Bridge pins

[bernhardinho]

Hi everyone

I have a question concerning the bridge pins on an acoustic guitar: do they actually influence the sound? Does it make sense to replace plastic pins for wooden ones?

Thank you very much

and a big hug from Germany

Bernhard

[DianeB]

Bernhard, here's a review from the latest issue of Acoustic Guitar on one kind of option: Power Pins 2.0 from Bigrock Innovations. The reviewer's acoustic analysis is intriguing.

[Eracer_Team-DougH]

I think depending on the density of the material the sound could brighten or darken or stay the same

depends on Wood, bone, fossil.. etc.

I changed my pins from plastic to bone,, just cause plastic is cheap.. and bone is a natural product 

Edited September 9, 2018 by Eracer_Team-DougH

[NeilES335]

Really... unless you're a real tone fanatic, this is going to make much audible difference? If I need a machine to tell me is it worth it?  (the difference could be to the makers wallet)

[Kbore]

On 9/9/2018 at 12:53 PM, bernhardinho said:

Hi everyone

I have a question concerning the bridge pins on an acoustic guitar: do they actually influence the sound? Does it make sense to replace plastic pins for wooden ones?

 

Ebony wood pins (in conjunction with new bone saddles) have made a huge difference on most of my guitars.  They are inexpensive and can dress up your guitar too.  I've bought pins (and bone blanks) from Ebay, amazon and guitar center online.   I had to ream the holes slightly on my Yamaha for them to fit.  It's a pretty inexpensive experiment.  Bone saddle with hard wood pins seems to make a difference, to me.  You just carefully copy the saddle shape onto a bone shape.  you can just throw the bone away if you don't like it or if you mess the bone  up.

Edited December 3, 2018 by Kbore
added "bone saddles" which I forgot to mention..

[Eracer_Team-DougH]

On 9/21/2018 at 6:38 PM, NeilES335 said:

Really... unless you're a real tone fanatic, this is going to make much audible difference? If I need a machine to tell me is it worth it?  (the difference could be to the makers wallet)

Guitar Center was advertising a upgrade service a couple of years ago.

They had 2 Taylor's,  one stock, the other had nut, saddles, bridge and pins all replaced, and had them side by side on the display. 

My sister and I could both hear the difference between the 2, we liked the "GC upgraded" one better.

[NeilES335]

11 hours ago, Eracer_Team-DougH said:

Guitar Center was advertising a upgrade service a couple of years ago.

They had 2 Taylor's,  one stock, the other had nut, saddles, bridge and pins all replaced, and had them side by side on the display. 

My sister and I could both hear the difference between the 2, we liked the "GC upgraded" one better.

Ok, I'll defer to your judgement.  It makes me wonder why these "upgrades" are not standard on a high end instrument like Taylor. It might even justify a higher price or bring more people to the brand.

[Eracer_Team-DougH]

I don't think bridge pins alone made the Guitar Center Taylor test. it was the bone nut, bone saddle/bridge and the bridge pins combined that changed tone and sustain.. 

[bernhardinho]

Many thanks, guys!!

Your input and information is much appreciated. 

I´ll give it it try!

Bernhard

[colder]

Hard to imagine how they could impact tone much or at all since they are not touching the vibrating part of the string like the nut or saddle... if it has any effect you’d probably need to have a lot more acute ears than me ?

Edited October 19, 2018 by colder

[NeilES335]

1 hour ago, colder said:

Hard to imagine how they could impact tone much or at all since they are not touching the vibrating part of the string like the nut or saddle... if it has any effect you’d probably need to have a lot more acute ears than me ?

And I thought I was the only skeptic?

[Kbore]

You guys bought your ebony bridge pins yet?  Inexpensive experiment!!?

[Eracer_Team-DougH]

bridge pins are not expensive unless you're buying some sort of tortified mammoth tusk thing

 

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Time_for_New_Bridge_Pins

[Six String]

I'll eventually get around to replacing the plastic pins on my old Washburn, because the are marked up from being pulled so many times.  Doubt it'll make an audible difference except that part of hearing that is affected by our eyes. lol

My Breedlove doesn't use Bridge pins, so I can't fancy that one up that way.

[NeilES335]

1 hour ago, Six String said:

I'll eventually get around to replacing the plastic pins on my old Washburn, because the are marked up from being pulled so many times.  Doubt it'll make an audible difference except that part of hearing that is affected by our eyes. lol

My Breedlove doesn't use Bridge pins, so I can't fancy that one up that way.

When you think about it, arent bridge pins kind of a strange, primitive  method of holding a string under so much tension? 

(My Ovation and Godin dont have them either)

[Dave White]

On 10/30/2018 at 10:49 AM, NeilES335 said:

When you think about it, arent bridge pins kind of a strange, primitive  method of holding a string under so much tension? 

(My Ovation and Godin dont have them either)

I was thinking the same thing while watching several of our performers during the fingerstyle retreat. I noticed several guitars - including (I believe) Trevor Gordon Hall's incredible guitar - that did not use bridge pins (the strings were pulled straight through the bridge). That seems like a much more efficient way of doing things.

[Greg Voros]

In a nutshell, not very much if any..

The saddle material of an acoustic box has the greatest impact on its immediate sound. Truth be told, the bridge pin can be removed if the ball end tucks properly to the bridge-plate - meaning, if you look on the inside with a mirror and the ball is firmly anchored to the plate, you can pull the pin to judge for yourself if there is a difference.

-Greg