Really cool, or send it back??? Interesting!!!

[DanR]

Coincidentally, I ordered a set of Martin ebony pins with the abalone insert and received them just last week. I installed them over the weekend on my 000-18. I did notice that the pins had a kind of brownish hue almost looking the something in between the OP's two sets. They weren't the expected black but I'm ok with that and they look fine on my 000-18. I also think that the non-black set the OP received looks really cool.

[bufflehead]

I think they're gorgeous.

I have a similar set on one of my Martins, and think they look better installed than the all-black plastic look.

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by 619TF

Of course, since I always seem to be "the one", I prefer the solidly black. In fact I specifically went to Taylor and sifted through their entire stock to get a set that matched up the way I wanted them to. I intentionally chose a Taylor with the least amount of fretboard streaking, changed the tuners to "ebonoid" thanks to another forum member here and wanted bridge pins that matched all that but had the abalone dots too. The pins that came on the guitar were all black ebony and I was trying to keep things uniform.

Ha! I'm usually "the one" lol. I tend to be a little OCD when it comes to things. The pins are beautiful, but might look "too fancy" with the 18 series vibe. I'll put them in and decide.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

One set is perfectly ebony, and the other set is straight out of the Taylor streaked ebony playbook!

Much of the "perfectly" ebony wood you'll see on new guitars today is streaked ebony that has been dyed.

[Rodger Knox]

Originally Posted by devellis

I like the streaked pins. They look sort of like Macassar ebony, which I consider a very attractive wood. But I can imagine being disappointed in them if I were expecting solid black pins on a guitar that I'd intended for solid black. So, any disappointment wouldn't be with their inherent appearance but only with a failure to get what was expected if I really was after dark black.

Personally, I definitely have some guitars that they'd look great on and I do like the way they look.

They do indeed look like Macassar. Gaboon usually has grey streaks, if it's not completely black. My experience is limited, I've only cut a dozen or so fingerboards from three or four different pieces of ebony.

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by Rodger Knox

They do indeed look like Macassar. Gaboon usually has grey streaks, if it's not completely black. My experience is limited, I've only cut a dozen or so fingerboards from three or four different pieces of ebony.

I'm thinking about speaking with Martin just to see if this happens from time to time. I put them on the D-18 last night, and I'm not sure I like them installed. Yes, they are unique and look amazing, but they throw off the 18 series look to me. They will need to grow on me for sure.

[varmonter]

Those are the most hideous looking pins ive ever seen!!
Seriously I think you should send them to me and i will dispose of them properly.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

Sheesh. Talk about your first world problems. I've been playing for 40 years and still have plastic pins on my newest guitar.

I prefer plastic pins myself, especially the hard plastic ivoroid pins that Stewart-MacDonald sells:

Ivoroid Waverly Bridgepins from StewMac

But most of my guitars have the stock bridgepins that they came with, the main exception being with the pins that have worn out or broken and needed to be replaced.

I prefer plastic pins because they're light, they don't affect the tone, and they're impervious to humidity changes.


whm

[Shades of Blue]

I dunno guys...I’m torn. Here they are on the D-18. They look beautiful but not sure I like the look as a whole...

IMG_5104.jpg

IMG_5107.jpg

And with the darker pins...

IMG_5108.jpg

IMG_5109.jpg

[Wade Hampton]

As has been stated before, it's really a matter of personal taste. I like the variegated color of those pins on that guitar because I think they go nicely with the tortoiseshell celluloid pickguard and binding of the D-18. But you clearly want a more uniform appearance.

Since it's your guitar, you should use the pins you prefer. But if it was mine, I don't think it's any mystery which pins I'd choose.


whm

[Slim]

I like them for the same reason Wade does. They go nicely with your pickguard. Hope this doesn't make you want to change the pickguard to black in order to match the black pins you like!

Tim

[Mycroft]

I like 'em both. BUT, I would not think that they would look good on every guitar. In a "traditional" design like a D-18 I think that the black would look better, which the black and brown pins would look good on a more modern design. UNLESS there was some other brown showing in the ebony of the fretboard or bridge. The bit of color on the pickguard looks more reddish than brown, so there are no other color matches that I see. My Dunn has a nice skunk stripe of brown on the fretboard, and those pins would look great on it. (I like the bone that is there now, FYI). But I think the black pins look more "right."

You only choice is to keep both sets, put the black pins in the D-18, and then to buy another guitar that matches your colored pins.

I'm glad that we've had time for this little chat...

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

I like 'em both. BUT, I would not think that they would look good on every guitar. In a "traditional" design like a D-18 I think that the black would look better, which the black and brown pins would look good on a more modern design. UNLESS there was some other brown showing in the ebony of the fretboard or bridge. The bit of color on the pickguard looks more reddish than brown, so there are no other color matches that I see. My Dunn has a nice skunk stripe of brown on the fretboard, and those pins would look great on it. (I like the bone that is there now, FYI). But I think the black pins look more "right."



You only choice is to keep both sets, put the black pins in the D-18, and then to buy another guitar that matches your colored pins.



I'm glad that we've had time for this little chat...

I’m 100% with you! I’m going to put them on my 000-18 when it arrives and see how I like them. If I don’t jive with them, I’ll put them up for sale here!

[Pura Vida]

I have a dread that has a bridge with a few streaks in it, and they'd be perfect for it. I think you could go either way on your guitar, but probably prefer the black.

[Duck916]

Originally Posted by 619TF

Of course, since I always seem to be "the one", I prefer the solidly black. In fact I specifically went to Taylor and sifted through their entire stock to get a set that matched up the way I wanted them to. I intentionally chose a Taylor with the least amount of fretboard streaking, changed the tuners to "ebonoid" thanks to another forum member here and wanted bridge pins that matched all that but had the abalone dots too. The pins that came on the guitar were all black ebony and I was trying to keep things uniform.

There's a reason they make chocolate and vanilla. I am looking for a new Taylor and will search out the one with the most fretboard streaking. To each his own.

To the OP--both sets of pins look beautiful. But I prefer the non-uniform ones. Full of character. The streaking assures me they are real wood.