many many thanks in advance

I’m hoping to learn more about this violin that’s been in my family for generations.
It was made by my great-great-grandfather, Lewis Lallathin (1879–1963), in southeastern Ohio. Family history says he built it using a tea kettle.
I’m curious if anyone here can tell me anything about the instrument, whether anything about its construction or craftsmanship stands out, what kind of tradition or style it may have come from, and whether it looks like something that could realistically be restored into a playable instrument or if it would be better preserved as a family heirloom. I’d appreciate any observations or insights you have!

This is my mom's violin she had when she was a child. She's no longer around and parts of the violin have deteriorated. Is any of it or the case worth keeping to repair or even display as a keepsake?

SOLVED! Thank you everyone for telling me it was probably the sound post. It indeed is! The buyer is still okay with it so everything has been resolved

This is a 1764 Giuseppe Guarnerius copy. There is a small piece of wood rattling around and I need to remove it. Do I have to get rid of the glue to open it? I'm supposed to be selling this for my dad tomorrow and he just dropped it off to me. Thank you

Hi, r/Luthier, thanks for letting me in. I have a question about going from standing trees to workable slabs of wood.

When I was a teenager, I brought home a little sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) seedling and planted it in the yard. Regrettably, the electric utility told my family that it was in the way and they were going to cut half of the limbs off, so we elected to just take the whole tree rather than mangle it. This left us with a log somewhere around 16" in diameter and 8' or so long.

We know someone with a sawmill who's willing to work it for us. My question is: how do I instruct them to saw this log so that I can later make instruments out of it, if I can attain that level of skill? I realize that sycamore isn't ideal for bowed strings, but I'm sure it still works and I know trained luthiers who have seen instruments made of different hardwoods besides maple. I'd also be interested in making solidbody guitars. I told dad to have the guy quarter-saw it, but I also see that some people actually split wedges and then dress them with bladed tools, so I'm somewhat at a loss. I'm not there in person for this, so I have to issue clear instructions and then trust that they'll be carried out. I can trust that dad can paint the edges of the wood to seal the grain, so any guidance on that would be appreciated as well.

Thanks in advance!