My end button has 'popped' out

[Duben]

One day I opened my violin case to find the tailpiece and end button totally displaced and strings all slack. The wire that is threaded into the tailpiece was broken, and the end button won't go back into its hole and stay. I think something to do with temperature sort of... popped the end button out and broke the tailpiece's holder-strap.

I'm unsure if end buttons are glued into the bottom or if they are taper-fitted sort of like the pegs are, can someone tell me? When I put the end button into its hole, it falls out like it doesn't fit snugly anymore.

I hope I don't need to go to a luthier, but I miss playing my violin so much.

What do you think?

[MTGuru]

I'm pretty sure the endpin is friction-held on all the fiddles I've seen. Even if it seems loose now, it's probably OK under tension - as it was before your tailgut broke. Or you could try replacing it with a new, slightly larger pin.

The broken tailgut is easy enough to replace with an adjustable tailgut. Set the new one to the same length as the old one, unless you have a reason to change the position of the tailpiece. Moving the tailpiece can affect the tone of the instrument by changing both the overall string tension and the length of the strings behind the bridge.

Meanwhile, be very careful about handling the fiddle until the strings are back on it and up to tension. If the soundpost falls, then you'll definitely need to have a luthier reset it.

Good luck!

[Duben]

I took one from a viola I had and fit it in the hole perfectly, it juts out a bit more than the old button did because it's a tad bit longer, but that's no problem.

What about handling the fiddle before the strings are placed back and tightened would make the soundpost fall? Lack of pressure on the face of the violin?

This violin has been through a lot of little homemade jobs by me. I think I could probably benefit from seeing a luthier just to have it looked over.

[MTGuru]

handling the fiddle before the strings are placed back and tightened would make the soundpost fall? Lack of pressure on the face of the violin?

Yep, exactly. And a luthier check-up sounds like a good idea.

[highland-piper]

It's amazing how much of the sound of a fiddle comes from the setup. There are a variety of factors that need to be "just so" and if any of them are off it won't resonate the way it can.