Ebony bridge pins vs plastic

[sakuarius102]

Hi everyone, I just made a comparison between the sound of Ebony bridge pins vs plastic bridge pins. In the description box is the time for each part .

If you click , you can go directly to each part.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDyy24kff68



Thanks and sorry for my english

[doublescale1]

Thanks for all the work. To me the ebony pins sound brighter and more articulate than the plastic pins. I just bought some ebony pins to replace the plastic pins on my Martins. Hope I get the same results.

[christoph.penny]

Originally Posted by doublescale1

Thanks for all the work. To me the ebony pins sound brighter and more articulate than the plastic pins. I just bought some ebony pins to replace the plastic pins on my Martins. Hope I get the same results.

Did your pins look shiny when you got them as I ordered some ebony of Amazon and they look plastic and don't feel woody

Sent from my XT1021 using Tapatalk

[cooper59]

in my opinion there isn't a choice. i have used bone all my life. recently bought some antique plastic pins from elderly. i will never put bone on a guitar again for bridge pins. These look amazing and don't effect the sound at all.

[Misty44]

Originally Posted by cooper59

in my opinion there isn't a choice. i have used bone all my life. recently bought some antique plastic pins from elderly. i will never put bone on a guitar again for bridge pins. These look amazing and don't effect the sound at all.

Keep in mind that not all "plastic" is the same.

Willi Henkes' Antique Replica Pins that you have are hard plastic galalith compounds that rival the hardness, density, and durability of bone without any harshness. Many guitars ship with soft thermoplastic pins: they're cheap by comparison (especially for the quantity needed by guitar manufacturers), don't contribute much sonically, and are easily damaged under tension, especially in unslotted pin holes.

States Willi: "Galalith is what I use for the new Antique Replicas. Actually I think galalith is by far the best material available today. It is in hardness, mass and durability very similar and even better working than the old hard celluloid (i.e. bakelite as used for prewar Martin pins) in my opinion. Thermoplastic for pins is the worst."

[PTC Bernie]

All you can say is that it's going to sound different.

The guitars that surprised me were the Guilds. With one exception, every time I tried bone or ivory pins on a Guild I wound up going back to the original pins.

Maybe it was the type of plastic they used?

Maybe it's a question for a new thread?

[kdn]

tusq--i replaced all the pins on my guits with tusq. thats the starting point for me.

[Ed-in-Ohio]

For those who do not know, or who have never seen it, AGF sponsor Maury's Music has a nice webpage on Guitar Bridge Pins and their effect on tone.

[westman]

Screaming at me because of it’s absents in ‘polymer’ as in the ‘poly’ pins fitted to some Martin Authentic’s, don’t think I’ve ever seen them mention here as a superior pin material and yet CFM see fit to stick them in they’re $5k + guitars - very odd.
Other ‘A’ guitars just have plastic ?
So much for authenticity
I prefer the lack of sound coloration of plastic, heavier materials change the guitars sound.
Time for a blindfold test ?

Martin pins

http://theunofficialmartinguitarforu...6#.V5ts047F53k

[Mr. Jelly]

I could not really say I've ever heard a difference in sound because of of a change in material of pins. I do go with bone or ebony but that's just because I like the idea of natural materials.



Peace

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Originally Posted by Misty44

Keep in mind that not all "plastic" is the same.

Willi Henkes' Antique Replica Pins that you have are hard plastic galalith compounds that rival the hardness, density, and durability of bone without any harshness. Many guitars ship with soft thermoplastic pins: they're cheap by comparison (especially for the quantity needed by guitar manufacturers), don't contribute much sonically, and are easily damaged under tension, especially in unslotted pin holes.

States Willi: "Galalith is what I use for the new Antique Replicas. Actually I think galalith is by far the best material available today. It is in hardness, mass and durability very similar and even better working than the old hard celluloid (i.e. bakelite as used for prewar Martin pins) in my opinion. Thermoplastic for pins is the worst."

Stew-Mac's basic bridge pins are Galalith. I like them a lot.

[dawhealer]

Originally Posted by doublescale1

Thanks for all the work. To me the ebony pins sound brighter and more articulate than the plastic pins. I just bought some ebony pins to replace the plastic pins on my Martins. Hope I get the same results.

Whenever I buy a guitar, if it doesn't already have ebony bridge pins, that's the first thing I change. I don't like the sound OR the look of plastic pins. One exception to ebony was snakewood pins I put on my Tacoma DM-9. Again, aesthetically and tonally pleasing.

[Sonics]

I've seen the Youtube videos and I'm convinced. Now can some one explain the science. How does bridge pin material affect the tone?

[Tuberoast]

I play a mahogany/spruce OM. It came with ebony pins, they sound great but on a whim I put a set of hard lightweight plastic pins in, and they have stayed in. The plastic pins were a little more open sounding.

[Rodger Knox]

Originally Posted by Sonics

I've seen the Youtube videos and I'm convinced. Now can some one explain the science. How does bridge pin material affect the tone?

It's the weight more than anything. Very small differences in the weight of the bridge system can affect the way the top vibrates.