Violin Forum/Message Board

john_itfc · Junior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2013 Posts: 2

Hi there, just brought myself a Violin, and it has lots of little dents in the fingerboard where someone has played it with long nails. Im sure that this wont affect playing but wondered if there is anything I can do to restore this fingerboard to its former and rightful glory.

R Mac · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 10:30 pm Post subject:

John,

If they are truly dents, and no material has been lost, they might steam out.

Mac

Chet Bishop · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:07 am Post subject:

The ones I have seen were grooves worn by fingernails, not dents. They can be pretty severe.

If they are small enough, you may consider filling them with ebony dust and superglue. Otherwise, you are looking at a fingerboard dressing: planing, filing, scraping and sanding the board to a thinner, but correct surface and camber.

Maybe a fingerboard expert will step in, here.
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john_itfc · Junior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2013 Posts: 2

R Mac · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 9:20 am Post subject:

John,

Chet has a lot more experience that I do, so he's probably right.

On the other hand there's no harm in trying steam and seeing whether the wood is compressed.

I would try applying a bit of wet paper towel to the area, and heating it with a soldering iron. You can't burn the wood as long as there is still water making steam. If you don't get some results pretty soon, you can assume that the wood is just not there any longer, and move on to "plan B".

Mac

Michael Darnton · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 10:11 am Post subject:

There are two types of grooved board. The first is grooves between the strings, from fingernails. This isn't as common as grooves directly under the strings, from grinding the string into the board.

I don't think you'll have any luck steaming either type out--both are cut into the board, not impressed. However, the type that's between the strings won't affect the sound much if at all, although an experience player won't like the feeling. The type under the strings really needs to be properly fixed, for a considerable tonal improvement.
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