Decades of experience probably means you know what you’re doing!

[Tnfiddler]

So I thought I would upgrade the plastic bridge pins on my new D-41 to bone because bone obviously has to be better! WRONG! It looks like nearly 100 years of using plastic bridge pins means Martin must know a little bit about what they’re doing. The bone pins seriously tarnished the sound of a fabulous sounding guitar! It still sounded great, but it lost the tone that made me fall in love with this guitar in the first place. It didn’t have the volume either, so, needless to say, the plastic pins are back in it and the magic is back. No more experimenting with this guitar except for strings.

[jklotz]

I went through this with a Martin Jeff Tweedy a while back. Bone, ebony, tusq, etc etc. In the end, the stock plastic one's worked the best. I suppose I had to go beat my head against a wall to figure that out.

These days, I won't mess with it unless there is a specific problem that needs to be solved.

[Jaden]

I know it’s common for some to complain about the use of plastic on a fairly expensive guitar but plastic holds the ball end of the string in place and it’s *uber light*

As soon as unnecessary weight is added to the bridge, responsiveness declines - akin to adding a larger, heavier bridge plate to a guitar.

Plastic allows for the bridge to remain light and responsive.

[C-ville Brent]

Tnfiddler, you may have just burst my bubble. I bought a D-41 about a month ago and although I had a set of tusq (black with pau dots) ready, I used the plastic originals when I put on a new set of strings.

Sometimes the world works in mysterious ways.

[Glennwillow]

I have found that the plastic pins that came with my 1967 Martin D-35 -- the original ones -- are the ones that sound the best. They are pretty beat up but they still work.

- Glenn

[C-ville Brent]

Seems like you guys are kind of undermining the whole aftermarket guitar bridge pin industry.

[gmel555]

My Bourgeois LDBO has stock ivoroid pins. They're plastic, a good quality, but plastic non-the-less. The tone is such that -other than strings- I have no plans -or interest- in changing anything else on this guitar. As Billy Joel sang: 🎵"I love you just the way you are" 🎵.

[lowrider]

The thing is that you'll never know unless you try. I tried a set of Tusq pins on my Road Series and they made it harsh. I put back the plastic pins and it sounded great again. A year later, I tried bone pins and it sounded better.

Bridge pins a cheap and easy to switch. And like I said, you won't know until you try changing them.

[cdkrugjr]

You know every time I read about "Liquid Metal Bridge Pins" my brain jumps right to Terminator II . . .

[IndyHD28]

Originally Posted by cdkrugjr

You know every time I read about "Liquid Metal Bridge Pins" my brain jumps right to Terminator II . . .

There’s been all kinds of criticism of the LM pins on the Modern Deluxes by people who have never seen them in person. Both LM and Martin did tons of research to prove their worth. In fact, LM also perfected a bridge but Martin wasn’t prepared to go that far. Too bad.

[martingitdave]

Plastic pins are Neutral sounding. They don’t seem to add or detract from the sound. Most of my guitars sounded better with plastic. Some guitars sound better with bone (my D-28 Marquis and my Guild F-512). And one oddball seems to sound better with crazy liquid metal. I tried all the pins I have on hand with all my guitars. In the end, the stock choice usually sounded best regardless of the material.

[Dustinfurlow]

My 12-fret mahogany/spruce Larrivee is the same way. I’ve tried several different sets of bone pins in disbelief but the plastic prevails.

[Rev Roy]

Count me among those who don’t hear much tonal difference when changing pins. I put bone pins in my 41 and - to my ears - it sounds just as glorious as it did with plastic. Only noticeably difference is aesthetic.

[Mr. Jelly]

My contention is that it isn't the material so much as the fit of the pins. Most often the pins that fit the best are the pins that came with the guitar. I'm just saying …..

[Murphy Slaw]

I've been telling my kids that for years.

Decades, actually...