Bridge Pin Question

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Indigoblues
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2018 4:05 pm

Bridge Pin Question

Post: # 121Post Indigoblues
Fri Oct 19, 2018 5:15 pm

Hi All,
Can't tell you how happy I am to have the Forum back!! Many, many thanks to Frank, Eric and all involved with resurrecting the site and, of course, to Ed for all his years of supporting the old Forum.

So a question I have been wanting to post for sometime has to do with bridge pins. I have a couple of Collings OM-1s: a Traditional (Adi top) with the faux tortoise plastic pins and an older OM-1 (deep body, German top with Adi braces and no tongue brace) with ebony pins. Although I love the neck and the incredible responsiveness of the Traditional, I have not been thrilled with the bass response compared to the older OM-1. The Traditional's bass response has definitely improved over the year I have played it, but I have been tempted to swap out the T's plastic pins for ebony pins (Stew-Mac?) to hear what difference they might make. Has anyone tried swapping out their plastic Traditional bridge pins for ebony? What kind of difference in tone resulted?

So happy to be able to check in on the Forum without having to negotiate the Facebook connection!!

Indigoblues

jljohn
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:46 pm

Re: Bridge Pin Question

Post: # 134Post jljohn
Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:55 pm

For what it's worth, those aren't "plastic" pin, at least in the usual sense that term is used regarding bridge pins. They are galalith--Waverly dark tortoise to be precise: https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Pa ... _Pins.html It's the same material used to make the Antique Acoustics pins.

I haven't changed the pins on my traditional, but I have on other guitars. I'd expect very little difference in tone when changing from the galalith to the Stew Mac ebony pins. In my experience, it is the difference in total mass of the pins, more than the difference in the material making up the pins, that impacts the tone. In this case, the galalith pins weigh in at .010 lbs whereas the ebony pins spec at .0096 lbs. Thats a very scant difference!

Randy Carone
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2018 1:20 am

Re: Bridge Pin Question

Post: # 158Post Randy Carone
Tue Oct 23, 2018 7:07 pm

Indigo,
I have an OM3HG from 2000 that has serious play and gig time on it. I bought it used (from MandoBros) when it was about a year old. Seemed unplayed. I played it regularly in an acoustic duo and band. After about 9 months the bass took a noticeable and sudden increase. This was noticed by two bandmates without me mentioning it. We were in an intimate acoustic setting when we practiced so it was an excellent situation to evaluate. I don't think pins will make much of a difference. Try John Pearse PB light gauge (.012s). Like several others on the Forum (of old), I felt that .013s or Mediums inhibited the top and .012s sounded much better. YMMV.
For what it is worth, I worked in polymers for 20 years and galalith is a plastic, which is not to say it isn't a fine material for acoustic guitar pins.
From Wiki: Galalith (Erinoid in the United Kingdom) is a synthetic plastic material manufactured by the interaction of casein and formaldehyde.

Indigoblues
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2018 4:05 pm

Re: Bridge Pin Question

Post: # 161Post Indigoblues
Wed Oct 24, 2018 6:44 pm

jljohn and Randy,
Many thanks for the information on the OM-1 Traditional "galalith" bridge pins. Surprising that galalith is actually more dense than ebony and agreed that their similarity in density will not have much impact on tone if I swap them.

The bass (and overall) tone of my Traditional have definitely improved since new, but my older OM-1 had outstanding bass from new. I will give the Traditional more play and hope that the bass response opens up like your OM3HG, Randy. On the other hand, my Traditional has always felt more responsive than my older OM-1 and has been just a joy to play.

I have also thought about swapping strings and recall how popular the Pearse PB's were on the old Forum. Any thoughts about the mixed gauge ("Medium Light," .012-.054) sets that some manufacturers (Mangan) offer? Do you think the heavier bass strings would inhibit the top movement or enhance bass response? Should probably start a separate "String" thread...

Thanks again, Indigoblues

Mwyates
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2018 11:51 am

Re: Bridge Pin Question

Post: # 302Post Mwyates
Mon Nov 12, 2018 3:31 am

It’s been my experience that pins might make a bit of difference in the high end, but none in the low. I suspect it may be that your Ad top needs more time to loosen up.

Silly Moustache
Posts: 103
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2018 10:58 am

Re: Bridge Pin Question

Post: # 454Post Silly Moustache
Sun Dec 23, 2018 12:11 am

Hi, I have two DS2hs and two DS1s (please don't ask me why) and a 0002h.

None of them have the original ebony pins. I swapped them out for bone pins not for anty tonal shortcomings but because I like to see bone pins in an ebony bridge.

However, I did "perceive" a slight increase in the treble sustain.

It caused me to develop a theory that Bill decided that his guitars would be balanced and so perceived as bright compared to Martin and Gibson originals so a neutral in was better than anything that increased that brightness.

I have one set of FW from Bob Colosi which are currently on my Waterloo -- and I certainly perceive more treble and a more condensed bass.

Maybe it's just me and my ancient ol' ears.

Derek
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2018 6:50 pm

Re: Bridge Pin Question

Post: # 697Post Derek
Sun Feb 10, 2019 5:01 am

If anything in theory you should get more bass response with lighter bridge pins, but you probably won't hear a difference.
Not surprising that the older OM-1 (deep body) would have more bass response.

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