How To Change Violin String With a Fine Tuner

Violins have two types of tail pieces. More traditional instruments, designed for classical playing, have a tail piece that has one fine tuner for the E string. However, many fiddle players like to use a tail piece that has fine tuners for all four strings, as it can make it easier to tune the instrument while playing onstage in a loud environment. If your tail piece has fine tuners, it's fairly easy to change the strings.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Loosen the old G string on the violin, using the tuning peg to unwind it until you can pull the string out of the tail piece.

2. Take out the new G string from the package and uncoil it. Slot the ball end of the string into the string hole of the tail piece and pull it towards the bridge to slot it.

3. Pull out the tuning peg until the peg hole is just inside the peg box. Push the end of the string through the peg hole and then start turning the peg, keeping your finger lightly on the peg hole so the string won't slide out. Try to turn the peg so the string wraps tightly around the peg hole.

4. Tune the new G string with a tuner, using the tuning peg for large changes in pitch and the fine tuners to get the pitch exact.

5. Repeat the procedure for the other three strings, going low to high, D, A, and E. Replace each string separately, pulling out the old one and putting in the new one and tuning it.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not remove all the strings at once, like you would on a guitar, or the bridge and/or soundpost can collapse on the violin.

References

• Changing Violin Strings