Technical data
| Model | Heart Model |
| Wood | Boxwood |
| Gauge | thin |
| Version | Single peg |
| Instrument | Violin |
| Shaft at the collar | 8.0 mm |
| Taper | 1:30 |
| Item number | ZW-986-thin |
Features
- Götz peg soap lets the peg turn easily and keeps it in place against the pull of the strings
- Weight: ebony is the heaviest of the three woods, rosewood sits in between, boxwood is the lightest. In our experience the difference cannot be heard; boxwood is chosen because the left hand feels every gram
Dimensions and wood
Our violin pegs have a 1:30 taper (1 mm less diameter over 30 mm of shaft length). Violin end buttons carry the same taper, because peg holes and the end button hole are reamed with the same reamer.
We measure a peg's gauge on the shaft directly below the collar, where it enters the pegbox. For the violin our specification sets these values:
| Thin gauge | 8.0 mm |
| Medium gauge | 8.5 mm |
| Strong gauge | 9.0 mm |
Without further specification, our violin pegs are medium at 8.5 mm.
A peg one gauge up sits about 15 mm further out in the same hole, so the choice follows the condition of the peg holes.
A Thomastik Dominant 135 medium set pulls on the pegs with 21.2 kg in total, 7.8 kg of it from the E string 129. The pegs hold this pull through their seat in the wall holes; that is exactly where peg soap is applied.
In dry air the maple of the scroll shrinks, the pegs then travel deeper into their holes, and 1 to 2 mm is quite normal. In humid air they turn more stiffly, and as a guide for storage and playing we give 40 to 50 % relative humidity at 20 °C.
Boxwood is a light wood, its colour ranging by batch from light brown to deep orange. With age and use boxwood darkens, so freshly made parts are lighter than older ones.
Boxwood fittings of pegs, tailpiece and chinrest usually come from different batches. With a repeat order, small colour differences to the existing set are therefore natural.
For the violin we make the heart shape in ebony (ZW-981), rosewood (ZW-984) and boxwood (ZW-986). In ebony and boxwood it comes thin with an 8.0 mm shaft and medium with 8.5 mm. The boxwood heart pegs are made in the correct style with a black ring and black button.
Our violins of the Cantonate series are fitted as standard with boxwood pegs in heart shape. The small black buttons of the thin boxwood heart pegs ZW-986-THIN are also offered singly as spares.
Our experience
In our experience: for a new instrument we like the thin gauge, for replacement and conversion the medium one, and a peg with a 9 mm shaft is our choice when a peg hole has grown wider over the years. A newly fitted peg needs some time to settle in its hole, and at the first fitting the right amount of peg soap is hard to judge. We recommend wiping the peg with a dry cloth first and applying the soap very sparingly, only where it touches the wall of the pegbox.
For a replacement on an instrument that already has pegs, we ask for a photo of the existing ones, because we have refined our designs over the years.
In our experience: on request we select a colour-matched set when you order, so that pegs, tailpiece and chinrest harmonise with one another.
In our experience: in conversations with our customers the heart shape is the most requested of our violin peg shapes. With a dark varnish such as that of the Metropol we recommend heart pegs in ebony.
When another model suits you better
If you are looking for a calm, uniform black, the same peg shape is also made in ebony.
If you prefer a plainer head, the German Model ZW-910 and the Swiss Model ZW-940 offer two clean lines in ebony, each in thin, medium and strong gauges.
Frequently asked questions
Are the four pegs in a set identical?
Yes. The pegs in a set are identical to one another and can be used for all four strings on either side of the pegbox.
Are there Götz violin pegs for 3/4 violins?
We make our violin pegs in size 4/4.
Why do two boxwood pegs look different?
Boxwood is a natural wood whose colour varies by batch between light brown and deep orange, and it darkens with age and use. On request we put together a colour-matched set.
Will a boxwood peg ordered later match my set in colour?
Largely. Because the batch of the original set cannot be traced, small differences are possible.
These texts hold decades of experience and a great deal of heart. They are protected by copyright, C.A. Götz jr. GmbH. Please ask us before any use. Thank you for your appreciation.
