miles Posted May 1, 2017 Report Posted May 1, 2017 Hi all, It's been a long time since I frequent this board. Recently, I acquired a small 3/4 or a large 1/2 violins, which needs new strings. I put 1/2 strings on (as it was sold as 1/2), but the pegs would not stay tight. So, I used compound to add some friction, but it did not help. Then I tried 1/2 - 3/4 violin string (Evah Pirazzi) on one peg, which stayed tight. The problem is that I prefer Vision, which only goes by 1/2 or 3/4, and they don't seem to have in between sizes. In this case, if I use 3/4 strings, will they be too large? I have problems putting a 4/4 strings on a small 4/4 violin--The pegs simply would not stay tight when I tried to tune the violin. Many thanks in advance.
Will L Posted May 6, 2017 Report Posted May 6, 2017 I don't know anything about small sized instruments or differences in strings made for them. But my first thought is that you might not be putting the strings on the pegs correctly. Once we have inserted the string into the hole in the peg, we must wrap the string TOWARD the peg's handle so that the string is angled in such a way as to pull the peg into the pegbox. The closer you can get to the inside wall of the pegbox, the more angle there will be. There are several videos and articles on line showing this. I'm not sure any of them stress enough the reason this needs to be done. But it is simple: we want the string to be pulling the peg inward into the peg box. And the greater the angle we can get the more the pull will be. This needs to be done whether the pegs are well fitted and working properly or not; but it is even more important if the pegs aren't well fitted. If you don't have enough string to wind EVENLY all the way to the side wall, then you have to manipulate things by starting the string over toward the wall more immediately as it comes out of the hole. That might look like this l l l lll --> One thing FOR SURE, you don't want to wrap the string going away from the peg handle, because that will pull the peg out and, therefore, loosen it too much almost immediately. I wouldn't even mention this except that I see people doing it all the time. Before I get in hot water with the real pros, I should mention that ideally we don't want the string to actually touch the wall. And that is for the obvious reason that it will leave marks. But sometimes really getting the string right to the wall is the only way to keep a poorly fitted or worn peg to not slip. All of this is a bit of an art and takes a little practice. But it is hugely important for a performer. When we go out on a stage we need to have confidence our pegs won't slip.
Frank Nichols Posted May 9, 2017 Report Posted May 9, 2017 On 5/6/2017 at 9:10 AM, Will L said: I don't know anything about small sized instruments or differences in strings made for them. But my first thought is that you might not be putting the strings on the pegs correctly. Once we have inserted the string into the hole in the peg, we must wrap the string TOWARD the peg's handle so that the string is angled in such a way as to pull the peg into the pegbox. The closer you can get to the inside wall of the pegbox, the more angle there will be. There are several videos and articles on line showing this. I'm not sure any of them stress enough the reason this needs to be done. But it is simple: we want the string to be pulling the peg inward into the peg box. And the greater the angle we can get the more the pull will be. This needs to be done whether the pegs are well fitted and working properly or not; but it is even more important if the pegs aren't well fitted. If you don't have enough string to wind EVENLY all the way to the side wall, then you have to manipulate things by starting the string over toward the wall more immediately as it comes out of the hole. That might look like this l l l lll --> One thing FOR SURE, you don't want to wrap the string going away from the peg handle, because that will pull the peg out and, therefore, loosen it too much almost immediately. I wouldn't even mention this except that I see people doing it all the time. Before I get in hot water with the real pros, I should mention that ideally we don't want the string to actually touch the wall. And that is for the obvious reason that it will leave marks. But sometimes really getting the string right to the wall is the only way to keep a poorly fitted or worn peg to not slip. All of this is a bit of an art and takes a little practice. But it is hugely important for a performer. When we go out on a stage we need to have confidence our pegs won't slip. Wow! I know nothing, and this is great information. I have been stringing my cello so the string goes as straight as possible from the peg to the nut groove. I thought I had read/heard that was correct. But, what you say makes a lot of sense! Thank you, Frank
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