Hi,

I`m a high school graduate, and have been plaing violin for several years. I have a 100-or so year old German Thoma(?) manufactured violin. I play a little less in the summer, but still enough to miss suddenly not being able to. I had Infeld Red strings that don`t need much tuning if the violin isn`t moved, so I`ve been mostly using the fine tuners. One day, I open up the violin, only to find a string popped. So I try tuning down the other strings to replace, but find them completely frozen in. Before I really had time to think it over, I got a really strong guy to twist the pegs for me. He got two of them unstuck, but cracked the third one, and now the barrel is stuck with a useless stub for a peg head. What should I do? Do I have to take my violin to the repair shop? If so, how much should I plan on spending? Would cutting the string ease the strain on the peg enough to loosen it so I can push it out? If so, what`s the safest way to cut the string? Lastly, what can I do to prevent the pegs from freezing on me again?

If your peg is broken, you`ll have to get to a repair shop, it`s as simple as that.

For future reference, the way to release stuck pegs is to turn a hairdrier on (full heat) and apply hot air to the pegs for a couple of minutes, then allow it to cool completely (two or three hours). Repeat if necessary.

Hi,

Yep been their and so have tens of my pupils.
A good place to start would be your local violin teacher who maybe could point you in the right direction of a repairer who dosent charge the earth for the job.
By the sounds of it it may be tme to have a new set of pegs fitted and this is the job of a good repairer or a very experienced teacher who has trained in repairs.
Remember that you can buy peg paste which if applied now and again will stop this happening again.
Good Luck