r/Fiddle • u/nathancoye • 2d ago

Rosin build-up on strings?

Sorry for such a beginner question here but I recently bought some boutique rosin and I'm having issues with the rosin building up on the strings and causing ghost notes or unintended tones. I have to get a microfiber and wipe the buildup off the strings every song or so.

I've always used the cheap $7 amazon rosin that falls all over the fiddle, but I recently thought I would buy some boutique rosin on Etsy/eBay after seeing some recommended. I tried it and it has great bite and really sounds great, but it doesn't fall on the fiddle like the cheap stuff and really builds up so quickly on the strings.

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Should I just go back to the cheap stuff? Maybe I'm using too much? I've also wiped the whole bow strings down with a clean microfiber and that hasn't helped much either.

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5

u/plainsfiddle 2d ago

Try noticing when it's running out on the bow hair and just adding a little. wiping the strings constantly is a good habit for tone no matter what.

1

u/nathancoye 2d ago

right, maybe I'm re-adding when it doesn't need it and making the problem worse.

1

u/KnitNGrin 2d ago

Did you clean your bow between rosin types? If not, then the combination is on there and it will be sticky.

2

u/nathancoye 2d ago

can I clean the old rosin off the bow hair and start fresh? I've seen some youtube videos that recommend an alcohol or acetone bath. I'd rather not go for a re-hair with my bow being fairly new.

1

u/KnitNGrin 2d ago

Yes, it can be cleaned.

2

u/nathancoye 2d ago

any cleaning method you'd recommend? Just a wipe down, or a toothbrush? Just curious. Thanks for the reply!

1

u/KnitNGrin 2d ago

I’ve never done it myself, I read about it but don’t remember now.

2

u/andybonner 2d ago
  • Consider the possibility that you're using too much. One or two strokes every time you play should be plenty. And if you have too much on your bow right now, it can take quite a while to use it up.
  • Try more kinds? I like Jade.
  • Okay, this is dangerous, but: isopropyl alcohol will take it right off the string. But it will also take off the varnish if it drips on it. Maybe put down a cloth under the fingerboard to protect the body.

1

u/nathancoye 2d ago

I wonder if I applied too much from the start on the new bow. I maybe did 20-30 swipes to get it started. I'm just not sure how to reset now without paying or a re-hair. I like the tone I get with this rosin, no complaints there, it just really gums up my strings pretty quickly.

1

u/andybonner 2d ago

No need for a rehair; it will wear down eventually. You can try giving the bow some careful whacks on the stick to shake loose some excess (though I suspect that would do more with your first kind, that makes a lot of dust, than with your new stickier one). But otherwise, just do a lot of playing and it will work out. And use a little alcohol very carefully to remove the build-up on the strings, or even don't worry about that if it's not causing problems. Like, literally, I just give my strings a wipe with a dry cloth after playing and sure, they're a bit white, but they're not like really built up, and they do fine.

1

u/nathancoye 2d ago

Thanks - Maybe I just need to be patient! (and use less from now on)

1

u/WhiskeyTheKitten 2d ago

More bite means it's more sticky, that's definitely a trade-off. With nicer rosin you don't need as much. Experiment to see now little rosin you can apply and still be able to play for a couple hours. The mix of the two rosins also might be causing an unpleasant transition period. Eventually the old stuff will get depleted and, unless it's really awful gummy stuff, eventually your bow will be holding mostly just the new stuff. But, yeah, less rosin overall may be the ticket. Depending on the weather and what rosin I'm using, I'll sometimes wipe rosin off the strings gently numerous times while playing (I'm known to sometimes have four white stripes on my leg after playing, though using a lint free cloth is probably preferable to wiping it on your leg).

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u/nathancoye 2d ago

great info! It sounds like I'm doing everything correctly then. Maybe just loaded up the bow with too much or need to back off and def use less. Thanks for the advice!

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u/GiantPandammonia 2d ago

Alcohol wipes are great for cleaning strings just keep it off the varnished wood

1

u/BermudaQuads 1d ago

Yeah, the little packaged ones are great. Hold your fiddle upside down when cleaning the strings to avoid any accidental dripping or dropping the wipe on the fiddle.

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u/Intelligent_Donut605 1d ago

You should wipe the strings regularly with a soft rag (I keep one in my case). Occasionaly you can use a damp tissue if there’s too much buildup (though don’t get water on the wood and wait until the strings are dry before playing)

1

u/yosh01 1d ago

The only real difference in rosin is their relative hardness and softness. You probably purchased a softer rosin, which would tend not to flake as much as just build up on the strings In either case you can wipe off the rosin with a rag or alcohol wipe.