<HTML> <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE> <PRE>Violins need to be played or they reportedly "go dead".   Apparently it is good for the wood to exercise & vibrate.   They have the violins at Smithsonian taken out and played   periodically for the purpose of preserving them.</PRE> </BLOCKQUOTE> Violins are different creatures than pianos; the strings bear much more (compared with their tensions) against a thin soundboard fairly permeated with finish which is tied to a system with a number of tuned resonances. However, I don't know whether or not the idea of 'playing in' is one of the numerous wild speculations about violins. <P>Piano soundboards can resonate from environmental noises, so unless the instrument is completely neglected it should be a little active even in disuse. Then it can also be an object for investigation, infestation, etc. which I think would be more immediate concerns. <P>It is nice that the old violins still get treated as playable instruments. ;) <P>Clark</HTML>