tuning with wooden pegs/ Armstrong Bouzouki

I have an Oud that I’d like to sell, but I’d like to restring it and get the tuning pegs sorted before I do. They only stay in tune if you push them in when tuning. You fiddlers should have some ideas! I’ve been told to remove the pegs and varnish them, and not on any account apply rosin. Do any mail order houses sell oud strings? I’ve also got a balalaika for sale. Is Ebay the best place to sell unusual instruments? I live near Melbourne, Australia.

I am looking at buying an Armstrong Bouzouki: apprently an English maker. Anyone heard of them?

Tom

What’s the problem, are they hard to move or do they slip out of tune too much? If it’s the same kind of tuning pegs as on a fiddle, you just need to push them while tuning and there shouldn’t be a problem. If they’re too hard to move, there is something that looks like a lipstick that you can apply on the pegs to make them slip more easily (don’t know what that thingy is called).

Thanks Zinacef. They slip out of tune. Keeping ten of the damn things in tune at a time makes you realise why they invented geared tuners! Tom

Tom - Is that the same Armstrong that made Johnny Moynihan’s bouzouki?

Try hard soap to make the pegs turn more freely, and chalk to stop them slipping. Better than chalk is artist’s pastel - it’s finer and you can find a colour that matches the peg.

Armstrong would be Rob Armstrong of Coventry. A well-respected maker of guitars, bouzoukis for years now. Don’t know if he has a website, but a quick Google should give you enough references to get an idea of what his gear is like and who plays them (various Fairport Conventioneers amongst others).
I’ve not seen one of his instruments for a while now, but they always used to be good.

It’s even more important to ensure that the peg holes are bored accurately and that the pegs are similarly accurately shaped to fit the holes before peg wax is used.
On fiddles the pegs do wear with time and the instrument then needs to be re-pegged. The same applies to the oud and lute. A luthier would sort out the problem quickly if it is a case of peg wear.
I must also say that pegged instruments towards the cheaper end of an instrument range sometimes have ill-fitting pegs, or pegs made of inferior wood which wears quickly. Again, a problem easily sorted by a luthier.
I believe the main reason why machine heads aren’t generally used on fiddles and lutes is that the extra weight will alter the vibration characteristics of the neck (which does vibrate when you play) and so will alter the tonal characteristics of the instrument of which the neck is an integral part. You can test this on a fiddle by starting to gripping the neck tightly as you play an open string and listen to the change in tone quality as you tighten your grip. It is a particularly evident phenomenon on the Spanish guitar (which I used to play at one time).

Thanks folks, thats a big help. Tom

Our bouzouki player has an Armstrong instrument - I think it’s actually a mando-cello. He tunes it GDAD. It’s an awesome instrument with great tone and loads of oomph in the middle and low register. I’ve never heard a better one.

Fergus Feely who is on tour in Ireland this summer (2014 ) with Sean Keane, plays an Armstrong guitar bodied bouzouki. I got a few minutes on it when they played Cashel, and it is a remarkable instrument, solid to hold and the sound , especially of the lower courses, is wonderful. He tunes it GDad.