Calling Acoustic Enthusiasts - Bridge Pins

[andrewsrea]

I converted my 1985 Takamine E340-S to a bone nut and bridge decades ago. Having a revived interest in acoustics, I've been wondering how to get more volume & sustain (especially in the bass frequencies) and wandered across the subject of bridge pins. My Tak currently has the original black plastic pins.

My friend swapped the use of his 1968 Gibson Hummingbird for my Ludwig kit from 1982 to 1984, while I was attending college. That is the ultimate sound I am after.

Last Thursday by sheer serendipity, a friend of mine introduced me to a master builder (search 'Tom Bill's Guitars' or 'Tom Builds Guitars') who's starting price for his acoustics is $32K. I asked him and he said to definitely increase the brake-angle from the pins to the bone bridge using a bridge saw (the way pre-war Martins were made. He prefers solid bone pins, occasionally synthetic ivory (Graph Tech Tusq) for bright tones and Rosewood or Ebony (in that order) for moderately mellower, but even tones.

Anyone gone down this rabbit hole?

[Spike]

Well, I haven’t yet thank you. I have been looking for a way to tame the brightness of my Taylor. I may look into the Ebony pins…

[mickey]

I converted my 1985 Takamine E340-S to a bone nut and bridge decades ago. Having a revived interest in acoustics, I've been wondering how to get more volume & sustain (especially in the bass frequencies) and wandered across the subject of bridge pins. My Tak currently has the original black plastic pins.

My friend swapped the use of his 1968 Gibson Hummingbird for my Ludwig kit from 1982 to 1984, while I was attending college. That is the ultimate sound I am after.

Last Thursday by sheer serendipity, a friend of mine introduced me to a master builder (search 'Tom Bill's Guitars' or 'Tom Builds Guitars') who's starting price for his acoustics is $32K. I asked him and he said to definitely increase the brake-angle from the pins to the bone bridge using a bridge saw (the way pre-war Martins were made. He prefers solid bone pins, occasionally synthetic ivory (Graph Tech Tusq) for bright tones and Rosewood or Ebony (in that order) for moderately mellower, but even tones.

Anyone gone down this rabbit hole?

I use TUSQ pins on my Martins & Gibson. About 15 years ago a couple of NASA rocket scientists connect a spectrum analyzer to several different acoustic guitars and tested every type of bridge pin they could get their hands on & they called out the TUSQ as being the top choice for allaround use. They published their results in a thread on the UMGF forum.

[tonebender]

I have bone pins in my Martins that I use for gigs. My Martins are solid mahogany or sapele so they are not bright in general. That is what I prefer and I love the sound coming out of them. It is only recently that I went to the bone pins. I would like to say it makes a big difference but honestly I liked them before the pins too and I think any sonic effect is subtle.

[andrewsrea]

My Martins are solid mahogany or sapele so they are not bright in general.

My Tak EF340-S is a clone of a D-18 and also has solid mahogany sides, two-piece solid back, a solid one-piece spruce top and one-piece mahogany neck. It is also on the mellow and quiet side. Which is strange because the Gibson Hummingbird and my friend's Taylor are the same specs, except for scale length. Those guitars are a tad brighter, but much louder.

[tonebender]

In general I have found spruce tops brighter with the exception being if they are old. Every now and again though a spruce top will surprise me. I picked up a used Breedlove in GC Ocala just before Christmas 2023, and it was amazingly mellow and warm. I was there to look at Breedlove guitars made from myrtle wood and other exotic materials. I did not find one that spoke to me or my ear, and they had a bunch too. In my little mind I decided to reject the spruce top because of I have become so fond of tops made from mahogany. I should have bought it.

I have literally played 100s of acoustics over the last 7-8 years and I know exactly what I want it sound like. I can generally fret a G chord make one strum and the tonal assessment is done. A couple years ago I was picking up Yamaha acoustics in the $500-$1000 range and many of them were fantastic. I just did not want the brand. I think @stevebway is a big fan of Yamaha acoustics. This Christmas season I probably picked up several dozen Yamahas at different stores and not one sounded like those from 2 years ago. They changed something for sure.

[Rollin Hand]

[andrewsrea]

That was a great video! I might be in the market for a Harley Benton acoustic guitar now. That sounded great with the bone pins.

[Rollin Hand]

That was a great video! I might be in the market for a Harley Benton acoustic guitar now. That sounded great with the bone pins.

There are also a lot of vids with brass pins. Worth checking out, even if you don't end up going that route.

[tonebender]

I thought about brass pins, I have read a lot about them. Bone just seemed more traditional.

[Spike]

Well, my ebony bridge pins were delivered today…

[tonebender]

In that video there was definitely a difference but I am not sure which ones I liked better. It sure seemed like the bone pins resulted in a brighter tone.