Emerald X20-12 On Order....

[Simon@Caulfield]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

Pinless is appealing - but I have to say that the pin bridge on my X20s is the easiest I've ever had to change strings on. That's because I can stick my hand through the offset soundhole and be sure the string is seated properly for every string as I install them. No more popping pins

Im not a fan of pinless, because i generally would put all the strings in the bridge and slowly bring them all up to tension together. More habit than anything else. I also think pins look good, as opposed to holes.

What i would like however is feeding the strings in from the rear, with a string through top. The sound hole is big enough to do this, you could reach in and feed the strings through meaning only a very small hole would be required!

Ive actually made a little insert with champhered edges to try this on one of my woody acoustics just to try, as well as seeing how it will effect the tone!

[esimms86]

Originally Posted by sgavy

Im not a fan of pinless, because i generally would put all the strings in the bridge and slowly bring them all up to tension together. More habit than anything else. I also think pins look good, as opposed to holes.

What i would like however is feeding the strings in from the rear, with a string through top. The sound hole is big enough to do this, you could reach in and feed the strings through meaning only a very small hole would be required!

Ive actually made a little insert with champhered edges to try this on one of my woody acoustics just to try, as well as seeing how it will effect the tone!

Speaking as a Lowden owner, I love how Lowden does it. It’s a pinless bridge that’s all upside IME.

[mountainmaster]

Originally Posted by esimms86

Speaking as a Lowden owner, I love how Lowden does it. It’s a pinless bridge that’s all upside IME.

That design puts more tension on the bridge glue joint. Clearly it works for Lowden because these are well built guitars. And to be fair, one would be crazy to neglect the weather conditions around such an expensive guitar to a point where the bridge starts to come loose.

I once had the "pleasure" of witnessing a bridge snap off just after I put the guitar away in its stand. I can tell you it wasn't a pretty sight (and sound). And had the guitar still been in my hands I could have sustained serious injury.

Emerald makes bridges like those but they are a custom option for their nylon string guitars. Maybe these can be put on a steel string as well?

[esimms86]

Originally Posted by mountainmaster

Emerald makes bridges like those but they are a custom option for their nylon string guitars. Maybe these can be put on a steel string as well?

My thoughts exactly. A CF bridge is there to stay.