#1
|
|||
|
|||
The virtues of pinless bridges.
Ovation, Takamine, Lowden, etc. Many, if not all of them, have pinless bridges. Do you find advantages of having pinless bridge guitars besides changing strings?
__________________
-2017 Gibson J-45 Standard -2019 Gibson J-15 -2019 Gibson Les Paul Junior -2020 Gibson Les Paul Special -2019 Gibson Les Paul Studio -2021 Fender Aerodyne Special Telecaster -2022 Fender Telecaster 50s (Vintera) -1994 Fender Telecaster Deluxe 70 (Vintera) -Sire V5 5-string |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
I’ll start by admitting I do not currently own any pinless bridge guitars, but I have in the past - and there are a few reasons that I don’t -
Stringing them up, I’d be concerned about the strings slowly enlarging the holes when pulled thru the bridge. I’d be concerned about the ball ends banging on the top. The pure shear force on the glue joint between top and bridge worries me (I’ve seen pinned bridges where the glue has failed, and only the pins and string end on the bridge plate have prevented major damage). And like a pinned bridge with all its holes aligned, the potential for cracking thru the series of holes is a little bit of a concern. I know its an interesting look, but I’m not convinced that the design is any real improvement over the pinned bridge.
__________________
More than a few Santa Cruz’s, a few Sexauers, a Patterson, a Larrivee, a Cumpiano, and a Klepper!! |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
I have guitars of each type and I find no advantages to me at all. They make string changes more fiddly and maintenance is harder since I can't just tune down the strings and take them out at the bridge end to get access to the insides.
That's not to say that I have a problem with them - I don't. They are just less convenient in those two situations. There may be intangible benefits that I'm not aware of, but there are many fine guitars with pinless bridges and many with regular pinned bridgess so I don't see a compelling reason to go one way or another. (It does, though, exclude me from the angst of worrying if my bridge pins are made of the right stuff... ) |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Ok - You have identified one real virtue -
__________________
More than a few Santa Cruz’s, a few Sexauers, a Patterson, a Larrivee, a Cumpiano, and a Klepper!! |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Great...now I’m paranoid about my new Breedlove that I was enjoying so much.
__________________
Taylor 322,512ce 12 fret cedar/hog & 362ce Martin 00015SM Guild 1966 F20 Larrivee P03 sitka/hog,simple 6 OM & OM 09 Eastman E100ss-sb Gibson J185 & 2016 J35 Fender player plus telecaster & Mustang P90 Gretsch MIK 5622T Last edited by Lillis; 07-01-2019 at 08:48 AM. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
For performers supposedly they will feel assured a bridge pin doesnt go flying into the crowd if a string snaps if the guitar has a pinless bridge.
Does a painless bridge put more pulling force on a bridge and thus increase the risk of bridge failure or movement in the future?
__________________
In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference... |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
On the other hand, if a string breaks on a pinless bridge then it's a matter of a couple of seconds to pull the ball end out of there and then carry on playing (assuming the guitar is still more or less in tune.) No tight pins to wrestle with. Quote:
On the subject of pulling force, since the force of the pull on a pinned bridge is more 'up and over' (i.e. the bridge translates the pull from along the length of the guitar to one going from back to front through the top) then possibly there's more risk of a belly forming behind the bridge over time. But I'm no mechanical engineer so I could be totally wrong on that one. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
I do a lot of palm muting, and the pinless bridge on my Breedlove facilitates that by getting the pins out of the way. I'm in favor of anything that lightens a guitar up, and although the ebony pins on my other guitars don't weigh that much, the bridge is an area where I especially don't want excess weight.
__________________
1 dreadnought, 1 auditorium, 1 concert, and 2 travel guitars. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Worries about the structural viability of pinless bridges are, imo, baseless. If there was any merit to that concern, we wouldn't see the design in long term use by so many makers.
__________________
Jim 2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi 2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood 2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar 2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce 2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce 1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos. YouTube |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Hi, I've always thought that pins in bridges were a less than ideal piece of engineering - especially as the ball ends slowly eat into the bridgeplate.
Harmony Sovereigns used to have pinless bridges too. Trouble is I'm too traditionally minded so they don't look "right" to me. "If it doesn't look like a Martin, Gibson, National or dobro - it doesn't look right!" (that's me).
