Kanile'a Islander, bridge pin puller doesnt work?

LihnChee

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Well I just ordered this Alice peg winder and bridge pin puller, I tried to remove the peg but it simply just dented my bridge pins?
Are the bridge pins bigger than the ones on a guitar?
Its an MT-4

All help is appreciated.
 
A pair of needle nose pliers and a couple of the free sticks for stirring paint at the paint store. You want perhaps two or three, just something to bridge from one side to the other so you do not put any pressure on the sound board. Carefully control your leverage with the pliers.
 
This is probably obvious but you did slack the strings before trying to remove the pegs? My pins just about fall out when I slack the strings but I can't budge them when I tune up to pitch.
 
This is probably obvious but you did slack the strings before trying to remove the pegs? My pins just about fall out when I slack the strings but I can't budge them when I tune up to pitch.
You are right Kauai808, I had taken it for granted that LihnChee had already done so.
 
Thanks for the replies guys, I had slackened the strings already
 
I haven't yet found a bridge puller that works well. The plastic notches on most string winders are simply too thick to fit closely spaced or bridge pins that sit close to the bridge surface.

Needle nose and some care not to damage surrounding wood is the only thing I use. Small side cutters work well if you're careful.
 
The notches on my string winder/bridge pin puller were as you say too thick. I filed a little bit off the edge so it fit perfectly and my son, being the opportunist decided to forget to return it. Oh well what are dads for.
 
hey LihnChee, I found that there's no easy way to get the bridge pins out of the islander lol. What I do is remove the strings from the tuners, and wrap the string around the bottom of the bridge pin tight, then pull upward. Idk if this is damaging to the uke, but it works for me, and my uke has no problems what so ever. Hope this helps!
 
I worked with a European luthier who used a pair of end cutters. He would place a small piece of scrap wood on the soundboard against the bridge, place the blades of the end cutters under the head of the bridge pin (as if to snip the head off) and use the scrap wood as a pivot in to pry the pin out by pressing downward on the handle of the tool. If you do it this way just don't squeeze. You can cut the head off.
 
Bridge pins on a ukulele are sacrilege, anyway. :)
 
I worked with a European luthier who used a pair of end cutters. He would place a small piece of scrap wood on the soundboard against the bridge, place the blades of the end cutters under the head of the bridge pin (as if to snip the head off) and use the scrap wood as a pivot in to pry the pin out by pressing downward on the handle of the tool. If you do it this way just don't squeeze. You can cut the head off.

That's the method I now prefer, as long as I remember not to squeeze too hard.
 
Needle nose pliers, side cutters, removing from the tuner and pulling upward on string. I have even used an old kitchen fork and pried upward with a couple of the tangs moved temporarily out of the way. As a previous poster has said "bridge pins on a uke" naughty naughty!! Personally I build with the standard offering of a knotted end on the string, or a classical bridge if asked for.
 
I worked with a European luthier who used a pair of end cutters. He would place a small piece of scrap wood on the soundboard against the bridge, place the blades of the end cutters under the head of the bridge pin (as if to snip the head off) and use the scrap wood as a pivot in to pry the pin out by pressing downward on the handle of the tool. If you do it this way just don't squeeze. You can cut the head off.
You say it so much better than I did. I automatically think that we have all the same skills but your mini epistle is clearly much better. Many thanks.
 
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sometimes you can stick a flat piece of wood into the sound hole and push them up from the inside but only as a last resort and do be careful. If it's a soprano just stick your finger up in there and push.
 
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