The Don't List

-Don't attempt to glue anything unless it really is an emergency, and be prepared to pay extra to have the glueing redone properly in the violin shop. -Don't expose instruments to extreme temperature changes (especially heat). -Don't leave your instrument in the trunk of your car when you travel. It gets unbelievably hot in there on a sunny day.

The Violin Shop

At some point, you will find that there are some things which can't be done in five minutes. Some repairs will require days (if not weeks in the repair shop). Some repairs may be impractical to do in a school or home environment, but can be done easily in a properly equipped shop. The basic rule is: if it cannot be fixed in five minutes or you aren't absolutely sure of the results (and your abilities), take it to the shop.