Thanks for the informative video. I had a Hopf violin come in to have its fingerboard re-glued. While working on it, I found the nut loose as well as a back cleat. After stringing it up, the D string peg was slipping. It would go to c# then slip. The pegs are geared. I wasn't sure what kind but after an internet search, they appear to be Wittner. At first I thought the peg was the problem but on closer examination, I could see the peg end turning. The hole is too big. Yet it was in tune when it came in and the peg had not been removed. The hole will need to be 'shrunk' and reamed to get the peg tight.
Once you try these geared pegs, you'll never want to use the old style pegs again. I fit them to all my fiddles as soon as I purchase them. They are quite easy to install if you have a peg reamer and a little time.
Do the geared pegs have any effect on the sound of the instrument? Logically, I seems that they would not, but traditional fine tuners do change the sound, in my experience, so I thought I'd get an opinion.
Maybe I need something like that - my violin is pretty old, and the pegs are slipping as the holes for the pegs are becoming worn from years of use. I had new pegs fitted in 1963, and now that they are slipping again, maybe the old method of plugging and re-reaming the peg holes could be supplanted by this? after all, they look indistinguishable from ordinary ebony pegs. Peg paste is no longer working on the older violin, so I have switched to the newer violin. Will the Wittner pegs fit when a violin's peg holes have become larger?
what is the diameter of the large end of your reamer?.. i want to install Wittners on my Flamenco guitar .. most violin reamers are 10mm , but i need 11-12mm for withers guitar tuners .. thanks G
maybe one could wrap the slightly smaller radius turnable portion with some kind of tape so that u don't need to be so precise in pushing in the peg to a specific depth? The tape could match the radius (or even be bigger if it's compressable) so that u don't get string pinching up against the peg box. If the above works, I don't see why not that the immovable ends could be made thicker and with wood so that one could shave them down to proper size just like normal? Just watch out u don't shave too far down into the rotating part.
@@RockStarOscarStern634 my violin is about 89 years old and I like the tone of it so much but the pegs were so horrible extremely difficult to tune with them so after I got these whitner fine tuners everything is just hunky dory
Wittner are made of plastic. They are available in ebony or rosewood look finishes. If you want wooden ones look at Pegheads (or some of the Planetary Perfection pegs). Pegheads in particular can be made to match the pegs in old instruments (they are made in South Carolina so how you would get a match from the UK I am not 100% sure)
I would NOT expect that as the vibrating part is from the nut or finger down, the peg part is not really that involved, all it is doing is keeping tension but is not part of the sound making parts. However from that point down (the bridge etc) you might expect effects with different materials. I know some say those fine tuners down on the plate which are so handy with normal pegs can affect the sound, which is why from what I can see "pro" violin players / people with expensive violins seem to have just the one on the high string which is the fiddliest to keep in tune. LOL I didn't even mean that joke but I'll keep it in :)
@@FallNorth Thank you so much! You summed up my "personal feeling" about the subject exactly. As a predominantly guitar luthier (learning now about violin) , my focus is ALWAYS on the materials from the nut to the bridge & saddle, as these are the surfaces that are most in contact with the strings and are experiencing the vibration of the string. Changing tuners on a guitar never "seem" to have any effect on sound, at least not that my ear can detect.
@@BigCarmine violin snobs will tell you it makes a difference, but in blind comparison they can't tell a Strad from a quality modern instrument, let alone what tuners are in use.
@@davew7948 Since that part of the string is past the nut, I think they wouldn't make any difference in tone. The working part of the string vibrates from the nut to the bridge.
Do you really want to increase the head weight of the instrument by doubling the weight of each peg? Not for me, especially on violas. They're great for cello where the extra weight is near unnoticeable. Not for violin or viola, though, until the manufacturers can match the weight of a wooden peg. Learn to tune on the pegs - it's easy when you know how - and fit a lightweight tuning tailpiece, ironically made by the same manufacturer as the geared pegs.
Why would it matter? I support my violin with a shoulder rest and my chin. I feel no more neck, chin or shoulder strain with these tuners mounted on my instruments then without.
Thank you so much. This is exactly the information I needed and you have explained it so clearly!
Excellent video! I am fitting my first set on my violin. Thankyou for the video!
What size did you use?
Thank you extremely helpful! better than all the other vids
Tommy Jarrell popularized the use of Tuning gears on a Bowed instrument, he finds that they'll stay put which means "No Slippage, No Worries".
Thanks for the informative video. I had a Hopf violin come in to have its fingerboard re-glued. While working on it, I found the nut loose as well as a back cleat. After stringing it up, the D string peg was slipping. It would go to c# then slip. The pegs are geared. I wasn't sure what kind but after an internet search, they appear to be Wittner. At first I thought the peg was the problem but on closer examination, I could see the peg end turning. The hole is too big. Yet it was in tune when it came in and the peg had not been removed. The hole will need to be 'shrunk' and reamed to get the peg tight.
