Tuning mechanisms for stringed instruments: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:39, 17 May 2006

Revision as of 12:28, 9 September 2006

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A '''tuning peg''' is used to hold a [[Vibrating string|string]] in the [[pegbox]] of a [[String instrument|stringed instrument]]. It may be made of [[ebony]], [[rosewood]], [[boxwood]] or other material. Some tuning pegs are ornamented with [[Animal shell|shell]], metal, or plastic inlays, beads (pips) or rings.

By turning the peg, youone windwinds/unwindunwinds the string, making it tighter/looser. This affects the [[Pitch (music)|pitch]] produced when the string is sounded, thereby [[tuning]] it. When tuning, the player adjusts the tension of the peg by slightly pressing in or pulling out along the peg's axis while turning the peg. [[Peg dope]], applied to the shaft, eases the tuning process.

A properly working peg will turn easily, and hold reliably, that is, it will neither stick nor slip. Modern pegs for [[violin family]] instruments have conical shafts, turned to a 30:1 taper, changing in diameter by 1 mm over a distance of 30 mm. A peg may become worn so that it is no longer evenly conical, showing slight depressions on the bearing surface where it contacts the cheeks of the pegbox. This sort of wear makes tension adjustment difficult to impossible, and the peg may slip. When this happens, or when the pegs have sunk in too far, new pegs are in order, perhaps along with [[bushing]]s for their holes.