Last night while changing strings one of the tuning pegs on my fiddle was seriously stuck. I'm still at a loss as to why it was so stuck but while trying to turn it the part you grasp broke off leaving the shaft in the hole. It would not budge and had to be drilled out. Fortunately I have a friend who is a furniture maker and did the job perfectly without damage to the peg box.
However, I've been looking at websites that sell pegs and noticed that some say the peg is sold without the hole drilled for the string. I don't have a luthier in my area and the local music store only sells cheap pegs. Have you ordered them from the web and were they drilled for the string?
I'm looking for the heart model with white ball.
Hi Mary - if you get hold of a spare peg you might be lucky, but really they need fitting by a luthier who would have the right tools to shape them, and ream the holes in the peg box if necessary - you might need a complete new set. I did redrill a hole in a tuning peg and that wasn't too difficult - it needs to be in a position so that the string has room to wind round several times towards the pegbox wall so that the string tends to pull the peg in rather than out. Although I've tackled some fiddle set-up tasks, I'd be wary of messing with the peg-box - you need to find someone who knows what they're doing - hope you get it fixed!
I pass as to getting a single, specific model, replacement peg.
The two things that occur to me are; 1) have you ever used the peg compound to aid friction/slipping of your pegs and; 2) has the weather changed significantly recently in your area ?
2) might be the explanation for the sticking, whether dryness, dampness, or just temprature changes.
I would reckon your friend the furniture-maker sounds as if he has the skills you need, both to drill and to fit, if you can get the pegs. Personally, I'd replace the whole set at this point.
There are also websites to help you do things like fit new pegs; it's not rocket science, it's just woodwork !
Hard luck, Just get a set of blackwood pegs, s Richard said, you may be lucky. The way to stop the problem developing is to apply soap to facilitate smooth movement and chalk to counter too much.
Actually, i think you will find at least one of the set will fit fine.
And drilling the hole, should be pretty simple, try gluing the finger board back on with the proper glue for difficulty! or replacing the soundpost correctly! Fiddles arnt the easiest instrument to fix, but you will know your instrument more intimately if you have a go.
Im taking it that its not worth a fortune!
Additionally, you should have the pegs inspected by an experienced violin repairman, because this failure is likely to happen again. Was it the E string peg? if so, it could be that the string portion wound around the peg, became wedged in the peghole. Replacing the peg may not prevent it from happening again. There are other possibilities that are best diagnosed in person, by an experienced person. Good luck,
No, but it's obviously got pretty pegs !
Yes, fitting the soundpost is much harder. Don't take any more strings off till the new peg is in and the string tensioned, Mary, as often it's the force of the bridge on the soundboard that's helping to hold the soundpost in place.
My fiddle isn't worth a fortuneto anyone but me.
I've been changing strings for years and never had a problem before. The weather here has just turned rainy therefore the humidity is very high. The remaining pegs work perfectly. I took a peg from another fiddle to use until I can get one that matches and it seems to fit and work fine. So back to the original question. Are pegs usually sold withouth the hole for the string?
I have a spare set of pegs that I purchased at a music store a couple of years ago, as insurance that I would have a spare if needed. The owner of that store explained to me at the time that it would take an experienced wood crafter to fit the peg if needed. The new pegs do not have a hole drilled in them since once the peg is fitted to the box then the position of the hole can then be determined which also will depend on which string for which the peg is being fitted
When you buy a peg they are not usually at the correct taper, anything from 1 in 20 to 1 in 30 is common for the reamer, they are too large and they have to be cut to fit. The peg may have broken because the smaller hole was a tighter fit than the larger hole. This also causes juddering instead of a smooth movement. When fitting a peg, the way to test a good fit is put a bit of dry soap on both ends, turn the peg around in the hole a couple of times and the side nearest the handle should be warmer than the other side (put it up to your lip). None of this helps you unfortunately, best advice is to research into the closest person with a peg cutter. The holes are usually drilled once the peg has been fitted, to fit 3-4 windings of the string before it hits the pegbox wall. Best of luck.
Fiddle tuning pegs
Fiddle tuning pegs
Last night while changing strings one of the tuning pegs on my fiddle was seriously stuck. I'm still at a loss as to why it was so stuck but while trying to turn it the part you grasp broke off leaving the shaft in the hole. It would not budge and had to be drilled out. Fortunately I have a friend who is a furniture maker and did the job perfectly without damage to the peg box.
However, I've been looking at websites that sell pegs and noticed that some say the peg is sold without the hole drilled for the string. I don't have a luthier in my area and the local music store only sells cheap pegs. Have you ordered them from the web and were they drilled for the string?
I'm looking for the heart model with white ball.
