Pinblock, tuning pins and tuning stability

The pinblock holds the tuning pins that carry the tension of the strings. Its condition directly affects whether an instrument can be tuned correctly and whether that tuning remains stable. We assess the timber, the grip of the pins and the behaviour of the system under tension.

Depending on the degree of wear, the work may include selecting and fitting appropriate tuning pins, repairing selected elements or carrying out more extensive work on the pinblock. The scope is always determined after assessing the instrument’s construction because tuning stability depends on the stringing system as a whole.