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  #1  
Old 01-19-2019, 01:30 AM
byudzai byudzai is offline
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Default Standard X30.... PINLESS! Ta-da!!

This is old-tech but I thought I'd share my adventure tonight anyway.

I'm suuuuuuuuper stoked about 13/56 polywebs on my X30; playing it against the blue, with the stock 12s on it, reinforced that enthusiasm hugely. Warmer, fuller, bigger, richer sound.

I hate bridge pins because they make it harder for me to get different colors of palm muting. My first plan was to put the pins in upside down, like I did with my Sable, but a) it was hard to reach them through the hole and b) when i did, they stuck up too far.

Went a-rummaging through my screws/bolts/etc drawers and found these two sets of nuts. Got out the micro scale and found these results.



First these guys. Tooooo heavy:



Still heavy... but close enough for me.



The procedure:



And finished!



So the big questions:

1) Are they stable?
2) How does it sound?

1) The string ends locked firmly against the ID of the nuts, so no worries there.
2) I played the blue and the padauk back-to-back for half an hour trying to decide if there was any difference, like weaker sound from the slight weight addition, or change in tone. In the end the only difference I heard was the freshness of the new strings which, if anything, made the pinless-bridge padauk sound quieter.

So there ya go. I wish I knew what kind of nuts those are.... but they were just in my drawer. I'm sure if you take a string end and go to Lowe's you can find something that works!
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Old 01-19-2019, 02:20 AM
kramster kramster is offline
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Interesting stuff and approaching genius, So what does the beautacious wife think of all this??... I need 2 X30s now... it never ends...sigh...and just ordered set of 3 of the 13/56..(free as had enough money back thingy on the big A )
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Old 01-19-2019, 06:54 AM
new2guitar_eh new2guitar_eh is offline
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Instead of nuts why not washers? They would likely be a little lighter
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Old 01-19-2019, 08:34 AM
Captain Jim Captain Jim is offline
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That's a clever solution! I've never felt my pins were a hindrance... of course, that may be my lack of technique.
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Old 01-19-2019, 09:53 AM
zeeway zeeway is offline
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High five for the ingenuity. Yep, washers may be the logical next step on your quest into the low weight, pinless thing. I especially like that this mod is completely reversible.
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Old 01-19-2019, 10:38 AM
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raysachs raysachs is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zeeway View Post
High five for the ingenuity. Yep, washers may be the logical next step on your quest into the low weight, pinless thing. I especially like that this mod is completely reversible.
But does a heavier nut impart more tone than a flimsy little washer? Let the tone-metal debates begin!

As for me, once I develop even remotely effective and consistent palm muting technique, let alone imparting colors with it, maybe then I'll think about the possibility of trying something like this. But for now, I've never had a problem with bridge pins...

-Ray
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Old 01-19-2019, 10:51 AM
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Great innovation! Brass washers might also be worth a try. Or maybe plastic washers? Or may maybe big beads? A door has been opened....................
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Old 01-19-2019, 12:36 PM
steelvibe steelvibe is offline
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What a cool idea! Maybe some washers made out of CF? Yes, they do exist and seem reasonably priced too

https://www.hillsidecomposites.com/i...iber-washers/2
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Old 01-19-2019, 04:14 PM
GuitarLuva GuitarLuva is offline
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Neat idea for sure and thanks for sharing. My question is how the hell did you manage to get your arm all the way down there to feed the string up through? I'm not the biggest person out there by no means but I can only get my arm so far in there in my X30.
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Old 01-19-2019, 07:16 PM
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GuitarLuva;

True, but you can push a string--it's sort of an art form.

I still think a bead is the best revision of By's creation. It's round, comes in different materials, and seats well in a round hole.

Just saying
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Old 01-19-2019, 07:33 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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I'm ... I'm ... speechless ... but if it works for you, that's all that counts!
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Old 01-19-2019, 08:51 PM
JimCA JimCA is offline
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Just checked -- my long skinny arm could do it easily on my X10, with a couple of inches to spare. Maybe some day.
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  #13  
Old 01-19-2019, 09:09 PM
JimCA JimCA is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steelvibe View Post
What a cool idea! Maybe some washers made out of CF? Yes, they do exist and seem reasonably priced too

https://www.hillsidecomposites.com/i...iber-washers/2
Just ordered some CF washers. Some day soon!

Last edited by JimCA; 01-19-2019 at 09:53 PM.
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Old 01-20-2019, 12:17 AM
nuttyprof nuttyprof is offline
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Question: why the concerns about weight?
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Old 01-20-2019, 02:22 AM
byudzai byudzai is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GuitarLuva View Post
My question is how the hell did you manage to get your arm all the way down there to feed the string up through? I'm not the biggest person out there by no means but I can only get my arm so far in there in my X30.
It took some fishing -- I can only get so far also.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SpruceTop View Post
I'm ... I'm ... speechless ... but if it works for you, that's all that counts!
Do tell -- does it seem to go against good acoustic sensibilities?

Quote:
Originally Posted by nuttyprof View Post
Question: why the concerns about weight?
People and their bridge pins... folks swear on their lives that bone vs plastic vs wood changes tone, so a few grams SURELY must. And yet the pinless bridges work and sound just fine.... (i'm a naysayer!)
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