Once upon a time I bought a violin. I attempted to teach myself(bad idea) for about a month before it all fell apart because of an unfortunate 'accident' with the violin. I gave it to someone else to tune it as the pegs were extremely stiff. Person in question took a tennis racket to the violin when it wouldnt budge and not suprisingly, one of the pegs(g string) snapped. Person who had tried to tune it tried to use superglue to glue it back on . It didnt work, and I was left with a g string jammed somewhere between e and f which couldnt be tuned...I think some of the glue may have gotten into the hole...

Now, many years later, I have been contemplating taking it up properly when finances will allow. With a teacher this time. I still have that violin. Thing is, does this sound like it can be repaired? Any idea how much it might cost me?

To be honest, I'd think that getting a superglued peg out of its hole is likely to be a bit of a job.

Paying someone who knows what they're doing to get it done is probably going to cost rather more than would buying a cheap new violin.....

You need to cut the peg off square a little way out from the peg box and then drill a hole through the centre of the remaining piece of peg as near to the outside surface as is safe considering that drilling the wood of the violin itself would be a disaster. Next you borrow (not buy, because taper reamers cost a lot) a taper reamer from a friendly lutier; a well equipped engineering workshop will have taper reamers, but not necessarily the same taper as a standard peg. It should have an end small enough to go into the hole. With this, you cut away the remainder of the peg, very slowly and carefully, starting at the larger end. Nowadays drills bits usually go into a power drill to do any work; reamers are rotated by hand, take a very fine cut, and when working in metal can be accurate to about 1/100th of a millimetre. I've done six months of practical training in an engineering workshop and would try this for the first time only on an instrument of modest value.

I personally feel that, unless you're very confident about it, I would get someone experienced to take care of it. I don't think for one moment that it's irreparable, (that would need to be 'big hole in the back' level, I feel!!), but I know I wouldn't go it alone. I'd take it down to my local shop and ask their advice.

I would not advise you try any repairs yourself. Take the instrument along to a proper repairer (luthier) and get them to give you an expert opinion on what needs to be done and additionally, whether the instrument's value is greater than the cost of repair!

Was the "someone else" supposed to be any good with violins?!

I've snapped someone's string when tuning with pegs before - when I was 9. But I'd never superglue a violin!

Ask a luthier. From what you say it may be repairable depending on where the glue got into. But definately sounds like you will need at least 1 need peg and probably a new set of strings. If it is repairable you probably would have to pay over £200.

Sorry but I don't know luthier charges so i may be way out, never used one and the most repairs I have ever had done was a string replacement and some peg paste on the g peg. Had that done at a music store. This however needs an expert dealing in violins, it is not a small repair job that anyone can do, if anyone can do it at all.

Can you post an image of the violin question?

I think that drilling and reaming the old peg out and fitting a new one would take a luthier less than an hour -- why not ask for a quotation?

Well, I've had a peg snap before, and luthiers keep replacements in stock (although mine had to be special ones ) so if it'll come out, that aspect's not a big deal. And getting it out doesn't sound like it would be too difficult for an expert.

How did you arrive at more than 200 pounds if you have no idea of what a luthier charges?

I would expect a luthier to charge around about seventy euro here to drill and ream the peg hole and fit one peg. If you were having a whole set of very high quality boxwood pegs fitted, then perhaps it might come to somewhere near 200 pounds, but around forty to seventy should cover it if you use a local luthier (with the proviso that prices will alter slightly by area and experience).

i came to that cost becuase peg needs replacing, string are likely to need replacing as well as a new hole drilled. Then there is very old glue that need removing. The cost is mainly for labour. That is a 2 hour job for this violin to be repaired.

A two hour job? How so?

I think my luthier would do it in an hour or so at most. He charges around 45 euro an hour for his time, plus materials. That's how I got seventy.

The cost of an extra string wouldn't make any difference, in the larger scheme of things either I don't think.

im charged £55 pounds for an hours work, so £55 labour, maybe £30 strings (depending on which ones of course) so i reckon £85 max.
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