Bone vs. Plastic bridge pins

[Dustinfurlow]

The other day I took some plastic bridge pins off of my lady's Larrivee and replaced with bone and it completely killed the tone. Was very surprised. It's a Italian/Mahogany 12-fretter that had plenty of life and sustain to it but then all of a sudden sounded dull. This was right after putting new strings on. I tried doing the same to one of my guitars with ebony pins and the same thing happened, dead strings.

In the past I had an engelmann/walnut Larrivee and replaced its ebony bins with the bone and it brightened it up so much it made me sick.

Just think it's crazy how much little pins can affect sound. It's worth experimenting if you have a guitar you're not crazy about. Maybe try that simple change and see what happens. I always thought just the saddle, nut and strings were determining factors since company's like Martin will put plastic pins on their D-28s but nope!

Happy picking

[Mr. Scott]

I had an HD 28 for some years and in the time it was with me I experimented with brass pins. The idea is to add mass to the bridge. It is not a real improvement, in fact it's just a change as the added mass affects the soundboard's movement. I soon went back to Martin's plastic ones.
Whether bone pins have enough density to have similar effects I do not know. It would seem that maybe they do? But I would have thought it unlikely. These are interesting little experiments though, and do no permanent damage.

[mercy]

I really dont like the idea of plastic anywhere on a guitar but its my opinion that plastic pins are the best. They seem to be the most transparent or maybe its cause theyre the lightest.

[Silly Moustache]

My experience is the opposite to that of the Ops. Most of my guitars came with ebony pins and I like the look of bone in an ebony bridge so i change them. Sonically I feel they tend to add just a little extra treble.

[Athens]

My experience has been mixed. In most cases changing the pins to bone or wood has improved the tone and sustain.

The one consistent exception is on Guilds that I have owned. With the exception of one JF50, the original plastic Guild pins always sounded better than anything else I tried.

I'm not sure what secret ingredient Guild put in those pins back in the 70's and 80's, but it sure made a difference.

[TokyoNeko]

What I've done historically is to use pins made out of bone or water buffalo horn (depending on the color of the original pins) for guitars valued at $1000 or above. Currently, the Worland and the Pono have horn pins.

With guitars that cost less, I have replaced plastic pins with those made of Tusq or any leftover ebony pins that might be around when installing bone/horn pins on the aforementioned $1k+ guitars. Currently, the Go Grande has Tusq pins.

I just don't like the cheap ABS plastic pins, period. Tusq is acceptable on inexpensive guitars.

[Rodger Knox]

Originally Posted by Athens

My experience has been mixed. In most cases changing the pins to bone or wood has improved the tone and sustain.

The one consistent exception is on Guilds that I have owned. With the exception of one JF50, the original plastic Guild pins always sounded better than anything else I tried.

I'm not sure what secret ingredient Guild put in those pins back in the 70's and 80's, but it sure made a difference.

It wasn't the pins, it was the way Guild built those tops, to function better with lighter pins. The pin material doesn't make any real difference, but the weight of the pins may make a difference. Some guitars are more sensitive to minor changes in bridge weight, others not so much.

[mercy]

If you dont want cheap plastic pins get expensive ones. Stewart Mc Donald have Waverly pins machined out of Galalith. I maintain that pins change the tone but the variable is what tone you like.
I like the tone plastic pins encourage and dont like the sound of wood pins. I am a wood fanatic so this is theoretically egregious but is from my experience.

[Dustinfurlow]

Originally Posted by mercy

If you dont want cheap plastic pins get expensive ones. Stewart Mc Donald have Waverly pins machined out of Galalith. I maintain that pins change the tone but the variable is what tone you like.
I like the tone plastic pins encourage and dont like the sound of wood pins. I am a wood fanatic so this is theoretically egregious but is from my experience.

There with you. I can't stand the idea of plastic on my guitars but if it keeps the tone and sustain lively, they're staying. I haven't bothered changing the wood pins in my Beneteau but may try. My McIlroy has pinless bridge so that's obviously not changing, but wow, I may get plastic pins for my larrivee and see what happens. It's a mellow guitar currently as it hasn't really broken in yet. Maybe plastic will lighten it up

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Dustinfurlow

There with you. I can't stand the idea of plastic on my guitars but if it keeps the tone and sustain lively, they're staying. I haven't bothered changing the wood pins in my Beneteau but may try. My McIlroy has pinless bridge so that's obviously not changing, but wow, I may get plastic pins for my larrivee and see what happens. It's a mellow guitar currently as it hasn't really broken in yet. Maybe plastic will lighten it up

That Martin still uses plastic pins on their D models (correct?) tells me everything they need to know. They've gotten it right for close to 200 years, so I kinda trust them to get it right these days too.

At the quantities they would buy them, bone would not cost them much more than plastic, so on a $3000 guitar I don't see this as a cost-cutting measure.

memmer

[vindibona1]

I recently did an experiment on my Taylor 614ce and got a set of bone pins and a set of buffalo horn. The bone pins did not produce a huge change either way. The BUFFALO pins did, providing more of a piano-like sound. While it was a good sound, the original ebony pins provided the warmth that it needed.

Hmm.... I'm inclined to try the Buffalo on my 814 to see if it makes any difference. BRB .

Edit: Ok I'm back.... Tried the buffalo horn in my 814. They seemed to imbalance the sound of the guitar and felt like it partially lost its mojo. Put the original ebony ones back in immediately.

I would imagine that some guitars would benefit from bridge pin swaps, others not so much. I guess you gotta try to know.

[Cm3ohana]

Originally Posted by TokyoNeko

What I've done historically is to use pins made out of bone or water buffalo horn (depending on the color of the original pins) for guitars valued at $1000 or above. Currently, the Worland and the Pono have horn pins.

With guitars that cost less, I have replaced plastic pins with those made of Tusq or any leftover ebony pins that might be around when installing bone/horn pins on the aforementioned $1k+ guitars. Currently, the Go Grande has Tusq pins.

I just don't like the cheap ABS plastic pins, period. Tusq is acceptable on inexpensive guitars.

+1 I agree although I generally will keep whatever pins came with a guitar that's > $2,000 while the ones that are less than $2,000 generally have Tusq pins.

[TKT]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

That Martin still uses plastic pins on their D models (correct?) tells me everything they need to know. They've gotten it right for close to 200 years, so I kinda trust them to get it right these days too.

At the quantities they would buy them, bone would not cost them much more than plastic, so on a $3000 guitar I don't see this as a cost-cutting measure.

memmer

True that, but plastic also has very little variation except in the shell inlay. Martin wants consistency. Bone has too much character, and can also be inconsistent in density. But I agree, some guitars want their plastic pins! For mine I have yet to put in bone and not find an improvement, if just in looks, but I also make sure they fit exactly. I wish Martin had ivoroid pins as an option.

[ShawnH]

I prefer unslotted high-quality plastic for bridge pins - antique acoustics are the best I have found. But I have some from Stew Mac that I really like as well.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by Rodger Knox

It wasn't the pins, it was the way Guild built those tops, to function better with lighter pins. The pin material doesn't make any real difference, but the weight of the pins may make a difference. Some guitars are more sensitive to minor changes in bridge weight, others not so much.

Hi Roger.

I'd never heard that but it certainly fits what I've experienced. And coming from a PE it carries just a bit of authority.

Thanks for the explanation!