End peg question

[SGraham]

Evidently, I misunderstood my fiddle-making friend as saying violin end pegs were glued in. Anyways, here is his take on the end peg question:

"If you ever have to replace an end pin, end pins cost 2 or 3 Bucks. Service costs 10 to 40 bucks. F5's cost 500 to 3000 or more.
Don't mess around with your axe.

That sucker's coming out and the Mando's going on the floor if it's not a permanent pin. If your guardian angel is on the ball you will be spared. If you don't have one, pull out your wallet. It takes about 1/2 penny worth of glue to put that thing in permanently (assume a good fit in the first place). It costs a bit more for the plug and screw type. Taking a glued one out is easy as pie even if its glued. I personally prefer the plug and screw method if the initial end pin isn't a good fit and ready for glue.

I wouldn't put anything expandable into the hole. I've repaired too many split blocks on violins. Especially with the metal reinforcement of the tailpiece, an F5 mando endblock is pretty stout, but plumbing fixtures they aren't. There's just too much chance that the extra pressure will cause the block to split eventually with the constant push push push of the compression and a nice sharp rap.

Violin endpins are never glued. The tailgut holds em in even if they don't fit."

Whaddaya think?

Steve

[Hans]

Let's not forget that the endpin hole offers another access for repairpeople.

[markishandsome]

Is this actually a big worry for anyone? If I'm standing i usually have at least one hand on the instrument at all times, so how could it hit the floor even if the pin popped? You're probably just as likely to trip and fall on it as have it drop all the way to the floor. I've never seen a fiddler use a strap, or drop a fiddle. A well fit endpin is easy to achieve, and if you're a worry-wort you can rig up as many back-ups as you need to put your mind at ease. But of course accidents do happen, but i think in the grand scheme of things you can't always keep your instrument safe unless it's in a bomb proof safe buried a mile deep in a cave in northern Minnesota, but where's the fun in that? Not sure what I'm getting at, but even if it's real easy to remove a glued in pin, it's certainly easier to remove a not-glued in pin, and there's probably very little additional risk of disaster.

[Jerry Byers]

My thoughts too - unless you're slinging behind you like Johnny Cash.

[MikeEdgerton]

Actually it has been a problem for me and it generally came at the time I least expected it. I had a problem with an Eastman I bought a few years ago. I finally put two tiny microscopic ever-so-small drops of hide glue on the pin to hold it. I could probably have broken it loose twisting it and surely could have removed it with a small amount of heat applied to the end pin. Honestly, if the Gibson I'm playing now had the same problem I'd do the same in a heartbeat. Gluing the end pin in doesn't mean you have to empty the entire glue pot into the hole.

[BlueMountain]

Several good suggestions here that will work. The main thing with end pins is to not swing the mandolin behind your back expecting it to hold by the strap upside down. I've been telling my 17 year old son for years not to do that with his guitar, but he thinks it's a cool look. So he brought me one of his acoustics last week with a nasty crack along the top next to the neck. Seems he was walking to school with his guitar hanging upside down on his back and the strap came off and the guitar landed on the asphalt on the headstock. Yup, that'll do it!