__________________
Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom! |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
Before I commissioned a build with Marc Beneteau I asked him about pretty much every upgradable feature he offered which I didn't have experienced with. When asking why Don Ross prefers pinless bridges he said that it enables him to change a string with minimal fuss if one breaks on stage...it will take half the time to change it. As a modern solo fingerstylist he changes tunings often, dropping and raising the pitch several times throughout a set.
I don't practice modern fingerstyle tunes on my Larrivee's for that reason, tuning up and down frequently will inevitably cause a bridge pin to go flying from a string breaking (usually happens when tuning down, believe it or not) so I personally always prefer pinless when looking at a new guitar purchase. Even if the pin doesn't go flying, you then have to worry about getting the tight pin out, which is just a pain if you're onstage and don't have the luxury of bringing a second guitar, which many don't. If you just hangout in standard or drop D all the time I wouldn't see any point in seeking one out, as you probably won't have to worry about losing a pin on stage.
__________________
Dustin Furlow -Award-winning songwriter/guitarist, Visual storyteller -D’Addario, G7th and K&K Sound Artist -Music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube: www.youtube.com/dustinfurlow -New album "Serene" (Oct '23) and tablature available at www.dustinfurlow.com |
#12
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
All it needs is a piece of card or an envelope placed behind the bridge to prevent it happening. A very simple precaution. I have a leather piece shaped for the bridge which I bought from Blue Dog Guitars in Vancouver BC... FF65356F-ADF9-4265-9BDD-4F8133CA3F51.jpg Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.
__________________
John Brook ‘Lamorna’ OM (European Spruce/EIR) (2019) Lowden F-23 (Red Cedar/Claro Walnut) (2017) Martin D-18 (2012) Martin HD-28V (2010) Fender Standard Strat (2017-MIM) Last edited by JayBee1404; 07-01-2019 at 12:11 PM. |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
In the case of Lowden the pinless bridge is a result of the bracing design. A regular bridge would not coexist with this bracing due to the necessary bridge plate.
The two Lowdens that passed my hands so far never had any problems. I know there have been a few Lowdens where the bridge came unglued but there are also plenty of non-Lowdens with all kinds of bridge problems. All and all I don’t think it’s an issue either way from a construction standpoint. From a sound standpoint the Lowdens have a unique voice that many players love. So why not.
__________________
Lowden S25c - The Tool "Flying D" prototype - Heritage Eagle - MJT Thinline Telecaster - Fender CS 56 Stratocaster |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
Pinless bridge
I have 3 pinless bridge guitars, all Baraniks. The oldest is a 2001 build. All rock solid, totally stable bridges. They do make string changing quicker. I asked Mike B. if there were any tonal advantages. He seemed to indicate that the pinless would be his bridge of choice for the Celtic songs I fingerpick; more sustain. I do like very much what I hear from these guitars.
AZ
__________________
AZ Slacker Bourgeois JOMC, MadRose/Adi Baranik, JX MadRose/German Baranik, JX Brazilian/Italian SCGC OM, Brazilian / German SCGC OMG, Brazilian / Moon Spruce Dan Roberts Troubadour, Mahogany/Adi Collings CJ35 Mahogany/German Jimmy Edmonds OM Braz/Adi Greven '1937' D18 Greven '1937' OM Braz/Adi |
#15
|
||||
|
||||
* I've owned two Lowden's since the 90's and have preferred the pinless bridge design ever since and thus have owned several MIJ Takamines with pinless bridges.
** Not only do both Lowden and Takamine have split saddles in this design and have excellent intonation, I also like the string changing aspect as I change them every 3 to 4 shows. In addition I also like the more direct string to bridge connection...in Takamine's case that connection further translates in the Palathetic pickup design, whereas my Lowden used a simple OEM Matrix UST. IMHO, I feel and enjoy the continuity of string vibration in both Lowden and Takamine from tuner thru their dovetail neck joint to the pinless bridge, to the soundboard; a big virtue for me! *** Lowden and Takamine may have been on to something tonally and structurally, tho I don't know of any science behind it, I just know I prefer it. That said, I do have a Martin D18 and love it but I'm not a fan of bridge pins much anymore. eric
__________________
NOLE TUNES & Coastal Acoustic Music one love jam! Martin D18 & 3 lil' birdz; Takamine KC70, P3NC x 2 |