Some of my students have violins with fine tuners that refuse to move! Any tips on how to make them usable?

Thanks!

This is very common with cheap violins, frankly the only adjusters on the market that seem to work properly are Wittner. If pliers won't shift them, I'd say the only option is to change the tailpiece. I guess you could try WD40 if you don't mind doing cosmetic damage to the violin .....

Liz

Hi, I've never had fine tuners that won't turn but when they do get hard to turn I rub the thread with lead from a pencil. The graphite helps to keep the tuners free from sticking just like I use pencil lead in the grooves over the nut so that the string slides with out to much friction, it also helps to prevent the strings breaking at that point. I was told this a long time ago and it has always worked for me.

Yes, this is something I noticed recently. Some of my students have bought slightly flashier than normal student kits, they come with a rectangular case, not sure about the difference in actual instrument. The fine tuners seem to not turn from day 1. Also, the strings that it came with were the most coarse things ever, never seen or heard anything so cheap. Funnily enough, I snapped one of my students E strings today gutted (realised the pun after re reading ), as I replaced it with the only one I had spare which had cost me £10.

I'm not certain that Wittner are the only ones that work... bois d'harmonie do some beautiful all wood tailpieces with integral fine tuners and they work well (a couple of sessioneers I know have them on fiddles and my viola has them).

However, in the cheaper end of the market, wittner is the way forward every time.

Change the tailpieces or risk oiling (depending on cost of fiddle) - it may work out cheaper to change the tailpiece in the long run.

I've not seen 'bois d'harmonie' advertised in this country - do you know where to get them?

(know someone who's looking for a tailpiece.)

Fair comment. Pusch tailpieces work too. I was thinking cheap.

Liz




you can sell an lot of rubbish quite easily if you put it in a rectangular case.

I don't know where to get them - I can get you one if you like though. I'll just pop to the luthier's and get him to sell me one.

Let me know if that's any help.

Allan

EDIT - forgot to add the link so you can see them: http://www.harmonie.net/fr/index.html - just click on the bit that says 'cordiers' and you'll begin drooling in no time!

Thanks everyone. That's what I thought too. Unfortunately they are music service instruments and I can't see the music service forking out for hundreds of tailpieces.

With a little care WD40 won't harm the violin. Squirt a little on a saucer, then, with a folded kitchen towel under the tailpiece to catch any drips, use a needle or fine wire to put a small drop or two on each tuner. Wipe off any excess.

The WD40 will evaporate quite quickly. In any case, cheap violins are usually finished with cellulose lacquer which won't be harmed anyway.

Well, my viola is a Stentor Conservatoire, so I daresay she doesn't have the best fittings, but they work just fine. One was very stuff when she was new though, so I made sure and had the shop I was renting from fix it well before I bought her fully!! So, that's what I suggest - get the student/parent to take the instruments back to base for repair.