Instruments

Mountain School of Strings requires that students each provide their own instrument. There are many options for obtaining the instrument you’ll need for class: practicing and performing: purchasing new or used instruments, renting or borrowing. Be sure to take the time to evaluate the instrument you select based on its quality, affordability and maintenance.

Instrument Care

Winter As the days and nights get colder and the heat comes on in the house, the air dries out — placing instruments at risk. When the air is dry, wood expands and can potentially lead to cracks in the wood that result in a substantial repair bill!

To avoid this problem, the first thing to do is obtain a humidity gauge and place it close to where the instrument is stored. You can buy a digital humidity gauge for less than $5. The ideal humidity level for instruments is 50%. If you are reading anywhere from 40% to 60%, the instrument should be safe and you don’t need to do anything further other than continue to monitor the gauge. If the humidity dips below 40%, you need to add moisture to the air. To do this, place a humidifier in the room where the instrument is stored. If you don’t have the means to obtain a humidifier, you can try keeping a couple of wet sponges in the room which should help increase the humidity.

As a reminder, make sure to never leave the instrument in the car or store it outside. The elements and changing temperatures can cause serious problems for the instruments.