Martin Luxe (Liquidmetal) Pins?

[martingitdave]

Has anyone on AGF purchased a set of these pins? What is your impression? Andertons produced a video recently and I had mixed feelings about the change the pins produced. They changed the tone of the guitar to sound very bright and clean. But, I'm not sure if they were too much of a good thing. Thoughts?

[llew]

.5dB increase. Sounded a little bit more full to me thru standard computer speakers. I suppose it's all about cost vs. results? Don't think I'll be purchasing any?

[AgentKooper]

I couldn’t hear any difference at all. And even if you could detect a difference, how could you determine whether the difference was attributable to the bridge pin change or to the player?

I don’t understand how bridge pins can have any discernible effect on a guitar’s tone. Isn’t pretty much all of a string’s energy transferred to the saddle and nut? And wouldn’t any minimal energy left in the string be absorbed by the bridge and bridge plate combined more than the pin?

It’s very hard for me to believe that, in a blind test, anyone could discern the difference between bridge pins of comparable weight.

[SlopeD]

They look really cool

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by AgentKooper

I couldn’t hear any difference at all. And even if you could detect a difference, how could you determine that the difference was attributable to the bridge pin change or to the player?

I don’t understand how bridge pins can have any discernible effect on a guitar’s tone. Isn’t pretty much all of string’s energy transferred to the bridge and nut? And wouldn’t any energy left in the string be absorbed by the bridge and bridge plate combined more than the pin?

It’s very hard for me to believe that, in a blind test, anyone could discern the difference between bridge pins of comparable weight

I know. This pointless discussion about meaningless minutiae is endless. Me? After 50 years' playing countless guitars, with numerous varieties of bridge pins and materials, I have concluded that they do nothing but what they were designed for. People will argue, 'well doesn't everything contribute to tone?' Of course it does, but there are far too many other variables involved to be able to point to bridge pins and single their 'contribution' out as even remotely significant.

[rick-slo]

IMO marketing BS. So what else is new?

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

This pointless discussion about meaningless minutiae is endless. Me? After 50 years' playing countless guitars, with numerous varieties of bridge pins and materials, I have concluded that they do nothing but what they were designed for. People will argue, 'well doesn't everything contribute to tone?' Of course it does, but there are far too many other variables involved to be able to point to bridge pins and single their 'contribution' out as even remotely significant.

After 58 years of playing, I completely agree, Andrew.

[Beakybird]

Improvements to make a high end Martin sound superior to a standard Martin is probably a game of inches, maybe millimeters. Liquid bridge pins might be discernible for a few and might show minor improvements in frequency range on a spectrograph.
Who knows?

[colder]

I don't think anybody could pass a double-blind test of bridge pins, so I'm not inclined to pay extra for them, unless I like just the looks better on a particular guitar.

[martingitdave]

There are some reputable luthiers who think the string, ball, pin, bridge plate interface is possibly the most important coupling in the guitar. I’m inclined to believe that it is at least very important. While I do hear a difference, I’m still not sure it’s desirable. Martin claimed up to 3dB SPL increase. These guys measured 0.6dB. That’s not inconsequential, nor is it revelatory.

[charles Tauber]

It's tough to take the review all too seriously when the reviewers repeatedly have mis-named the part they are reviewing, bridge pins, rather than "end pins".

As others have pointed out, a 1/2 dB change in output is inaudible to many listeners. Such a small change, as insignificant as it is, could be attributed to strumming one harder than the other and/or to variability in the meter measuring output. Then there is the question of a sample space of one.

From my perspective, the video is a waste of 20 minutes of one's time. I don't have a horse in this race - whether or not "liquid metal" bridge pins produce the stated results. - but what is presented in the video isn't sufficiently rigorous to even be useful as anecdotal evidence.

[Silly Moustache]

I play mostly Collings which are all supplied with ebony pins, which I have changed for bone, purely for aesthetic reasons - (love the look of bone pins in an ebony bridge).

However, I did perceive a slight change in tone and perhaps sustain.

Really though, I can't help thinking that if you have to buy accessories to improve a guitar's tone, volume ... you've got the wrong guitar!

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Really though, I can't help thinking that if you have to buy accessories to improve a guitar's tone, volume ... you've got the wrong guitar!

My sentiments exactly.


whm

[Riverwolf]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I can't help thinking that if you have to buy accessories to improve a guitar's tone, volume ... you've got the wrong guitar!

Or you are one of those that think it is the equipment that makes you a better player.
Never mind practice.

[Paddy1951]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I play mostly Collings which are all supplied with ebony pins, which I have changed for bone, purely for aesthetic reasons - (love the look of bone pins in an ebony bridge).



However, I did perceive a slight change in tone and perhaps sustain.



Really though, I can't help thinking that if you have to buy accessories to improve a guitar's tone, volume ... you've got the wrong guitar!

Like many things with guitars, improvement is subjective.