“PEGS DON’T GET A LOT OF RESPECT,” says Eric Meyer, a Portland,
Oregon, craftsman whose handmade fittings grace some of the world’s great instruments. “People think of them kind of like tires. They wear out and you throw them away.”

Pegs may draw little attention when they do their job well, but there’s no ignoring them when they won’t turn, refuse to stop at the right place, or, worse yet, or let go altogether. And, like tires, if one pops at the wrong time—say in the middle of an audition—the results can be, well, spectacular, though not life-threatening.

Recalcitrant pegs are not only a vexing nuisance; left unattended they can lead to serious damage that will diminish the value of your instrument. Luckily, a little understanding will go a long way toward staying in tune.

Pegs become uncooperative for many reasons: weather, poor quality materials, bad workmanship, or simple wear from everyday use. Badly worn or poorly fitting pegs need adjusting, a job best left to a skilled repairer. While the task is relatively simple, simple is not the same as easy.

Regardless of the reason they aren’t fitting, resist the urge to force the peg into the hole. This can lead to serious damage. Peg wood is harder than the maple of the peg box, hence forcing the issue can eventually crack the box. Such cracks are difficult and expensive to repair, and such repairs often come undone, reducing the value of your instrument.

The shaft is originally cut with a tapered peg shaver that resembles a simple pencil sharpener; the corresponding holes are shaped with a reamer of exactly the same taper. As the peg turns, the tapered shaft acts as a wedge, driving it into the hole. A good fit is critical: if the surfaces don’t fit precisely, the pegs won’t stay in place.

THE NATURE OF WOOD
Even the best-fitting pegs won’t stay that way forever. Pegs and peg box, being made of wood, expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. Most musicians have had the experience of opening the case and finding strings loose when the instrument has experienced a change in weather. Due to the nature of wood grain, pegs don’t necessarily contract evenly. They tend to stick or bind as the seasons change, and as they age, they shrink across the grain, becoming oval, resulting in poor contact between the turning surfaces. The constant abrasion of everyday use also causes wear.

To check for good contact between the surfaces, loosen the string and pull out the peg. You should see an even, shiny surface all the way around where the peg meets the holes. If not, take the instrument in to have the pegs adjusted. Check to see that the string hole is in the right place. If it’s too close to the inside wall of the box, the string could be pushing the peg back out.