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As the title suggests I am thinking of having geared pegs put on later in the year, finally got tired of of turn a fraction over, turn a fraction back under, was wondering what peoples opinions are, and wittner or planetary
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I have geared on everything. I think they are Wittner. I am not sure what the difference is, but I am pretty sure that that is what I have. I love them!
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Dont know if there is much difference in them, but the luthier I use said he could get me a set 120, and put them on for 80, English pounds, cant remember which ones he said they were, but like I said I am wasting too much time with these wooden pegs, and for me, if you have an invention like this why not use it, unless someone tells me there are some kind of drawbacks too them
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There aren't any drawbacks from what I have told, by professional violinists at the violin shop I used to go to until the owners retired. They played in the Rochester Philharmonic.
Some people just think doing or using anything the original violinists did not do or use is anti-violinist. Really? We do use cars not horses, pens and paper not stone tablets with chisels, etc, now, 😂.
It takes a few more winds to restring, but the benefit is well worth it. It isn't a big deal with the violin, but cellos it shows more, but still worth having geared pegs in the cello, too.
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I wonder if there was a big opposition to shoulder rests when they came out, because they were an innovation, even though it was so long ago, and even chin rests, they didnt have them originally as far as I am aware.
I think I will probably go ahead anyway, as I said I am fed up messing about with these wooden pegs when there is no real reason to.
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I've got Perfection Planetary pegs on the Glasser Carbon Fiber violin I've got--I think they work well. I hadn't used this violin as often as my main violin, but I did just use it for a couple weeks straight while my main violin was in the shop; the pegs worked well the whole time, smooth turning, no slipping.
I don't have any experience with the Wittner's to offer a comparison opinion. I prefer my wood pegs, but I'm not having any problems with them. If I had problems, I don't think I would hesitate to go with the geared ones.
Although, another reason I prefer the my wood ones is I found that changing strings on the Perfection Planetary pegs (and I'd imagine any geared peg) is (a little) harder.
When I put on new strings, I'm used to moving the peg out (to work around another string) and then pushing in as I wind it. You can't do that with the geared pegs because the peg's casing is fixed. That said, you just have to move the adjacent string to wind the string you're working on; something that probably gets easier as you do it.
This short video mentions the string changing thing.
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@stringy -
I like them!
I like that I don't have to worry about weather changes causing slipping, or being unable to turn. Once my strings settle, I very rarely have to tune.
I had thought all my Glasser instruments use 'Perfection' Planetary geared pegs. They work a little differently, have to be pulled out a little to 'disengage' - loosen easily to change strings, then push back in for fine tuning/hold the tuning. I had absolutely no problems with them on my 5-string Violin and 5-string Viola. I use 2 hands on this type of geared peg - others may not need to, but might bother some folks. 🤔... I've never even had a regular peg to try to tune with one hand!
I hesitate to mention I had a problem with my new Glasser 6-string pegs - slipping in the pegbox & being stiff to disengage, but crap 🤬... just realized they might be another kind of geared peg! 🤔... they're NOT the same shape as on my other 2 instruments (the part I grab to turn). Had figured it was just because this pegbox is so overly large they might be a different 'style' of peg, but not a different type of mechanism... nothing was said about it anywhere. Well, don't 'think' I broke them - they're still holding after I changed my strings this last time... I'll get it figured out. 
Just make sure you know what kind you have installed & how they work!
...btw, I see there are a bunch of DIY tutorials on YT - how to install your own.
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I like them on my glasser carbon fiber. DITTO all that Sharon said about string changing.
if you havent fine turners, add those first. I honestly dont need the pegs on my wood violin that much with fine tuners. Also, not sureabout the weight difference, even if very little, will affect how your violin feels after adding the geared tuners.
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It really depends on how well the wood pegs are fitted. I have no reason to switch to geared pegs on my viola because I rarely have any difficulty tuning with the pegs. In fact, geared pegs might even be slower than my wooden pegs because they would need to be turned more to reach the correct pitch. On the other hand, with my violin, if there weren't already four fine tuners built into the tailpiece, then I'd seriously consider geared pegs because it's a pain to tune with the pegs.
