Pegbox

The peg box is a component in various plucked and bowed string instruments, which accommodates the vertebrae. The vortex can thereby be simple tapered wooden pegs or machine heads.

The peg box is fitted to the neck of the instrument or is made together with the neck in one piece. He is angled generally opposite the neck backward so that the strings are stretched at a certain angle and contact pressure over the saddle.

Principle of operation

The peg box is an improvement of the principle is, seitständig to put vortex front or in holes in the extension of the neck, as is still the Indian tanpura or the Turkish saz. When pegbox the vortices are performed by two drill holes. The string is attached and wound up in the intermediate region of the vertebra. This bearing is more stable and improves handling while tuning.

The same purpose as the peg box filled with guitars and related instruments, the top plate ( see more on this below ). There are in addition there are other types, like the strings at the top of the instrument can be fixed or tuned with eddies or mechanisms, such as the Portuguese guitar or instruments from non-European cultures.

Designs

The basic form of the pegbox is an elongated box shape with bottom and side walls, open at the top. The floor can also missing, the peg box then has a frame or window shape. The vertebrae, or the operating axes of mechanics, are located transversely in the box and are guided by conical holes through the sides of the pegbox. The eddy heads are usually alternately arranged left and right, making more space is created to rotate them. When window pegbox with center bar two positioning axes are arranged at the same height each.

The construction of the pegbox is not necessarily linked to an instrument type. Especially in the area of lutes, mandolins and Cistern can be found depending on the age and origin of the instrument in different versions. Below is merely specify which types of instruments which are frequently or typically:

• Pegbox with screw: violin, viola, cello, double bass, viola da gamba family
• Trapezoidal peg box, typically relatively strongly angled: oud, lute
• Peg box with carved head (eg human or animal head): violin, viola da gamba, cittern
• Usually tapering peg box with a hook-shaped head, in a plate: Baroque mandolin, guitar sounds

The attachment of the pegbox, for example, as a worm or head, has a predominantly decorative function and only a small influence on the sound of the instrument.

Examples

Large eddy box for 14 strings on a viola d' amore of 1643

4- string cello and 7-string bass viol

Pegbox an Oud

Trapezoidal peg box of a Renaissance lute ( lute )

Trapezoidal peg box with mechanics at a guitar sounds

Window pegbox with mechanics at a guitar sounds

Pegbox and headstock

The flat running headstock, as it is found in guitars, mandolas, mandolins, banjos and other instruments, initially serves the same purpose as a peg box, it is used to secure the vertebrae for tightening and tuning the strings at the top of the instrument. The flat head plate was already used in the case of the Spanish vihuela. The Fidel had a similar pegbox.

Before the invention of the tuning mechanism the wooden pegs were inserted from the rear through holes in the top plate. Later, when tuning mechanism prevailed, to maintain the constant eddy behind at the guitar. From this, the double slotted window - head plate of the classical guitar has been developed to some extent, represents a technical cross between a window pegbox and the head plate, with its transverse positioning axes. For modern guitar with steel strings, especially the acoustic guitar, electric guitar and electric bass, however, they returned back to the original principle of vertically inserted through the plate positioning axes, whereby the wings but now were laterally.

Headstock of a classical guitar (eddy behind constantly )

Headstock of acoustic guitar ( swirl pendant)

• Component ( string instrument)
• Zupfinstrumentenbau