Once you try these geared pegs, you'll never want to use the old style pegs again. I fit them to all my fiddles as soon as I purchase them. They are quite easy to install if you have a peg reamer and a little time.
Thank you very much,maestro!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU , THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do the geared pegs have any effect on the sound of the instrument? Logically, I seems that they would not, but traditional fine tuners do change the sound, in my experience, so I thought I'd get an opinion.
thanks
Very clear!
Great video! My peg holes measure 7.53mm to 7.61mm. Should I go with the smaller or larger pegs?
How do you measure the pegs so you know which size of geared peg to order ?
Measure the peg diameter just out side the surface of the peg box where the peg come out. Use dial calipers.
Maybe I need something like that - my violin is pretty old, and the pegs are slipping as the holes for the pegs are becoming worn from years of use. I had new pegs fitted in 1963, and now that they are slipping again, maybe the old method of plugging and re-reaming the peg holes could be supplanted by this? after all, they look indistinguishable from ordinary ebony pegs. Peg paste is no longer working on the older violin, so I have switched to the newer violin. Will the Wittner pegs fit when a violin's peg holes have become larger?
what is the diameter of the large end of your reamer?.. i want to install Wittners on my Flamenco guitar .. most violin reamers are 10mm , but i need 11-12mm for withers guitar tuners .. thanks G
maybe one could wrap the slightly smaller radius turnable portion with some kind of tape so that u don't need to be so precise in pushing in the peg to a specific depth? The tape could match the radius (or even be bigger if it's compressable) so that u don't get string pinching up against the peg box.
If the above works, I don't see why not that the immovable ends could be made thicker and with wood so that one could shave them down to proper size just like normal? Just watch out u don't shave too far down into the rotating part.
Are they recommended for expensive fine older instruments?
You know what, they actually will work because you don't need fine tuners on that tailpiece anymore, plus it'll save the peg box from wearing out
@@RockStarOscarStern634 yes I've had mine on for a while now and I do love them
@@RockStarOscarStern634 my violin is about 89 years old and I like the tone of it so much but the pegs were so horrible extremely difficult to tune with them so after I got these whitner fine tuners everything is just hunky dory
@@DivaDeb1234 Geared Pegs mean no more of those issues
what are the pegs made of? wood? plastic? something else?
It's a combination of Wood & strong plastic. Plus they're polished so that they look awesome.
Wittner are made of plastic. They are available in ebony or rosewood look finishes.
If you want wooden ones look at Pegheads (or some of the Planetary Perfection pegs).
Pegheads in particular can be made to match the pegs in old instruments (they are made in South Carolina so how you would get a match from the UK I am not 100% sure)
Is there and detectable difference in sound between the Wittner pegs and classic ebony pegs?
I would NOT expect that as the vibrating part is from the nut or finger down, the peg part is not really that involved, all it is doing is keeping tension but is not part of the sound making parts. However from that point down (the bridge etc) you might expect effects with different materials. I know some say those fine tuners down on the plate which are so handy with normal pegs can affect the sound, which is why from what I can see "pro" violin players / people with expensive violins seem to have just the one on the high string which is the fiddliest to keep in tune. LOL I didn't even mean that joke but I'll keep it in :)
@@FallNorth Thank you so much! You summed up my "personal feeling" about the subject exactly. As a predominantly guitar luthier (learning now about violin) , my focus is ALWAYS on the materials from the nut to the bridge & saddle, as these are the surfaces that are most in contact with the strings and are experiencing the vibration of the string. Changing tuners on a guitar never "seem" to have any effect on sound, at least not that my ear can detect.
@@BigCarmine violin snobs will tell you it makes a difference, but in blind comparison they can't tell a Strad from a quality modern instrument, let alone what tuners are in use.
@@davew7948 Since that part of the string is past the nut, I think they wouldn't make any difference in tone. The working part of the string vibrates from the nut to the bridge.
Geared tuners never wear the instrument out at all.
Do you really want to increase the head weight of the instrument by doubling the weight of each peg? Not for me, especially on violas. They're great for cello where the extra weight is near unnoticeable. Not for violin or viola, though, until the manufacturers can match the weight of a wooden peg. Learn to tune on the pegs - it's easy when you know how - and fit a lightweight tuning tailpiece, ironically made by the same manufacturer as the geared pegs.
Why would it matter? I support my violin with a shoulder rest and my chin. I feel no more neck, chin or shoulder strain with these tuners mounted on my instruments then without.