Breakpoints Shootout

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

It was an accurate description of the topic with a little metaphor thrown in for visualization.

Thanks for clearing that up!

I read the metaphor as implying that if you believe in the bridge-pin "science" we've been discussing, you're stupid. Like one would be who thought the bird crushed the grass, not the huge multi-ton land mammal the bird was riding on.

Just shows how words can be misconstrued without vocal inflection.

[musicman1951]

Originally Posted by AgentKooper

I don’t want to argue about bridge pins. I’d be happy to never read or talk about bridge pins here ever again. But I’m reading descriptions here of your ability to dial up specific, predictable, and obvious sound changes in a guitar simply by swapping out bridge pins. But that doesn’t comport with my experience. It doesn’t seem to have any basis in the physics of a guitar. And to my ear it’s not supported by any of the recorded “evidence” that keeps getting posted here. So it’s hard not to respond critically to the claims.

I don't (at all) want to sound demeaning, but I find it hard to believe you can't hear a difference between the plastic and the ebony. I can appreciate someone saying the difference is not significant enough for them to care about one way or the other - but not hearing it at all doesn't comport with my experience.

[Paddy1951]

To keep arguing about what different bridge pins do or don't do seems pointless.

For myself, there is a minor improvement over plastic. Even if there weren't... well they look nicer and hold up better.

But that is my take. MINE. I own it.

It appears to me that for some, this topic is more about being right and convincing others of that.

Why do any of you care what the others think? Pick the guitar that works for you. Use the strings that work for you. Do what ever works for you on your guitar(s).

Use kryptonite bridge pins if they work for you.

But stay away from Clark when you play.

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Yet again?

Several variables there including the mike positions (which do vary as you can readily hear (with localization if nothing else)
and the guitar player who varies his picking position and volume. Given that no real conclusions are possible.

YES!!! THIS^^^ Absolutely spot on!!!

And...

Any differences I heard were VERY slight...AND...any of the differences heard could easily be accounted for simply in normal random changes in playing position relative to the mic's, or changes in pick attack...strength of impact of the pick to the strings, or pick position relative to the sound hole.

Frankly, I was not at all impressed with his playing...he clammed a lot of notes on the scale/lead runs, and his tone was very thin, likely from playing too far back from the sound hole, towards the bridge. He could have warmed the tone up a lot just by playing much closer to, or, more over the sound hole.

You could even get as, or more dramatic, tone changes, just by changing string brands, alloy compounds, or string gauges used...but really just switching from one $7 set of strings to another brand of $7 strings would easily net you similar tonal changes to what you hear in this test.

Honestly, you could make the same...or even more dramatic...tonal changes heard in these tests just by changing your pick attack or picking position relative to the sound hole or changing pick materials, shape, and/or thickness...or any or all of the above.

A person could save a lot of money just by changing or improving their playing technique...attack...position over sound hole...pick angle, strike force...just simple technique improvements or simple pick material, size, or thickness changes. You wouldn't need go to the expense of switching out bridge pins to something considerably more expensive.

Bottom line...every change you hear here...or...whatever little change you hear here...cuz there ain't very much difference to be heard here IMO...you could do just on playing technique alone, without changing anything on the guitar...or at the very most...you could create the same tonal changes by just switching strings or picks, which you could easily do for less than $10.00 each total!

It's like golf...that $500 driver you buy ain't gonna do squat for your game if your still gonna hit it with your $5 swing.


Honestly...work and learn to play and build some decent, competent, reliable chops and thus tone on your guitar...then start looking at ways or things to change that tone with.


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[AgentKooper]

Originally Posted by musicman1951

I don't (at all) want to sound demeaning, but I find it hard to believe you can't hear a difference between the plastic and the ebony. I can appreciate someone saying the difference is not significant enough for them to care about one way or the other - but not hearing it at all doesn't comport with my experience.

I don’t feel demeaned! I would say I really couldn’t hear a difference. I listened a bunch of times. Sometimes I thought I heard a some slight variation, other times I didn’t. So my take is that if I wasn’t even sure whether I was hearing a difference, then I’m going to call that no difference. But let’s say for the sake of argument there was some small difference that I was vaguely perceiving — there’s no way anyone can attribute it to the bridge pins rather than to some minute difference in the strength of the player’s attack. You’d need a robot to do the playing to make these sort of recording tests at all reliable.