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Thanks all for the input, brought up a few tgings I hadnt thought about at all, like slipping, that never even occured ro me, if that was a problem it would be an e pensive one to fix, and also the string winding I also pull the peg out when changing strings, so I will have to take a look at that too. That vid is useful sharon., Emily I thought about installing my own but the risks involved if I messed up would be too much for me, I didnt know aout the disengaging thing you mentioned either, Abitrusty, I do have 3 fine tuners on the fiddle, originally I only had the one but gradually put the others on as I was getting more and more annoyed with the pegs. They do work fairly well to be honest but I am now getting hooked on the idea of the geared pegs, I think humidity changes affect the wooden pegs too much, still not decided though, as its a fair sum of money, but trying to tune with one hand as Emily said is difficult, I admire the orchestra players I see who do it easily with the one hand with the fiddle tucked under their chin. Andrew the wood pegs when I first got the violin were ok but gradually have got worse no idea why, I have tried all the different solutions but find myself pushing them in harder and harder every time I tune to keep the pitch which obviously isnt good, and I was thinking if I keep doing it the violin peg box may fracture so the obvious solution is the geared pegs, lot to think about.
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I have Wittners on one fiddle, Perfection on the other. Both work fine. I cross-tune frequently so the mechanical pegs make that a no-hassle operation. Turn the peg to get close, then use the fine-tuner to get it exactly right.
I opted for professional installation because I didn’t want to buy a reamer that I would never use again.
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I do have Wittner. I don't have a problem changing strings. I don't have to do any moving around of strings next to the one I am changing. I know they are Wittner because I do not have to do any pulling out or whatever that was mentioned above for the Planetary.
I am not sure why I don't have an issue with the string changing and strings next to the string being changed. I have one violin without the geared pegs and that one is harder to change. I decided not to put them on that violin because I have fine tuners, which I have on my other 2 violins with the geared pegs, also. But I liked the pegs this violin came with, so I thought I would try it with the regular pegs. I much prefer the geared, even with the fine tuners.
Hope this helps.
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@stringy, I’ve never had geared pegs on any of the violins I own, and I’ve never felt a real need for them. But that could be due to the fit of my pegs.
Nowadays, I play outside with jam groups and at festivals regularly. I decided to try the Wittner composite tailpiece with four fine tuners built in just so I could quickly tweak my tuning to accommodate the fluctuating outdoor temperatures. I love this! I’m a stickler for precise tuning and precise intonation, and this tailpiece makes it effortless to instantly fine tune in a group setting where the tunes just keep on coming. I’ve switched to this tailpiece on all my instruments.
The tailpiece is relatively inexpensive and my first was installed for no additional charge when I purchased the tailpiece from a luthier at a fiddling workshop week.
I love wood and authenticity, so I debated for quite some time before taking this plunge. No regrets and I wished I’d done it sooner. The biggest surprise is that the switch to the Wittner composite tailpiece actually improved the tone of every instrument! I’ve read that the light weight of this tailpiece is the cause of the improved tone. Although I’ve never minded pegs, I find that I rarely need to use them now. Usually just a tiny adjustment with a fine tuner is all it takes.
By the way, where I live, outdoor concerts are the norm. All of the professional musicians here use the Wittner composite tailpiece with the four built in fine tuners.
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My first teacher had geared pegs on her 18th century English viola. They were great. Wittner are the best. Don't get second best.
Then you can get rid of the fine tuners on your tailpiece, as you won't need them, but you will need a guitar string winder unless you are a masochist.
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I don't understand the issue with winding. I just wind my geared cello, viola and violin strings with the geared pegs, no special tools. Takes more winds, but I don't understand the issue.
The violin without geared pegs is the one that I keep popping the bridge when I change strings. Not sure if they are a factor, though. I think it is most likely string changer error!
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Unfretted, Thats not a bad idea about the tailpiece. I did put fine tuners on the d and a string, but its a bit fiddly tuning with it under the chin, especially since I am used to guitar, still might have a look at that though.
Gordon I think it was Wittner that the luthier said he puts on, but I cant remember as it was a couple of weeks ago whenI saw him, and the idea has been growing in my mind since.
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I must be the odd one out here, 😂. I like the fine tuners and the geared pegs. The fine tuners re easier to make a tweak with. Probably because, after all of these years, I am still very much a very elementary player.
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Strabo, I will go for pro install as well, I took a look at the video on self instalation but I would definately mess it up.
Mouse definately dont think you are an elementary player
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