Peg Replacement on a Fiddle or Violin

To replace a peg, you'll need the right tools. Some of these are  specialised, and can be expensive, but even after just one set of pegs, you’ll be ahead, and believe me, then you’ll want to do more. One of the most common problems with old violins is that the pegs are poorly fitted, are not a match to the violin or are just plain old worn out. A fiddle that won’t tune because the pegs jam or slip is a curse. Fitting new pegs is not difficult to do. This is one of the tasks that definitely requires special tools, and please do not be tempted to try to get round this, as you are very likely to damage both the pegs and the violin if you do. Most modern pegs are ebony, which is very hard-wearing, but many older fiddles, even rather nice ones, had rosewood or maple pegs. These are still produced and can be very attractive, but today they are normally left unfinished, in the natural colour of the wood. In former times they were usually “ebonised” or in