Power Pins (again).....and mini-review upcoming

[Highway_61]

Originally Posted by ac2300

We intended the Snapz to be a "one use" tool, to pull out the old pins, and then install the Power Pins and throw it away . Fazool, i just want to make sure that when you test the Power Pins, you do it with the old strings , before you change them out. Thanks AC

I will say that it is only through this thread that I became aware of Power Pins; and the concept intrigues me because, as a general rule, I prefer pin-less bridges, and Power Pins would allow one to have something akin to a pinless bridge without being confined to those brands (Breedlove, Ovation, early Tacoma, et al) that feature them.
Now, because of this and related threads, I very recently purchased a Snapz, and I like it so much--it's well engineered and does exactly what it is claimed it can do--that I have additional confidence in the designers/manufacturers that I am much more ready to try the Power Pins. (Baby steps.)

[fazool]

Originally Posted by Highway_61

I will say that it is only through this thread that I became aware of Power Pins; and the concept intrigues me because, as a general rule, I prefer pin-less bridges, and Power Pins would allow one to have something akin to a pinless bridge without being confined to those brands (Breedlove, Ovation, early Tacoma, et al) that feature them.
Now, because of this and related threads, I very recently purchased a Snapz, and I like it so much--it's well engineered and does exactly what it is claimed it can do--that I have additional confidence in the designers/manufacturers that I am much more ready to try the Power Pins. (Baby steps.)

Yes - I have mixed preconceptions going in.....

I think they are attractive
I like pinless bridges
but I am averse to adding mass

So I will do a more objective experience based evaluation

[ac2300]

Fazool, i sincerely want to thank you in advance for taking your time, to test the Power Pins. I appreciate your doing it, because you were , and at this point still are, the "#1 Hater Of Power Pins", who better to test them? In any case i think that this will be a classic, and informative moment on this forum, that so far, at least, has not descended , into a fiery churning pit of Snake Oil, and Tone Killers, that then gets shut down by a moderator. This is very cool and suspenseful, at least to me AC

[Gasworker]

Me too!!!

[HHP]

Originally Posted by Fret-O'File

Fazool, how did they get your address?
I would be a little creeped out if someone from a forum sent me something in the mail without me giving out my address! ;-)

I wouldn't. In fact, I'm composing some highly critical posts on Martin D-18 Authentics as we speak.

[jricc]

In an effort to "brighten up" the tone of my Martin OMXAE, I recently installed the Power Pins 2.0 system.

First I did a little test. The guitar had D'Andreas brass pins on it. I recorded a brief chord progression, took them off and replaced with the original plastic Martin pins and recorded the same bit. Then took off the plastic pins and replaced with the Power Pins 2.0. All 3 recordings were made with the strings that were on the guitar.

To my ears, the brass pins had a little oomph more in the lower mids, and not a lot of clarity.
The plastic pins were thinner sounding and a little too bright.
The Power Pins had a fuller overall tone, with more clarity and a little more sustain. More so, the tension of the strings felt a bit more flexible. I really like the way the strings feel. I gigged em that night, and they felt great.

So again, these findings are to my ears, but hopefully this will help someone deciding to whether or not to try them.

[fazool]

jricc -

Thanks for doing this (I never got around to it and really wanted it done for the folks an Big Rock Engineering.

Can you please post your audio clips so folks can compare the results ?

[Hurricane Ramon]

Originally Posted by jricc

In an effort to "brighten up" the tone of my Martin OMXAE, I recently installed the Power Pins 2.0 system.

First I did a little test. The guitar had D'Andreas brass pins on it. I recorded a brief chord progression, took them off and replaced with the original plastic Martin pins and recorded the same bit. Then took off the plastic pins and replaced with the Power Pins 2.0. All 3 recordings were made with the strings that were on the guitar.

To my ears, the brass pins had a little oomph more in the lower mids, and not a lot of clarity.
The plastic pins were thinner sounding and a little too bright.
The Power Pins had a fuller overall tone, with more clarity and a little more sustain. More so, the tension of the strings felt a bit more flexible. I really like the way the strings feel. I gigged em that night, and they felt great.

So again, these findings are to my ears, but hopefully this will help someone deciding to whether or not to try them.

I don't have the Power Pins like your's . I do however have brass pins that came with the JLD Bridge Dr. I put on my 6 string steel Dread guitars .

Like you I heard the same difference in clarity , fullness and brightness . Richer mids too . They made my whole guitar vibrate
much stronger as I held and played it and as you stated the sustain was increased . The bass hz's volume had a significant increase as well .


To be noted is that heavier braced guitars seem to not react the same way as the lighter braced systems that are now the most popular
main stream acoustic guitar construction being made/bought to my brass/your Power Pins .

I have two Washburns with these on . I am a believer .

I just got a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 interface to record with and my acoustic instruments are up there on the priority list of " to do " recordings .

I have waited a long time for this to happen . I'm stoked . I've a

• 000 resonator <===<<<- brass on an aluminium biscuit/spider/&/cone
• 000 spanish classical nylon <====<<<- the thought of brass pins on this intrigues me mmmm mebbe not
• soprano koa Ukulele <===<<<- mid 50's - no way

to contrast these guitars with - it's going to be real fun . Adding the brass of chromatic & diatonic harmonics to the table on this first recording project of ME
all mic'd acoustically with a large diaphragm condenser C01 Samson & Shure SM57 & maybe the X/Y mics from my Tascam DR44WL .

I like the looks of the brass pins I have , but wow the Power Pins are far sexier , my brass pins next to the Power Pins look like Plain Jane next to Marilyn Monroe

EZ :

HR

[jricc]

Originally Posted by jricc

In an effort to "brighten up" the tone of my Martin OMXAE, I recently installed the Power Pins 2.0 system.

First I did a little test. The guitar had D'Andreas brass pins on it. I recorded a brief chord progression, took them off and replaced with the original plastic Martin pins and recorded the same bit. Then took off the plastic pins and replaced with the Power Pins 2.0. All 3 recordings were made with the strings that were on the guitar.

To my ears, the brass pins had a little oomph more in the lower mids, and not a lot of clarity.
The plastic pins were thinner sounding and a little too bright.
The Power Pins had a fuller overall tone, with more clarity and a little more sustain. More so, the tension of the strings felt a bit more flexible. I really like the way the strings feel. I gigged em that night, and they felt great.

So again, these findings are to my ears, but hopefully this will help someone deciding to whether or not to try them.

Here's a link to the my test.
https://soundcloud.com/jricc/bridge-pin-test

[jricc]

Originally Posted by jricc

In an effort to "brighten up" the tone of my Martin OMXAE, I recently installed the Power Pins 2.0 system.

First I did a little test. The guitar had D'Andreas brass pins on it. I recorded a brief chord progression, took them off and replaced with the original plastic Martin pins and recorded the same bit. Then took off the plastic pins and replaced with the Power Pins 2.0. All 3 recordings were made with the strings that were on the guitar.

To my ears, the brass pins had a little oomph more in the lower mids, and not a lot of clarity.
The plastic pins were thinner sounding and a little too bright.
The Power Pins had a fuller overall tone, with more clarity and a little more sustain. More so, the tension of the strings felt a bit more flexible. I really like the way the strings feel. I gigged em that night, and they felt great.

So again, these findings are to my ears, but hopefully this will help someone deciding to whether or not to try them.

Here's a link to the test.
https://soundcloud.com/jricc/bridge-pin-test