egypt omar
Oud Lover
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question about tuning pegs
Hey guys.. I was wondering if you guys knew of a way to keep tuning pegs from slipping? I have one of these ouds from Egypt (*no not a shehata  , and some of the pegs slip. I'm wondering if there is a known way to fix that. Is
there some kind of abrasive compound that one can apply to prevent this? Any suggestions?
Omar
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Mike
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Hey Omar,
Try some peg dope. You can probably get from any music store like Sam Ashe at or near where the violins are.
Good luck,
Mike
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egypt omar
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thanks
Hey thanks mike! you truly are a super administrator 
Omar
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Vince Millett
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I have the opposite problem; my pegs sometimes are so tight that I can't turn them and when they suddenly turn a bit they go too far.
I have a well-made electric oud so I don't think it's a construction problem as such. Maybe just that I don't understand traditional wooden tuning
pegs. I'm more used to giuitar type tuners from my other instruments.
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Mike
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Hey Vince,
I've used baby powder for that purpose before, and it worked fine. Just use it VERY sparingly, and only at the two spots where the peg meets the
pegbox. You won't need very much at all.
Good luck,
Mike
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mavrothis
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Hi Vince,
The best thing for pegs is the compound designed for your specific problem (used on violin, cello, etc). It's Hill's compound, you can find it at any
violin shop.
It's cheap too.
Apply it on the two areas of the peg where the peg meets the pegbox (sometimes there's a groove there from wear), and that should do the trick for
you. You'll have to destring your oud and take the pegs out one by one, but it's worth it.
Take care,
mavrothis
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Jonathan
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As far as Vince's problem goes, if the peg is too tight, you could always try to use a lead (graphite) pencil on the peg. Use it sparingly or else
the peg could slip. Cheap, easy and safe.
But, a little more on this same issue. Even if the peg turns well, don't others have a problem where the string will suddenly "jump" higher when you
are tuning up? That is, even if the peg is turning smoothly, the note does not change accordingly. Then, all of a sudden, way too sharp. Why is
this? Is it because there is some friction at the nut? If so, would a little peg dope or graphite at the nut help?
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Vince Millett
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Thanks for the advice guys!
As regards sudden tuning jumps; this happens on guitars and there is is usually down to a badly cut nut. You can use pencil lead as a lubricant but
it's better to get someone who knows what they're doing (i.e proper musical instrument technician!) to use a very fine file to make sure the nut is
properly cut.
I imagine it's the same with an oud. Be very careful about trying it yourself because you don't want to end up with a groove cut too deeply into the
nut.
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Hatem_Afandi
Oud Junkie
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Hi Guys,
I agree about the violin compound. I tried it for hard to move pegs and slipping ones. It works like magic!
However, THE MASTER HIMSELF, THE ONE AND ONLY, Maurice Shehata gave me the following tip:
If you remover the pegs from the peg box and dip them in burnt cigarettes ash, they will work fine. I don't smoke, but I am sure that it is a
brilliant idea coming from the oud wizard himself!
Take care,
Hatem
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Dr. Oud
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"..the two areas of the peg where the peg meets the pegbox (sometimes there's a groove there from wear), .."
-This is a problem with soft pegs. If the peg is softer than the peg box, it will compress, forming a groove or step. These can be replaced with
properly fitted ebony or rosewood viola pegs.
"As regards sudden tuning jumps; this happens on guitars and there is is usually down to a badly cut nut."
-The front edge of the string groove should be filed with a small chamfer or radius to avoid catching the windings of the wound strings, and the rear
of the groove should be cut far enough around the nut so the string does not pass over an edge at all. The groove should be round like the string,
(not a v-cut) and needs to be no deeper as 1/2 the diameter of the string. A shallow groove will work just fine, it doesn't take much.
"If you remover the pegs from the peg box and dip them in burnt cigarettes ash, they will work fine."
-No need to risk lung cancer to make your pegs work better. Ash is carbon, the same material as in a lead pencil. A better remedy for sticky pegs is
dry soap, used very sparingly, just a thin line around the peg at the contact areas. Baby powder is talc, used for slipping pegs. Both remedies assume
the pegs fit and are hard enough.
I you "remover" the pegs, be sure to keep them in order and return them to the same hole they came from. Otherwise, they won't fit or work right. Each
peg is fitted to and will work it's way in it's own hole, mixing them up is not good. Most poorly working pegs on cheap ouds suffer from soft pegs and
a bad fit. The best fix is to replace them with viola pegs..
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