Bridge Pins

Hi all I am thinking of putting bridge pins in my currant build. My question is do I have to taper the holes? And do they have to have slots as well






Thanks Perry

As far as I know, they don't have to have slots as well, if the pins are properly aligned. Slots are for when your strings are coming from a spot that is not aligned with where you want the strings to be on the bridge, and the slots keep the strings in the right spot.

You will need to taper the holes to get a good fit. There are 2 size tapers that are used. Most common is 3 degrees, but 5 degrees is also out there.

If you are using slotted bridge pins then you do not need to slot the holes, but if straight pins without channels cut in them for the strings, then you will need to slot them.

You do not need nor want to slot the saddle unless you have some very definite reason too.

A bridge pin tapering reamer can be a pretty pricey unit. You might reconsider when you see this.

You will need either slots in the holes, or slotted pins. The bridge pins from Stew-Mac have a 5 degree taper. People misunderstand how bridge pins work. You are NOT using them as a wedge and relying on friction to hold them in place. That is how pins get jammed in and stuck, and also why they sometimes fly out. Their sole purpose is to hold the knot in the string against the bottom of the bridge plate, and it is the knot and the bridge patch that do the work. The pin is inserted with just enough force that it does not fall out. With this in mind, I think it is a better design to have the slots in the holes. To install the string, you insert the knotted string into the hole, move it sideways into the slot and pull it tight against the bottom of the bridge plate and then insert the pin, applying just enough pressure that it stays there.

Brad

Thank you for your responses

Very good explanation Brad.

You see a lot of repair work on guitars where they use slotted pins, and because the ball end isn't help very well under the hardwood bridge patch, it starts to climb up the hole. Eventually requiring the bridge patch to be repaired or replace. I always use un-slotted pins and make sure that the slot cut into the bridge / patch is very well fitting. Once under tension it's possible to pull the pin out and the string stays put.

I would agree with Allen.

Allen said:

Very good explanation Brad.

You see a lot of repair work on guitars where they use slotted pins, and because the ball end isn't help very well under the hardwood bridge patch, it starts to climb up the hole. Eventually requiring the bridge patch to be repaired or replace. I always use un-slotted pins and make sure that the slot cut into the bridge / patch is very well fitting. Once under tension it's possible to pull the pin out and the string stays put.

Click to expand...

Thanks Allen, I tend to get on my soapbox on this subject becuase I have spent countless hours removing bridge pins that have been hammered in place by a gorilla.

Brad