#1
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Is the lenght of a bridge pin important?
I replaced the plastic pins of my Guild dreadnought with ebony pins. They fit very well, not too tight nor too loose, and they stayed in place when I was stringing the guitar. But these ebony pins (martin style) are a few mm shorter than the original plastic ones. Could this be an issue? I am asking because I read somewhere that with shorter pins, the ball ends of the strings can damage/wear the bridge plate.
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#2
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Bridge Pin Length
The length of the pin doesn't make a difference as long as it is long enough to hold the ball end off to the side so that the tension "jams" it up against the bridge plate.
If the pin is so short that the ball end slips into the space between the pin and bridge plate then you will probably damage the bridge plate. The same might be true if pins with the wrong taper are used. You might want to check to see if the Martin pins are the same taper as the Guild pins. BTW, how do you like the tone with the ebony pins? Every time I changed pin material on the Guilds that I've had over the years I always went back to the original plastic Guild pins. I don't know what kind of mojo they put in them, but any other material was a step back, at least in my experience.
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1995 Taylor 412 1995 Taylor 612C Custom, Spruce over Flamed Maple 1997 Taylor 710 1968 Aria 6815 12 String, bought new |
#3
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If the pins are too short, the ball ends will jam in the bridge pin hole, which over time will enlarge and ruin the bridgeplate and possibly the bridge area.
The sure way to tell is to take a small mirror and check to make sure the ball ends are seated all the way outside of the plate holes.
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2019 Esteban w/carrying case and extra strings. |
#4
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Thank you for your comments. In regards to change in tone, I feel that the tone may be a tiny bit mellower, but also a tiny bit less clear. I am not so sure that I will keep the ebony pins, may be I will put the plastic ones back or perhaps I will try with a set of bone pins (of the proper length and taper :-)
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#5
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plastic is a cleaner sound you are right. Ebony make a guitar a bit more bassey or you might say muddy. metal is awful. Get some waverly pins from from Stewart Mcdonald. I dont like the idea of plastic on a guitar and that includes binding but to my ear plastic sounds the most neutral.
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#6
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Bridge Pins
Bob Colosi is the "go to guy" for pins, saddle and nut material and similar.
Here's his web site; http://www.guitarsaddles.com/
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1995 Taylor 412 1995 Taylor 612C Custom, Spruce over Flamed Maple 1997 Taylor 710 1968 Aria 6815 12 String, bought new |