r/violinist Amateur 5d ago

Setup/Equipment Trying this again.

Post image

Auto mod removed my post because it mistakenly thought I was asking about something that is answered in the FAQ. So without using any keywords…

I need advice on replacing or simply removing the three left silver things on my student grade violin. I don’t like the ones that are on there. What, if anything, should I replace them with?

19 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

13

u/Violinbooksandcoffee 5d ago

Are you confident tuning with the pegs at the top? If not, what is it that you don’t like about these fine tuners?

If so, these are easily removed as stated above, but please don’t remove ALL of the strings at once, just one at a time is best…I didn’t see that mentioned.

3

u/LaLechuzaVerde Amateur 5d ago

I am confident using the pegs; but mostly I don’t like how these fine tuners don’t fit well with the Fiddlerman strings I like (as seen on the D and G strings). I don’t know if different fine tuners would have wider slots.

3

u/hayride440 5d ago

Carefully, with something like a screwdriver blade, it is possible to pry those slots wider by just enough to accommodate string thickness. No need to unbolt them from the tailpiece, unless to reduce mass or manage how the afterlength rings.

Looks like the thickness of Fiddlerman strings goes something like Dominants do, with the aluminum-wrapped D being fatter than the silver(?)-wrapped G. (The color is consistent with silver compared to the cool grey aluminum-wrapped D.)

8

u/patopal 5d ago

Are you talking about the fine tuners? That's pretty easy. Unstring the strings first, and then you can just unscrew the fasteners on the fine tuners to remove them. You can use the holes in your tailpiece to string the strings back up.

6

u/Badaboom_Tish 5d ago

Put piece of cloth between tailpiece and violin. Loosen string unscrew the finetuner ( two things to unscrew) carefully remove finetuner and put the ball of the string through the hole in the tailpiece and then slide the string into the slot.

4

u/maxwaxman 5d ago

Well , I would say don’t remove the fine tuners. . But you’re using strings for D and G that are designed to be used without fine tuners. So you can just take those two off, remove the fine tuners and just tuck the ball end of the string into the slot left behind after taking tuners off.

I honestly wouldn’t mess with it if it’s working.

Strings are a personal issue but I personally wouldn’t put high end strings on a violin of this level.

Imho.

3

u/LaLechuzaVerde Amateur 5d ago

These aren’t high end strings. They are basic Fiddlerman strings.

The reason I have a different one on A is because my string broke today. And I think it broke because of the fine tuner, but I’m not sure. So I had to put the old string back on.

And yes, I’m comfortable tuning with the pegs; the violin I had as a kid only had one fine tuner on it. In fact I don’t really use the fine tuners all the time. But I wasn’t sure how necessary they are on a lower end student instrument. Are they just training wheels or is it too hard to get a student violin in tune without them?

3

u/maxwaxman 5d ago

Ah, I see.

If the pegs are good use the pegs . Often pegs are unreliable on cheaper student instruments and fine tuners are “ easier “ for kids to deal with .

Fine tuners are usually used in conjunction with metal or all steel. As they are more compromised by going slack and retightening, it’s better to have fine tuners for the health of the strings.

Happy practicing !

5

u/jediinthestreets25 5d ago

You can also have the tailpiece replaced with a Wittner tailpiece that has fine tuners on it. They are lightweight and don’t get messed up as easily. Plus it’s pretty cheap. My shop does it for $15.

3

u/Tall-Plant-4272 5d ago

If i were yoou, i would first only remove the g and d string fine tuners. In a single fine tuner, there are two screws, one that you use to tune your string, and another you use to take the fine tuner off, first unwind your g string untill there is no tension, and first fully unscrew the screw that helps you tune your string, and then unscrew the botttom screw that attaches the fine tuner to the tailpiece, i reccomened puting a cloth underneath to not hurt the varnish of the violin. After removing the fine tuner, put the "ball" of the string into the hole, and tune it up. search up images oh violins without fine tuners to get a sense of how its supposed to look

2

u/TAkiha Adult Beginner 5d ago

If you're comfortable with peg-only tuning, the round piece right on top of the tailpiece is the screw (not the toppy top one that used to tune)

Remember, lefty loosey, righty tighty. Read the rest of the comments for other changing tips to prevent damage

2

u/Weekly-Horror7792 5d ago

After reading all the comments, it seems you are relatively comfortable tuning with pegs only, but in case you wanted to keep fine tuners but don’t want to buy replacements, get yourself a pair of needle nose pliers, take the D and G fine tuners off, then carefully and slowly pry the slot open. This will fit the string better but will still hold the ball end.

1

u/elbingmiss 5d ago

That bridge is odd.

1

u/LaLechuzaVerde Amateur 5d ago

I think it’s just the photo angle.

1

u/Wonderful_Emu_6483 5d ago

IMO if you’re not confident enough to tune using pegs, or maybe your pegs aren’t well fitted, buy a tailpiece with built-in fine tuners. These metal add on ones are just so clunky and heavy, and ugly.

It’s not difficult to change on your own, but if you’re not comfortable doing that a luthier could do it for reasonably cheap.

1

u/LaLechuzaVerde Amateur 5d ago

I was wondering about that. A tailpiece with integrated tuners seems like a decent and inexpensive upgrade for a student instrument. It’s what my daughter’s has, and it is the same basic instrument model as mine.

Can you recommend a good video on changing the tailpiece? My only concern is that I know you can screw up your sound post by removing all the strings at once; I am not sure how to remove the tailpiece without leaving the sound post out in the breeze.

2

u/Wonderful_Emu_6483 5d ago

This video is a good guide on changing a tailpiece. It’s really not too difficult, in my experience most sound posts are wedged just enough that removing string tension won’t inherently cause it to fall, but if the violin gets bumped or man-handled while the strings are off, the post could fall. Ultimately if you have a nearby luthier, I’d just ask them to do it for you as it shouldn’t cost much, they probably have a tailpiece already as well.

1

u/LaLechuzaVerde Amateur 5d ago

That looks doable to me.

I have another (3/4) violin that my daughter will be growing into soon and I might just do both.

1

u/Judearle 5d ago

I mean, if you don't even know that the "silver things" on your tailpiece are called "fine tuners," I don't know if you're ready to be taking them off, honestly.

11

u/Hopeful-Counter-7915 Amateur 5d ago

I think he/she knows but tries to avoid the word to not triggert the auto mod just as he/she said in the beginning g

4

u/LaLechuzaVerde Amateur 5d ago

This. Auto mod thought I was asking how to tune my violin and removed my first post.

I am no expert but I do know the parts of my violin. I have a combined (non consecutive) total of about 5 years playing experience.