Slotted bone bridge pins

thomasross20

I may need to a set of these but not sure the best place to buy good high quality ones in UK is... Any recommendations? Thanks!

thomasross20

I am basically trying a guitar out shortly but it looks like it may have brass pins (!) so I could potentially take it home under 14 day rule, replace the pins and see if sounds better or not

drofluf

You’ll need to know the taper of the pins. What guitar is it? Someone may have the same model and be able to help. But given your second post you may not want to say. 

Tannin

drofluf said:

You’ll need to know the taper of the pins. What guitar is it? Someone may have the same model and be able to help. But given your second post you may not want to say. 

Well, we know his habits. I reckon it's either a Larrivee, or else a Larrivee.

Chances are that it will go fine with pins borrowed from one of his others. 

thomasross20

Larrivee haha  
I guess I could remove the pins from another, bit of a pain, though. 

Tannin

Slacken off the strings (you can leave them on), then reach into the sound hole to push the pins out out with your finger (trick ® @ICBM). ;

thomasross20

Btw if removing ALL strings should one not adjust the truss rod to account for lack of tension on the neck? I can never remember which way lol

Mellish

@thomasross20 ; I get bone bridge pins from JP Guitars. Happy with them.

There's also Small Wonder and Chris Alsop but I have no experience of either. 

The bridge pins King (IMO) is Bob Colosi but he's in the US.

EDIT: Alsop may only offer wooden bridge pins. 

 

Winny_Pooh

thomasross20 said:

Btw if removing ALL strings should one not adjust the truss rod to account for lack of tension on the neck? I can never remember which way lol

Unless you plan to leave it for a few months then no. 

thomasross20

Thanks, guys! Will check JP Guitars. 

Ah, I thought the amount of pressure of the neck is IMMENSE so if you remove that even for an hour it really isn't very good for the guitar

Tannin

As I understand it, you mostly only need to worry much when you have very old, delicate instruments. Rules like "Never change all the strings at once" only apply to them. Or so I believe.

Mellish

@thomasross20, ; just before you order, check taper as @drofluf said and remove a bridge pin on one of your Larrivee's. Check if the slot stops at the skirt (collar) or goes through and order the same if you're happy with the fit. 

 

thomasross20

The luthier I use defo tweaks the truss rod a little when removing them all, hmm. 
I wish I could just order them direct from Larrivee but U.S. shipping is crazy - I'll check into that, thanks!

Mellish

Here you go:
.210", 3 degree, slotted through skirt.

 

thomasross20

How'd you get that info!?  

earwighoney

thomasross20 said:

How'd you get that info!?  

It's on the Colosi site. 

ICBM

I would say specifically that you *shouldn’t* take the tension off the truss rod if you’re just restringing, cleaning or whatever - it will cause far more stability problems before it settles down again when you put the tension back on.

Yes if you’re going to leave it with no strings for weeks, or ship it through climatic changes where it will certainly need adjusting at the other end anyway, otherwise no.

Mellish

@thomasross20, ;just put "bridge pins size chart" and Google it.

 

DavidR

In answer to question @thomasross20 ;;. Amazon.

Bone pins are cheap so you can just buy a set or two until you find the ideal ones for the particular acoustic you're modding. On the different guitars need different sizes thing? A counsel of perfection really. Over the years I have accumulated several sets of different materials and just tend to swap in and out of the different acoustics I have had, with an emphasis on bone which I usually like best for tone and which fit OK'ish. Others will say that's not good, pins need to fit snug for good contact etc. but, in my experience, the process of tightening the string ensures good contact with the bridge even when the pins are a little loose. Slight looseness certainly doesn't interfere with the mechanism of holding the string end in, especially if you ensure the pins are kept pushed down during tightening. Tightening itself usually wedges the pin in firmly.

I like these ones best as a rule with jolly abalone bits!
Crosby Pure Bone Bridge Pins with Abalone Dot Inlay for 6 & 12 String Acoustic Guitar : Amazon.co.uk: Musical Instruments & DJ

There are others
VANSON High Quality Bone Bridge Pins for Acoustic Guitars/String Pegs/Plain (Slotted) : Amazon.co.uk: Musical Instruments & DJ

Sometimes you get freebies too
Donner Guitar Bridge Pins 6PCS Acoustic Guitar Cattle Bone Bridge Pins Inlaid 3mm Green Abalone Dot with Guitar Pins Puller, Acoustic Guitar DIY Replacement Parts : Amazon.co.uk: Musical Instruments & DJ

Hope you find/have found some good ones for you.

:-)

ICBM

DavidR said:

On the different guitars need different sizes thing? A counsel of perfection really. Over the years I have accumulated several sets of different materials and just tend to swap in and out of the different acoustics I have had, with an emphasis on bone which I usually like best for tone and which fit OK'ish. Others will say that's not good, pins need to fit snug for good contact etc. but, in my experience, the process of tightening the string ensures good contact with the bridge even when the pins are a little loose. Slight looseness certainly doesn't interfere with the mechanism of holding the string end in, especially if you ensure the pins are kept pushed down during tightening. Tightening itself usually wedges the pin in firmly.

A lot of people who don’t understand how the pin holds the string in place think they need to be a tight fit - this can often lead to them getting stuck if pushed in too hard.

In fact, the perfect fit is when they *just* grip when pushed down fully to the head, but can still be easily pulled out with your fingers. Once the ball is pulling against the *side* and not the end of the pin, they’re locked in place as you say. If the pin pops out when you tighten the string, it’s almost always because the ball is in the wrong place, not because the pin is too loose.

If they’re *really* loose then that sometimes doesn’t quite work, but they have to be basically rattling around in the holes for that to happen. Although if the bridgeplate hole is chewed up underneath, it sometimes can even if the pin is the right fit.

Too tight so they won’t go fully down to the head is also wrong. I couldn’t possibly count the number of acoustics I’ve worked on with damaged or broken-off pins and gouged bridges because they’ve been jammed in so tight they won’t shift, and then the owner tries to use pliers or something to pull them out. Even then, the solution is simply to slacken all the strings and use a coin or a pick held on your finger tip to push them out from the inside…

thomasross20

Well I wont be needing the pins BUT I'm glad I started the thread as, as ever, a lot of amazing info from very knowledgeable folk - thank you!