How do I properly care for my Pipa?

[kuduchi]

I am so excited!! I just ordered my new Pipa and it will be arriving soon (hopefully, I cant wait!!!) I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas to come!!! I also found a teacher too.

Okay, so I wanted to know how can I properly care for my Pipa? Should I untune the pegs after I am done playing? Since it is new, do I leave it unrested for a while? What about storage and climate?

Thanks

[xindi]

6 months later...

Have you worked out what to do with the pegs?

I just acquired a pipa ... I tend to leave the pegs in their tunings, which will probably stress the strings, but since I'm rather addicted to it at the moment, and can't stop picking it up every hour or so just to have a twiddle, I need it to be in tune.

I suppose if you plan on not playing it for a long time, it would be better to loosen the pegs and strings, which will only add tension stretch over the bridge at the neck of the pipa.

You can get wax polish from Shanghai Dunhuang (any wood cream balsam moisturiser will do, as long as it is acid free) to clean the body of the pipa. There is no need to touch the smooth board - this should never be waxed. Unfortunately it just acquires dirt marks.

What you can do, is take a sheet of paper (preferably translucent) from the edge of the pipa beneath the 30th fret and above the sounding hole, from left to right). Then after a week, inspect it to see how many scratches you would have made on the pipa's sounding board due to inaccurate finger positions. I did that after learning it from a guitar player in practice sessions.

I suppose you could find a guitar stand for your pipa. I think they look great standing in the corner of a room. I'm not fond of those crook neck racks, which shops use. The angle of the head and neck, literally bears the whole weight of the pipa, which will stress that narrow little neck out.

Climate wise - provided the wood is dried properly, it's probably best to keep it in a humidity between 40-60%. Any less risks cracking; any more, risks mould.

[kuduchi]

6 month later xD

I've had my pipa for about a year now and it's in great condition. For some reason though, my teacher rearranged the pegs but oh well, she's the one with more experienced.

Thanks for the reply.