Technical data
| Instrument | viola |
| Design | Geared peg with self-locking |
| Reduction | 8.5 to 1 |
| Taper | 1:30 |
| Fitting | by the violin maker |
| Country of manufacture | Germany |
Features
- 8.5 to 1 reduction, stepless self-locking
- Wittner in Isny, founded 1895, today a division of Gewa Music GmbH
In practice
- Fitting belongs in the workshop. The peg holes are brought carefully to the finished size with the reamer, and the peg is pressed in firmly without glue, not turned in.
- Because there is no turning motion, the peg is pressed in harder than a wooden peg. Small differences between peg and peg hole are taken up with a layer of paper: 0.1 mm of paper bridges an axial play of 2 to 3 mm at a 1:30 taper.
- The string must lie only on the ribbed, moving spool. If it lies on the fixed end it can break. Three or four windings are enough.
- You can feel the gear engaging as you turn, and the peg locks in any position.
Versions
- Large Ø 9.2 mm 1 pcs, WIT-271131L
- Large Ø 9.2 mm 4 pcs, WIT-271131L 04
- Medium Ø 8.6 mm 1 pcs, WIT-271131M
- Medium Ø 8.6 mm 4 pcs, WIT-271131M 04
Sound and physics
The head of the Wittner FineTune houses a planetary gear with a reduction of 8.5 to 1 compared with an ordinary peg; the string is tuned through this gear while the shaft stays firmly seated in the peg hole. Only the head and the knurled middle section turn, so there is no wear on the peg or the peg hole. The gear is self-locking, and the string cannot lose its tension on its own. The shaft carries a 1:30 taper, the same as our wooden viola pegs. For all viola sizes it measures 9.2 mm at the collar in size Large and 8.6 mm in Medium.
The right size is determined by the diameter directly below the rings, not by the length of the peg. It is fitted without glue: the peg is pressed in firmly, harder than a wooden peg, because there is no turning motion. Small differences between peg and peg hole are taken up with a layer of paper: 0.1 mm of paper bridges an axial play of 2 to 3 mm at a 1:30 taper. Three or four windings on the spool are enough. To remove it, the peg is pushed out from the thin end of the shaft, which keeps the gear in the head safe.
When another model suits you better
If you prefer the classic wooden peg, our Götz viola pegs offer the same 1:30 taper in ebony, rosewood and boxwood, with shaft gauges from 9.0 to 10.0 mm.
Frequently asked questions
What taper do the Wittner FineTune for viola have?
1:30, like our wooden viola pegs.
Which sizes are there for viola?
Large at 9.2 mm and Medium at 8.6 mm at the collar, each for all viola sizes.
How is a FineTune removed?
Push it out from the thin end of the shaft. Pulling at the head would strain the planetary gear.
Do FineTune pegs wear the peg hole?
No. The shaft stays put and only the head and the knurled middle section turn, so there is no wear on the peg or the peg hole.
