What happens when you play too much

[karl]

I just came back from China and I saw an erhu performance. The erhu was played so much that the bow had rubbed off the varish from the body and the unfinished wood was showing.

[maaltan]

ahh, that one is just starting to get broke in

Mine is starting to show some of the same pattering. Although, i feel mine has a very inferior varnish/stain coating on it.

I find wear pattern pictures like that useful. Assuming the performer had good technique, it shows how the bow should run against the instrument pressures needed to play properly.