An H-G peg is only supported at one end ?
Most friction pegs in HGs are vertical, not transverse. In a vertical peg the bottom end of the peg is free and accessible from beneath the instrument and the peg is held in place in its middle. Most HGs don't have open sides to the peg box, so it follows that their pegs are held in middle and the box has an open bottom, or you couldn't access the pegs at all. There are some instruments (notably Spanish zanfonas) with transverse (violin-style) pegs, but most rely on a fairly thick top to the pegbox to support them (like a collar around the peg).
-Arle
