Emerald X20 - First Mod

GuitarLuva · #1 03-30-2019, 04:42 PM

I vowed I wouldn't make any mods to this guitar for the first few weeks but now that I have 6 days off and a serious "mod disease" I couldn't resist. I wanted to experience a pinless bridge but felt nervous to get the Emerald one after all the comments about it so I tried the washer method. While it worked ok for functionality the metal washers produced a weird and annoying metallic sound that was unbearable for me. Than I remembered something I had tucked away that I used to have on my Rainsong before we parted ways. I wanted to put these on my X30 but couldn't get my hand anywhere close to do it. Oddly enough, no issues reaching the bridge from inside on the X20.

So here they are, power pins 2.0. An item that's not well known and the ones that are aware seem to have mixed feelings about them. I certainly wouldn't put them on a vintage guitar or something like that but I have no issues putting them on a carbon guitar. I love their functionality, string changes are easy, no messing around with normal pins, palm muting no problem and I like them aesthetically. They definitely add some brightness and punch to the overall tone and for me they're here to stay. Thought I would share.

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David Eastwood · #2 03-30-2019, 05:07 PM

That's a great idea! This is the first use of Power Pins that I've seen that actually makes sense visually.

I'm one of the seventeen guitar players on the planet who doesn't palm-mute, so I can't really comment on that aspect - but do these actually lie below the saddle? Either way, they have to be more comfortable than spiky string windings.

GuitarLuva · #3 03-30-2019, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eatswodo

That's a great idea! This is the first use of Power Pins that I've seen that actually makes sense visually.

I'm one of the seventeen guitar players on the planet who doesn't palm-mute, so I can't really comment on that aspect - but do these actually lie below the saddle? Either way, they have to be more comfortable than spiky string windings.

Yes they do sit below the saddle. I'll take another photo to show that when I get back home. And yeah visually they kinda match with the whole futuristic theme that the Emeralds have already.

J.R. Rogers · #4 03-30-2019, 07:59 PM

Those look good on that bridge. Functional too. Thanks for sharing this mod.

JR

GuitarLuva · #5 03-30-2019, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.R. Rogers

Those look good on that bridge. Functional too. Thanks for sharing this mod.

JR

My pleasure and I certainly agree. On some guitars that I seen on youtube with power pins they looked a little out of place but they blend nicely with the Emerald. I remember them looking nice on the Rainsong I had as well. After a few hours playing with them on there's a most definite increase in clarity and sustain as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eatswodo

but do these actually lie below the saddle?

I took a couple pics. They do sit below the saddle but not as much as I originally thought. They are probably a tad higher than the top of a normal bridge pin. I used the same strings also and I can see in the pic some of them are a little skewed. I thought for sure at least one of them would break while tuning but surprisingly they never.

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Captain Jim · #6 03-30-2019, 08:58 PM

I apparently need to get out more - I haven't seen these before. Do they make a difference in the tone? Are the more traditional pins considered hard to use by some?

One of the video reviews I just watched declared "a crisper sound" with the Power Pins 2.0. Also, "not an amazing difference" and "more sustain" in the review. "A bit pricey."

I like the fact that my CF guitars are already crisper sounding and more sustain than my wood guitars. I'll be interested in what others feel these add.

GuitarLuva · #7 03-30-2019, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

I apparently need to get out more - I haven't seen these before. Do they make a difference in the tone? Are the more traditional pins considered hard to use by some?

One of the video reviews I just watched declared "a crisper sound" with the Power Pins 2.0. Also, "not an amazing difference" and "more sustain" in the review. "A bit pricey."

I like the fact that my CF guitars are already crisper sounding and more sustain than my wood guitars. I'll be interested in what others feel these add.

Jim,

At $50 I agree these are not cheap which makes me all the more happier that I can use them again. I honestly forgot I had them. My original intent was to put them on my X30 but I couldn't get my hand all the way in to do it. I first had them on a Rainsong.

The few quoted remarks you typed I would have to agree with. I can definitely notice a crisper sound with more sustain. The guitar is a little brighter overall, which might bother some but I like what I'm hearing.

I don't have any issues with traditional pins but I will admit that sometimes certain things happen that annoy me with them such as one getting stuck or accidentally launching one.

MayaTambien · #8 03-31-2019, 12:19 AM

I'd seen these advertised once, and was thinking about looking them up to put into my RainSong (CH-PA). Hadn't even seen the price (or hadn't remembered it...), and at that rate, I think I'll pass (or at least wait).

jonfields45 · #9 03-31-2019, 07:21 AM

I used them on a Taylor T5z for a few years. I had two issues that motivated me to take them out.

First, the bolt inside the guitar comes loose over time. I needed to periodically tighten them which meant taking the back off the T5z.

Sometimes the ball winding on the plain strings would catch inside the Power Pin. It was at least once long nose pliers and wire cutters to extract it. Obviously not the Power Pin fault but still a hassle.

I tried them on a real acoustic guitar and concluded they did not impact the volume or tone.

121 · #10 03-31-2019, 07:37 AM

I didn't know about these Power Pins either.
I like how they look on your X20, and I like the string change advantage.

Thank you for sharing.

mountainmaster · #11 03-31-2019, 07:47 AM

I was aware of these but I don't think I could use them for my Rainsong Smokey. Its saddle is extremely low at the high E string and these pins would reduce the angle there to practically zero.
Besides, adding even more crispness to an already bright guitar may not be such a good idea.

These pins might be useful for saving my wood guitars from total destruction though, since the system seems to act as a clamp on the bridge.
My wood guitars all have bulging tops due to too much humidity. And as a result the glue joints holding the bridge in place are slowly coming loose. I can already slide a piece of paper under those bridges at the corners.

kramster · #12 03-31-2019, 08:15 AM

First time I am seeing these... cool

#13 03-31-2019, 09:32 AM

Never seen these before--but a very nice look. Do they come in different colors? Thanks for the information and pictures.

GuitarLuva · #14 03-31-2019, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvanB

Never seen these before--but a very nice look. Do they come in different colors? Thanks for the information and pictures.

Yes, you can get them in at least black, gold and chrome.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonfields45

First, the bolt inside the guitar comes loose over time. I needed to periodically tighten them which meant taking the back off the T5z.

Sometimes the ball winding on the plain strings would catch inside the Power Pin. It was at least once long nose pliers and wire cutters to extract it. Obviously not the Power Pin fault but still a hassle.

I tried them on a real acoustic guitar and concluded they did not impact the volume or tone.

I am aware of your 2nd point, I ran into that before on my Rainsong and what I found was I had them on too tight. What I do is tighten the 6 bolts hand tight and than tighten with the allen wrench just enough so I can move the pin with generous force, that seemed to have corrected the issue.

If I experience the bolts coming loose over time or any other issues I'll report back. I also thought about using light or medium strength loctite if it was going to be permanent, which at this point it might be.

I think of the tonal shift kinda like going from a tusq saddle to bone or a similar scenario. Some guitars there might be a noticeable change while others may not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainmaster

These pins might be useful for saving my wood guitars from total destruction though, since the system seems to act as a clamp on the bridge.
My wood guitars all have bulging tops due to too much humidity. And as a result the glue joints holding the bridge in place are slowly coming loose. I can already slide a piece of paper under those bridges at the corners.

Yep this for sure. If you had a guitar where the strings started to work their way into the wood these would prevent further damage, kinda like Mitchells plate mate but with the string change advantage.