D/B 'Little brother'--the Cello

[gypsyjazzer]

I am seeking a set of single tuning machines for a cello--anybody know where to obtain?

[TPJ]

Not sure I've ever seen a cello with anything other than wooden pegs. Have you got any pics?

[JoeEvans]

You can get pegs and suchlike from Dictum - https://www.dictum.com/en/tools. Very good carbon fibre bows as well, and all your general bits and bobs for building and repairing string instruments. Not sure about machines though - as TPJ says, don't they all have wooden pegs?

[SubsonicSimpleton]

If you do a google search for 'cello geared pegs' you will find several options for tuners that look like conventional pegs, but contain planetary gears and operate like mechanical tuning pegs.

If you are having difficulty using regular tapered pegs, the problems could be being caused by the pegs not being properly fitted to the pegbox(factory fresh instruments often have two different size holes each side of the peg box rather than a properly fitted taper) and/or the strings not being wound correctly onto the pegs - a strings luthier should be able to run a tapered reamer through your peg holes and refit the strings properly.

edit: you'll probably need to have the pegbox reamed anyway even if you plump for the expensive geared tuners.

Edited July 8, 2016 by SubsonicSimpleton

[Owen]

I used to teach someone who had DB style machine heads on a cello, so they are out there.

[gypsyjazzer]

Thank you gentlemen for your replies.

[zbd1960]

It's geared tuning pegs you are looking for. Agree with comments about getting taper checked - it might not be a straight swap. Also, depending on the set-up of the instrument, tuning of the neck, suitbale string tension etc., it is possible the geared pegs may be too heavy to suit your instrument (I wanted to put them on mine, but the luthier did some tests about the tuning of the neck, stiffness etc., and concluded not suitable for my instrument).

If it's because existing pegs are stiff, or not holding, I'd see a luthier anyway, you might need the holes aligning or reaming / re-sizing, or different pegs.