Thanks
Mary
# Posted on October 25th 2007 by Antikhntr
Re: Fiddle tuning pegs
Hi Mary - if you get hold of a spare peg you might be lucky, but really they need fitting by a luthier who would have the right tools to shape them, and ream the holes in the peg box if necessary - you might need a complete new set. I did redrill a hole in a tuning peg and that wasn't too difficult - it needs to be in a position so that the string has room to wind round several times towards the pegbox wall so that the string tends to pull the peg in rather than out. Although I've tackled some fiddle set-up tasks, I'd be wary of messing with the peg-box - you need to find someone who knows what they're doing - hope you get it fixed!
# Posted on October 25th 2007 by RichardB
Re: Fiddle tuning pegs
I pass as to getting a single, specific model, replacement peg.
The two things that occur to me are; 1) have you ever used the peg compound to aid friction/slipping of your pegs and; 2) has the weather changed significantly recently in your area ?
2) might be the explanation for the sticking, whether dryness, dampness, or just temprature changes.
I would reckon your friend the furniture-maker sounds as if he has the skills you need, both to drill and to fit, if you can get the pegs. Personally, I'd replace the whole set at this point.
There are also websites to help you do things like fit new pegs; it's not rocket science, it's just woodwork !
# Posted on October 25th 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Fiddle tuning pegs
Hard luck, Just get a set of blackwood pegs, s Richard said, you may be lucky. The way to stop the problem developing is to apply soap to facilitate smooth movement and chalk to counter too much.
Actually, i think you will find at least one of the set will fit fine.
And drilling the hole, should be pretty simple, try gluing the finger board back on with the proper glue for difficulty! or replacing the soundpost correctly! Fiddles arnt the easiest instrument to fix, but you will know your instrument more intimately if you have a go.
Im taking it that its not worth a fortune!
# Posted on October 25th 2007 by jig
Re: Fiddle tuning pegs
Additionally, you should have the pegs inspected by an experienced violin repairman, because this failure is likely to happen again. Was it the E string peg? if so, it could be that the string portion wound around the peg, became wedged in the peghole. Replacing the peg may not prevent it from happening again. There are other possibilities that are best diagnosed in person, by an experienced person. Good luck,
Jim
# Posted on October 25th 2007 by jhol111964
Re: Fiddle tuning pegs
No, but it's obviously got pretty pegs !
Yes, fitting the soundpost is much harder. Don't take any more strings off till the new peg is in and the string tensioned, Mary, as often it's the force of the bridge on the soundboard that's helping to hold the soundpost in place.
# Posted on October 25th 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Fiddle tuning pegs
My fiddle isn't worth a fortuneto anyone but me.
I've been changing strings for years and never had a problem before. The weather here has just turned rainy therefore the humidity is very high. The remaining pegs work perfectly. I took a peg from another fiddle to use until I can get one that matches and it seems to fit and work fine. So back to the original question. Are pegs usually sold withouth the hole for the string?
Thanks
Mary
# Posted on October 25th 2007 by Antikhntr
Re: Fiddle tuning pegs
well these ones are. good company to deal with;
http://cgi.ebay.ie/A-set-of-Fine-Ebnoy-Violin-Parts-Completed-Set_W0QQitemZ130164967750QQihZ003QQcategoryZ10180QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem
# Posted on October 25th 2007 by jig
Re: Fiddle tuning pegs
Yes, I think they would come without the hole for the string if they are new pegs.
# Posted on October 25th 2007 by RichardB
Re: Fiddle tuning pegs
I have a spare set of pegs that I purchased at a music store a couple of years ago, as insurance that I would have a spare if needed. The owner of that store explained to me at the time that it would take an experienced wood crafter to fit the peg if needed. The new pegs do not have a hole drilled in them since once the peg is fitted to the box then the position of the hole can then be determined which also will depend on which string for which the peg is being fitted
# Posted on October 25th 2007 by billcampbell
Re: Fiddle tuning pegs
When you buy a peg they are not usually at the correct taper, anything from 1 in 20 to 1 in 30 is common for the reamer, they are too large and they have to be cut to fit. The peg may have broken because the smaller hole was a tighter fit than the larger hole. This also causes juddering instead of a smooth movement. When fitting a peg, the way to test a good fit is put a bit of dry soap on both ends, turn the peg around in the hole a couple of times and the side nearest the handle should be warmer than the other side (put it up to your lip). None of this helps you unfortunately, best advice is to research into the closest person with a peg cutter. The holes are usually drilled once the peg has been fitted, to fit 3-4 windings of the string before it hits the pegbox wall. Best of luck.
# Posted on October 26th 2007 by tlittlewazzock