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Hello, my 7 year old son is taking up viola with the DC Youth Orchestra, and is renting an instrument. I decided to get my own to practice with him. I'm new to the viola so I purchase an inexpensive model at the pawn shop so that we can learn together. I purchased a used Cecilio 15 inch viola (CVA500 ) for $125. I'm a guitar player, so I'm not familiar with the fine tuners on a viola. It looks like a less complicated version of a floyd rose.
Are the tuners of a viola, suppose to be reset by turning the knobs loose and then using your pinky finger to get underneath the tailpiece and pushing forward? I'm trying to figure out if the the fine tuner is defective or not. After loosening, the tuner stays in place as if it was fully tightened. I have to use my finger to push it in place when in loose position. (hard to explain, if it makes sense) sorry. It seems to work, but not sure if it is supposed to go back in place or require some wd40 or something.
Welcome to the forum, niceguye
As long as your fine tuner's are tight in the hole's, they should be ok the way they are. Fine tuner's are not spring loaded, at least that's what I think you are describing. Once the string tension is off and the tension adjustment screw on the fine tuner is backed all the way off, you'll need to tighten the string using the black tuning peg on the scroll. Once you have the string close to being in tune you then tweek it with the fine tuner.
Please don't squirt WD-40 on them. There could also be a problem that the fine tuner thread's are stripped, in which case you'll need new one's. You can also look underneath the tailpiece to make sure the tip of the fine tuner is centered on the little adjusting arm. If it slips off then the fine tuner won't work properly.
I hope i'm understanding your problem, I think I am though.
Congrat's on you and your son taking up viola, togetherness is always fun.
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Thanks Fiddlestix. Yes, "spring loaded". That's exactly what I ment; just lost for words. Thanks for the info.
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when I string one up, I start by loosening the fine tuners, then when you put on the new string get a little tension on it. Then I tighten the fine tuner to just where I can feel it starting to get resitance from the string, then bring up to pitch with main pegs and use the tuners as they stretch to touch it up
hope I explained that clearly
There is no shame in playing twinkle, youre playing Mozart
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