WORN-OUT CASES RENEWED BY OUR TECHINICIANS

Most manufacturers are concerned primarily with selling new products. At Musafia cases, we are concerned with our products, whether they are new or old. That is why we believe we are the only case company to officially offer a restoration service for even the most damaged and worn-out cases. 

Generally, if a case is used professionally, it should be sent back to us for our maintenance service every five years or so. This should be done early if the case is obviously worn or damaged. In this manner, your Musafia case will continue to serve you protecting your instrument for many, many years.

But unfortunately not everyone does this. In May 2003 we received a request from Spain to restore a 15-year-old Musafia Luxury model violin case. When we saw it, we almost couldn't believe our eyes: the case cover had almost all the piping missing, the frame had been waterlogged to the point of delamination, the shell had separated from the interior structure, the lock was broken and the whole case was literally falling apart to the point of it basically being kept together by the case cover. In short, it was a complete disaster!

 

	This is what the case looked like when we received it. The owner had removed most of the case cover piping. To prevent damage to the case, the cover should have been replaced immediately. However, this was not done, resulting in rainwater seeping into the case structure over several years.
Constant traction on the handle, coupled with the gradual weakening of the structure, eventually allowed the whole side panel to break away.
	The broken frame has ruined the allignment of the lock, which subsequantly broke due to the added stress.
Our client wanted the case to be brought back to life.  So, the first thing we do before any repair or restoration is disassemble it in order to inspect it and find out what work has to be done.
	The case is now ready for a thorough inspection, during which the condition of all components can be accurately assessed.
The full extent of the damage is becoming apparent. Almost the entire perimeter of the case has become unglued.
	First impact and then water seepage through the worn case cover allowed the wood to delaminate in this corner, making it lose consistency.
Another view. It is possible to read "289", which is the serial number of the case and which according to our records dates it to 1988.
At this point, most people must be wondering if this case is worth fixing at all. In fact, patch jobs clearly won't last and will look bad, while a rebuild could easily cost more than a new case. Not so with a Musafia case. With over 20 years of experience building them, we have not only streamlined the production of new cases, but have done so with their restoration process as well. Our technicians are capable of completely restoring a Musafia case to near-new specs, for much less than the cost of a new case.
	The first step is to force open all the cracks, clean them of any dirt or dust, and then fill them with a specially-mixed glue which is remains elastic when dried, never brittle.
The cracks are closed with screws and the glue, which is applied liberally, cleaned before it dries to make a tidy surface.  Where possible, the screws are left in the case to provide further structural strength. Otherwise they are removed once the glue has dried.
	If marked damage to the frame has been noted, after repair the area is reinforced with a dacron sheet resined to the surface, creating a fiberglass-like monolithical structure.
The rope decoration, while basically OK, is replaced because it makes the case look much newer inside once finished.
	When the bow ribbons are very dirty, it is next to impossible to clean them satisfactorily. So once the rope decoration has been removed we often replace the bow ribbons too.
We normally take this opportunity to upgrade the bow holders, if the case has the pre-1993 type (above, in the image).  The new bow holders are spring-loaded and are made to keep the bow in place under all conditions. (if the case already has this type of bow holders, they are removed and cleaned)
	After reassembly, a new case cover is installed and fitted. All hardware is replaced and/or upgraded to current specifications.
The interior is then cleaned with compressed air to remove dust and particles resulting from the work done.  A special solvent is used where necessary to "revive" the velvet padding, applied using a soft pad made out of the same material and color to avoid leaving discoloration.
	Being a rather old case, we replaced the latch with our current Sekur double-action safety latch. Since this latch is narrower than the old type, new leatherette must be grafted onto the frame to avoid leaving unsightly holes and marks.
The case has been successfully restored.  Although it was quite worn and damaged when received, to have it renewed this client paid little more than about 1/3 of the price of an equivalent new case, with full Musafia warranty.

We do not advocate letting your Musafia end up like this one before having it restored. If you send it back to us for maintenance every five years or so of professional use, a full restoration will never be necessary.

But it's nice to know that with a Musafia case your money is well spent. You may never have to purchase a new case again.  

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For questions or requests for maintenance service please contact us, either by e-mail at info@musafia.com or by mail or fax. Offer valid for all Musafia Cremona Italy cases manufactured after 1985.