Tuning mechanisms for stringed instruments: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:18, 2 September 2018

Revision as of 03:29, 2 September 2018

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==Screw-and-lever tuners==

[[File:FineTuner-pjt.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|A violin [[tailpiece]]. Here, the two strings on the far side pass through the keyhole slots directly, but the nearer two strings use fine tuners.]]

Fine tuners are used on the [[tailpiece]] of some stringed instruments, as a supplement to the tapered pegs at the other end. Tapered pegs are harder to use to make small adjustments to pitch.

Fine tuners are common on cellos, but some violinists regard them as an aid for beginners who have not yet learned to tune precisely using pegs alonegeared.<ref>http://blog.feinviolins.com/2011/04/fine-tuners.html</ref> Fine tuners are not geared, butThey have a [[knurl]]ed screw that advances against one end of a lever with a right-angle bend in it. The string is fastened to the other end of the lever, and tightening the screw tightens the string.<ref>https://www.violins.ca/info/tune_a_violin_fine_tuners.html</ref> The travel of the lever is generally not limited, so if the screw is screwed too far down, the tuner will scar the instrument.<ref name=strings_finet>http://stringsmagazine.com/how-to-select-the-right-fine-tuners/</ref> The fine tuner then has to be screwed out as far as it can go without the screw falling out, and the string re-tuned using the peg.<ref>https://www.dummies.com/art-center/music/violin/troubleshooting-guide-for-dealing-with-violin-pegs-and-fine-tuners/</ref>

Fine tuners can buzz, and may cut strings if not filed smooth before use. They add weight and, when not built into the [[tailpiece]], reduce string afterlength.<ref name=strings_finet/> Fine tuners are common on cellos, but some violinists regard them as an aid for beginners who have not yet learned to tune precisely using pegs alone.<ref>http://blog.feinviolins.com/2011/04/fine-tuners.html</ref>

==Geared tuners==