I recently bought a stuent fiddle.  Right off the bat, I broke a string and promptly replaced them.  Three of my pegs are incredibly stiff and I have to get my husband to adjust them for me.  I also have an old fiddle that I am restoring with new parts.  Should I use some sort of peg dope and if so, what kind???  thanx

Yup peg dope or peg lubricant if you prefer to call it that . Hill makes one that looks like a tube of lipstick. Five dollars or so at your local shop. R/

I found a couple of threads in the Hangouts search feature that deals with this very issue.

http://www.fiddlehangout.com/archive/492

http://www.fiddlehangout.com/topic/27762 

Edited by - Mandogryl on 07/20/2012 07:37:02

The peg dope will help, BUT the read problem is that the pegs are no longer working in the round peg holes and the pegs themselves are mis-shapened. What you really need is a luthier to put in a new set of pegs for your fiddle. He will have to ream the peg holes with a special tool. (he might have to bush the peg holes if the holes in the peg box are too large). When pegs are old and mis-shaped they no longer turn smoothly and are wedged into the pegbox and will usually come out the other side of the pegbox.
I would suggest you look into "Wittner fine tunes" which are geared pegs inside a shaft that is inside the pegbox and turns on a 1:8 ratio. These will preserve your pegbox, do not change the violin at all or change the tone. They are a bit more expensive but worth it in the long run. Perfection pegs are similar need to be screwed into the peg hole and I do not like them as well as the newer designed Wittners. A skilled luthier who HAS experience in setting these types of pegs is necessary if you want a job that is professional and long-lasting.
Old pegs that are hard to turn can eventually crack the pegbox and then the repair bill is very high. Never use chalk on pegs...it is very abrasive and will wear the peg holes and make them large faster than anything. If using the Hill brand of peg dope....unwind the string and take the peg out of the pegbox and run a fine (tiny bit around the shiny spot on the peg), then put the peg with the dope and turn it several times before putting the string back on and tightening the tension back on. Only take one peg out at a time. If you take all the strings off and all the pegs out you'll have a real mess as pegs fit certain peg holes, plus the soundpost can fall over and the bridge loose it rightful place on the violin top. Stay tuned. Diane

Diane, this is a new fiddle, I believe. Nothing should be old, worn out, or probably out of round.

Denise - The problem could be the high humidity we have at this time of year. If the pegs are really stuck, the frozen peas trick really does work. If you can get them loose, pull them out a little bit. Tuning with the pegs can take a little getting used to. Its really two motions - turning the peg to the right pitch, and pushing in or pulling out to make it hold, but still turn. You may not have this touch quite right yet. Its also possible that your pegs do need to be fitted better by a luthier.

Peg "dope," (or drops), and lubricant, (or compound), are two different things. This is peg compound:  http://www.internationalviolin.com/item_detail.aspx?ItemCode=10280  I think Hidersine also sells it. This can work wonders on stubborn pegs, and I'd recommend using it every time you change strings. Most violin shops carry it, as UsuallyPickin said.

This is "peg dope:"  http://www.internationalviolin.com/item_detail.aspx?ItemCode=10285  Its really for slipping pegs, and I wouldn't recommend it even for that.

Edited by - DougD on 07/20/2012 10:28:18

Yes, you need peg paste compound. It is supposed to fix both sticking pegs and slipping pegs. It will definitely fix sticking ones. Here's a link to both Hill and Hidersine, either one will do...

http://www.folkmusician.com/Violin-Peg-Compound/products/65/

The peg drops (called "peg dope" by DougD above) will definitely fix SLIPPING pegs, but almost TOO WELL.  It must be used VERY SPARINGLY.  I put on a drop, then immediately wipe most of it off.

Edited by - SamY on 07/20/2012 16:55:44