Why don t they modernize the violin/viola?

You can get "modern" versions of violins, violas, cellos etc. generally sold as the "Electric" versions.

Examples:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/ns_design_cr5_violine.htm

http://www.violectra.co.uk/

http://www.goughanddavy.co.uk/product_desc.php?id=...

They actually do make tuning machines for violins to directly replace the pegs. Double basses use machines all the time. I can say that every classically trained violinist I've ever met, and that's a LOT, use the traditional system. If they don't like it they don't seem to complain. I think once it's working correctly and you know how to do it, it's not a real problem. I can see the strings costing a little more because they are more complex than a simple wire guitar string.

ADDED: BTW, the ukulele is another instrument that uses simple friction pegs. 100 years ago the ukulele was all the rage and they made them by the millions. They used wooden pegs and friction pegs even though machine tuners were in vogue for guitars. Today you see guitar machines on ukuleles, but that's recent. Tuning machines throw the balance of the instrument off.

First of all, the violin was upgraded in the early 1800's.

If your instrument was in proper condition it would not take 15 minutes to tune. Obviously either the pegs and holes don't match properly or you are too inexperienced to tune. A properly set up and functioning violin only takes minutes to tune, even if it is far out of tune. When you see an orchestra tune, they do it in 30 seconds or less. Gears only work well with steel strings, they don't function for gut or synthetic. Gears on the end of the peg box would add considerable weight to an instrument that you have to hold up with your neck and chin. Internally geared pegs are available and have been for at least 15 years, just look - Knilling Perfection Pegs and Wittner Fine Tune pegs are two options and both are much more "modern" than the machine gears on guitars which haven't been really "modernized" in decades.

Just because you don't know, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Thanks for all the replies, everybody. I love the input, but I have to say I'm still not convinced. It seems the only answers are A: pay a huge amount of money for even a student grade instrument, or B: Pay large amounts of money to have a cheap violin/viola fixed so that it will actually stay in tune. This is counter-intuitive to me, especially since the rest of the stringed world moved on to mechanical tuners ages ago, including many of the better quality electric violins being built today. It just strikes me that the weight of tradition more than anything else is all that keeps those blasted wooden pegs in place.

If you have a decent quality instrument with pegs that were properly fitted you won't have those problems. I haven't had a problem with wooden pegs since I gave up the instrument I rented in seventh grade.

There are guitar-style or geared tuning systems for violins and violas, but everyone I know who has tried them hates them. They don't seem to work nearly as well with violins as they do with guitars.

they have tried.

first with guitar style mechanical tuners, then more recently with geared pegs.

http://www.internationalviolin.com/ProductDetail/7...

http://perfectionpegs.twofold.com.au/information/

you can get either one for your violin if you like, but you will need them installed by a pro.

in my experience, its always been more of a hassle.

the guitar style often develops buzzes and rattles.

the geared pegs can slip and become unusable.

both cases they have to be taken to a shop to fix.

changing strings is a much more annoying process and takes longer.

traditional pegs require less maintenance and are easier to use once you know what you are doing, so the other options never really catch on.

when something is an advantage, it does catch on. like these days its getting pretty common to have the fine tuners built into the tailpiece, so we find a full set of 4 even on good instruments when it used to only be a student thing.

the mechanical pegs haven't been found "better" by the community, so they have not yet become "normal".

Who is "they"? You could build a violin the way you want, or pay someone to do it. But an orchestra might not hire you to play an instrument that looks or sounds radically different.

I totally agree; those tuning pegs SUCK. Actually, my e-violin has pegs as well as a fine adjustment system on the tailpiece which is a big improvement. But simply having guitar style tuning would make way more sense.

Also, why can I find loads of different strings for other insruments but only a few for violin? My bass guitar has MONEL strings (an alloy that doesn't shrink or expand within a certain temperature range), so why can't I find monel strings for e-violin?