I just got a second-hand violin, and it seems in pretty good condition, but there are a couple of things that need fixing.
1. The pegs are so stiff that I can`t move them. How do I loosen them?
2. The fine tuners have come unscrewed. How do I move the bridge to screw them back in? (Or should I leave it to someone who knows more about it?)
3. I suspect that these strings won`t last all that long, so how do you restring it?

Hi Rachel,

What you try to avoid while performing these operations is the danger of the soundpost moving or falling. The soundpost is gripped tightly between the top and bottom plates of the violin, due to the tension of the strings. When the string tension is loosened off the plates will ease apart fractionally, and there is the danger of the post moving. This shouldn`t happen if you do everything carefully.

1. The pegs are so stiff that I can`t move them. How do I loosen them?
Sounds like they`ve expanded in the damp, or possibly been pushed in too hard. Is there a lot of peg sticking out the other side of the pegbox? Keeping the violin in a centrally heated house may allow them to ease themselves a little if it`s the damp. Pulling the pegs out gently while twisting to take tension off the strings should ease them. Then use a little peg dope on the parts that touch the pegbox so they don`t stick again, but not too much or they won`t grip when they should.

2. The fine tuners have come unscrewed. How do I move the bridge to screw them back in? (Or should I leave it to someone who knows more about it?)
You shouldn`t need to move the bridge. Put a cloth over the top plate under the tailpiece to avoid scratches, then loosen off one string only . You could use a pair of longnose pliers to screw tight the ring on top of the tailpiece for each tuner, but finger tight is actually tight enough. When you have one tuner fitting properly, retighten the string and do the next one. The correct place for the bridge is directly between the two inner notches on the f holes, in case it`s not there now.

3. I suspect that these strings won`t last all that long, so how do you restring it?
One or two strings at a time, so the bridge does not move. I`d suggest you do the A & E string together, then once they are holding the bridge in place do the D&G. Loosen off the peg until you can pull the string free, unloop the ball from the fine tuner, put the ball of the new string in the fine tuner notch, then keeping the string in place with your grip on the fingerboard and one hand held tightly around the neck, put the loose end of the string through the hole in the peg (the peg must be in place), and wind it carefully so the coils do not overlap.

When you get close to tight, make sure the string is passing over the correct notch in the nut and bridge. It`s a good idea to lubricate the nut notches with a little graphite by runnign a pencil along the slots a few times, to allow the string freer movement. When one string is in place but not yet in tune, do the next string. If there is a short plastic sleeve on the string (usually only on the E srting) this should sit on top of the bridge. It`s there to stop the bridge getting cut into by the string.

It is usually easier to do two strings at a time taking off A then E, then replacing E then A. The E goes to the bottom peg on the right, the A top right, the D top left, and the G bottom left. This avoids the strings interfering with each other. Overlaps and touching strings can cause buzzes.

When you`ve changed all 4, you can then tighten to tuned pitch. The strings will stretch a little for a day or two, so expect to do a lot of retuning early on even if you don`t move the instrument about much.

Hill`s is for when the pegs are sticking, and Hiderpaste is for when they won`t stick. I have both and have used them both. I like Hill`s better, and felt that Hiderpaste was sort of a waste of my money. When I`ve used it, I basically put a few scrapes of Hiderpaste on the shiny part of the peg (I remove the string and take the peg out) like ***** described. Back in the OLD days, people would use chalk instead of Hiderpaste and a sliver of (dry) bar soap (such as Ivory) instead of Hill`s compound. ----quoted from another web, just show it to you, to solve the peg problem.

If the pegs are really jammed, the solution is to use a hairdryer. Direct a hairdryer (on full heat) at the pegs for a couple of minutes. leave for a couple of hours, chances are you will be able to move the pegs. If not, simply repeat the process.

Liz

Ok, thanks.

Hi Rachel.
I`m not exactly sure about the fine tuner problem but I know that violin stores will fix that for a relitivly low price cause I had to take mine in for that problem. I do know how to fix the pegs though. Theres this gel that you can buy that you just rub in to the holes where the pegs are to make them turn easier. IF that doesn`t work kind of tug them out and tune, then push them in hard. Good luck. Sorry If i wasn`t that much help.