Homemade Tuning Pegs Information

Ebony wood can serve as the source for tuning pegs.

Widely considered an art form when properly crafted, homemade tuning pegs last for years and can rival the most precise and expensive professional tuning machines.

Function

Homemade tuning pegs direct the pitch of a stringed instrument by accurately tightening or loosening its strings and holding them at the right tension.

Types

Almost any material can serve as a source for tuning pegs, but artisans commonly use hard woods -- such as ebony, rosewood or boxwood -- for easy tapering. The design of homemade tuning pegs ranges from simple to decorative.

Considerations

A one-size-fits-all, homemade tuning peg doesn't exist. The designer must make each set of pegs to fit the desired stringed instrument exactly, with a perfect taper. Soft or open-grained woods tend to shred when shaved, making dense hard woods the best choice. Homemade tuning pegs require a water-based stain, rather than gloss or oil-based stains.

References

• BearMeadow: The Peghead

Resources

• YouTube: Homemade Tuning Pegs