Bridge Pin Breaking. Bridge or other issue?

[Treyson]

Hi,

I bought myself a Taylor GS Mini last Christmas. A few months ago I changed strings and the Top or Low E string bridge pin ( factory pin ) broke trying to remove. The same thing happened yesterday - same string / pin.

The butt end of my string winder was used and both times I had to push the broken piece up from the bottom to get it out. It was wedged tight.

Since the first breakage was the " factory" pin do you think there may be a problem?

Next, for the GS mini owners, any suggestions on new pins are welcomed.

Thanks Guys/Gals
Bruce

[slide496]

I had a similar problem on one of mine and I found a bridge pin reamer and opened the holes up just a little with it. It was called "H5808 - 3° Bridge Pin Reamer" from www.grizzly.com and reasonably priced at $19.75

You could try pushing the pins up from underneath but on mine they were in too tight.

For bridge pins?: https://www.taylorguitars.com/taylorware/bridge-pins

[Alan Carruth]

It sounds like the hole is too tight. Remember that the pins are toggles: the pressure of the ball ends on the side of the pins is what holds the strings in. The pins themselves can be quite loose when there's no tension on the strings, and they will do their job just fine. They are made tapered so that they will hold when you push them in and let go as soon as you start to pull them out, but it's not the wedging action that does the job. In fact, if the pins are all wedged in tightly they can split the bridge along the line of the holes. I'd either get the pin hole reamed out a little or sand off the new pin a bit to make it looser.

[Treyson]

Thanks guys. The hole was too tight.