Today, we're going to discuss how to string a violin. One string at a time, first of all,
and we're going to do this right now. I'm going to change the G string first, the low
string. This violin has four tuners, so we're going to just use the peg, right now. Start
with the low end, start with the G string. The peg comes right off the peg. Remove it
from the fine tuner. Take your new string, hook it into the tail piece, and at this point,
you need to find the hole in the peg in here, and you need to be real careful, not to cross
over this D string, obviously, so we're going to go in the G. We've got to pull the peg
back, to get this hole, wrap around one time. I like to cross over itself, so it secures
it, like that, and I also like to finish up over on this side of the peg box, when I'm
putting the string on, and I'll tell you why. If you finish up like that, there's no way
that peg is going to pull out. When I see strings that are way over here,and finish
up like that, it's basically trying to pull that string out. You see that, so by all means,
start it to the right, then bring it back to the left, and I don't think you should
squish it in there, and pile it in, in the corner, but you do want to finish up next
to the peg box wall, like that. That just keeps the peg from slipping out as easily,
so you get it close with the peg, and then you go to the fine tuner, for fine tuning.
Now, one thing to remember. As you put a new string on, it's pulling everything that way,
so you need to keep an eye on the bridge, to make sure the bridge isn't leaning forward.
It typically will, when you change strings.You need to keep one hand back here, and just
ever so slightly, make sure it comes back a little bit, so it's still upright. Bridges
will first start to lean, and eventually, they'll start to warp, and then you have to
replace them eventually, so if you keep an eye on that bridge, every time you change
your strings,and make sure it's upright when you're done. it's not going to start that
forward motion, that's inevitable, if you don't pay attention to your bridge, so let's
go with the next string, the D string, one at a time. We move through. The same thing,
you hook it into the tail piece first, and I put it in here, go around, and cross over
itself, then back towards the peg box wall. Make sure it's in here. I also like to put
a little bit of lead in here. I take a pencil, and I put a little bit in the bridge slot,
and what that does, it keeps the string from pulling the bridge. It gives it some slide
across that bridge, so it's not going to do that so bad, so get the D string relatively
in tune, one string at a time. Keep moving to the right. I take the A string off. Take
a new A string. As we said, always hook it into the tail piece first,and get it secure
there, and then we go to the peg box. As usual, around itself one time,and moving to the right,
we finish up at the peg box wall. Check the bridge, and get a little bit of graphite on
there, and you're good to go. Settle in a little bit there. One more string, the E string,
the final string. Always drop the ball end in first, and again, remember here, on the
E string, much like the G, don't cross over that A. You see the hole is over here, but
if I start cranking now, I'm going to be crossing right over the A string, so you have a little
opening, to pull the peg back, and you find the little opening, right there, and then
you wrap. Move to your right, and once again, we finish up at the peg box wall, on the E
string. A little bit of graphite on the bridge, and there you have it. Out of tune, but new
strings.