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I’m josh, I just got a Tower Strings Legend violin and I can say that it is definitely not a guitar. For 3 days, using 4 chromatic tuners, apps, piano and the other violin strings, I CANNOT GET THE A STRING to tune much higher than a G. I’m pressing in on the peg, I emailed fiddlershop but they didn’t respond. Sometimes the string is a lower pitch after I tune it. At least my ukulele will be tune for a few seconds. I have some peg dope. I wonder if it could be the string quality. They are preludes and I plan on getting the Fiddleman strings ($32) and are a different material. Can anyone help me raise the A string to the tune of A? I will settle with A flat at this point! Any help??
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Hi, and welcome to the site. Okay. I doubt it is the strings. They are nice strings. I am not sure how to help. Do the rest of the strings stay tuned? From my limited experience, it sounds like make the peg is not holding if it goes down in pitch after you let go of it. Try pushing the peg in just a tad after you get it tuned and before you let go of it. Just a little push to tighten it in place.
You will be better off calling Fiddlershop, as you would with any other business, if you need immediate help. They get many emails. They are excellent at customer service. I don’t get paid for saying that, nust a happy customer. I just truly have had wonderful customer service with Fiddlershop. They truly want to please.
If you can’t call, go to their site, during their regular business hours when they are open. Go to the page that violin is on, or any page. I just figured it would make more sense to be on that page. You will see a green(?) bubble you can start a chat session with. Just start the chat and someone from Fiddlershop will be there shortly. They are very attentive to keeping their customers happy.
I hope this helps.
The Bumblebee Flies!
Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.
Regulars
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Hi Josh, welcome!
I have the same issue tuning myself, and generally make a mess of it if I try to tune my violin while it is in a playing position and bowing. I am just not that cool and coordinated yet!
So I generally hold mine upright so it is easier to put some pressure on the opposite side of the peg I am tuning with while pushing the peg in.
Hopefully that helps, and hopefully some day I can join the cool kids tuning while in playing position.
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Make sure you check your bridge periodically while tuning to make sure it has not been angled forward. If it pops, just loosen the strings a bit and put it back in place, making sure it is facing the correct way and in the correct place. The sound of the bridge popping when tuning the first time, if you don’t understand it, can be quite startling.
Don’t adjust the bridge by tugging or pushing it from the top, do it from the bottom. You don’t want to break it.
The Bumblebee Flies!
Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.
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Thank you both for the advice. Cid, I called fiddlershop yesterday and spoke with her someone at length about the problem. She had me send in photos of the scroll section of the violin and while still on the phone with her she emailed me links of the guy explaining how the peg must be pushed in while tuning and a video of how to take the chin rest off (separate and solved issue). The different strings were discussed only because I explained that I had a birthday coming up and wanted to upgrade something and asked what she had to say about strings. I didn’t hear back from her after I sent the photos, so last night I emailed her again to specifically ask if the problem would be fixed with new strings, if she had any idea what the problem was or even a “worth a shot” solution. Unfortunately, I still didn’t hear back from her but I agree with you about the customer service. They are the reason why I bought a violin and why I bought the one I did buy. Just to make sure you understand my issue, doing anything once I get the string in tune is not possible because I have not been able to get it above a G that is about 10 cents sharp. As far as the other strings...they all will tune up to pitch but they don’t like it and they go about a half a note flat. Anytime I have gotten the other 3 strings up to tune, my bridge feet on the saddle side are no longer touching the body. I adjust the bridge the way the guy suggests on the fiddlershop website, but that of course causes the strings to go a little more flat. But I can still at least discern with my ear what note the string is or should be. The A string will never sound like an A; no matter the octave or anything else. I have not tried the suggestion of attempting to reach my left hand under the headstock and tune the peg while I’m plucking the string. I will try this but if it does work I am not sure what I would do about it. I have never changed the strings before (obviously) or i would try to restring the A string. I will phone fiddlershop again tomorrow morning and I will be more assertive about my desire to come to a solution. I got this on Christmas Eve! I might not ever be good enough to play the fiddle but I wanna fiddle that is playable non the less!
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@jdtackett80
I think if you take this thread to the section of the forum for “Instruments and Equipment” and start a thread with this issue in “Violins” there, you will get more help from really experienced violinists. Currently, this question is in the Introduce yourself. You won’t get as many viewers here for this issue. With this being included in your “Introduce Yourself” you are missing a lot of viewers who can help.
There are some regulars who are really good at this. Photos can be attached and a clearer explanation as to what you mean by not being able to get the correct pitches would be helpful. Does the peg not turn anymore? Does it turn and the string mot be affected? Also, a photo of the tailpiece where the strings are connected would be helpful, maybe. I am going by questions that have been asked when requesting help. Any information you can provide them will be very helpful. We will get this figured out for you.
You can create your question again, or you can copy and paste it. It is a quirky editing system. If you copy a section from this thread to the new thread and then go back to this thread to get another section, you will most likely lose the previous copy and paste thread you started in Violins. Save it after each paste and then copy more, go to the violin section again, select edit and paste what you have copied to you clipboard.
You will get more views and help in “Instruments and Equipment”, “Violins” section of the forum for this issue.
Hope this helps. 😉
The Bumblebee Flies!
Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.
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Thanks so much for the reply! I consider myself to be fairly computer literate but I have never been comfortable with forums. They remind me of casinos in that the rules require more focus than the game. On some forums doing more than introducing yourself in the introduction forum would cause people to lose their minds. Just nosing around on the internet, I have read others stating similar issues with a string, so I think you are absolutely right about posting my problem in the appropriate forum should get more responses. I am starting to get concerned to be honest. If I could at least get the string to tune for a split second, I would feel better about it. Thanks again
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No problem. This is the first forum I have actually been comfortable using. Very good and friendly helpful people here.
The Bumblebee Flies!
Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.
Regulars
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Hello Josh, and welcome to the forum and the fiddle!
This is a copy and paste of one of your posts,
"Just to make sure you understand my issue, doing anything once I get the string in tune is not possible because I have not been able to get it above a G that is about 10 cents sharp. As far as the other strings...they all will tune up to pitch but they don’t like it and they go about a half a note flat. Anytime I have gotten the other 3 strings up to tune, my bridge feet on the saddle side are no longer touching the body."
Just a question are you positive your tuning to the correct octave G3, D4, A4 and E5? I have broken string early on in my playing trying to tune to the wrong octave. Is the bridge located on the center line of the fiddle between the F holes, there are some instances where the bridge maybe slightly off center if the alignment of the neck and saddle are slightly off when they were glued up but a straight edge should verify that, if thats an issue.
Is the sound post still standing upright?
Perhaps its a bad string?
I wish I could see it in person, you have my interest perked as to why your having issues with tuning.
Keep us updated as to the issue your having with tuning.
Mark
Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.
Albert Sammons
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Hey Josh,
I'm sorry you're having trouble with tuning your violin. The issue with customer service right now is that they have many hundreds of emails on top of having to help customers over the phone. I'm sure that the person who you wrote to yesterday will get back to you. We have 5 people in customer service plus Gibbles and myself when we are around and able to get to the phone.
We try very hard to handle everyone as well as possible but this time of the year and because of Christmas we can get behind. One of our assistants was out with a bad cold yesterday as well.
If you call me with your violin in your hands, I'll assist you. Perhaps we can Skype today. I'm sure that there is no issue with your violin, strings or pegs. You have to get the strings very close before using the fine tuners. The A and E strings turn clockwise to tighten and the G and D must turn counter clockwise.
Also, please use my tuner below to match the string and tone rather than a tuner. A tuner will only help you when you are close.
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