Bridge pins and acoustic guitar tone

[Col Mustard]

Personally, I’d think the bridge pin material would have less of an effect on tone than the saddle and bridge material.

Did you notice a difference in the past when you’ve tried bone, ebony, plastic, and ivory?

To be honest, I have to admit that I’ve never thought about the influence of the bridge pins on tone. I never knew it was a thing! I’ve just kept the stock pins.

Interesting topic; seems there could be legitimate differences.
Maybe help brighten or subdue brightness based on the host guitar's character.
Sounds like a whole 'nother arena for lots of snake oil too.

So after a week or so of playing this beast, I like it.
He likes it! Hey Mikey!

I have used ebony on other guitars, and recommend it. This is an inexpensive mod,
so if youse guys have a guitar with an overly bright tone, I recommend ebony.
It rounded the tones I'm hearing from my J-45 and I like it fine.

Search Results for bridge pin sets | stewmac.com

If you have a guitar that sounds dull and uninteresting, I recommend tusq, or bone
if you don't mind the price. StewMac's 'Ivoroid" might be good to brighten up a dull
guitar's tone. Bone is likely the best, since Fossil Mammoth Ivory or Fossil Walrus seems
overly pricey. I don't think anyone needs to buy those things, although they have a
fascinating mystique, and I'd love to have some... just to hear what they would do.
It's not like anyone shot a mammoth for its tusks... at least not in the last 11,000
years.

Once you get started down the path of exploited animal parts, you
may be on your way to hell on a sled... or on the Highway to Hell...
Why not use the fangs of euthanized pit bulls... it might give your music
an edge, or put some bite into it. Me, I'm happy with ebony.

 

[Col Mustard]

update update update! this just in:

Something else that can affect the tone of yer acoustic, much more than a set of
bridge pins: WHEN YER BRIDGE BEGINS TO LIFT OFF THE GUITAR TOP, DUE
TO SITTING PRETTILY ON A STAND THROUGH THE COLDEST (AND DRIEST) TIME
OF A NORTH COUNTRY WINTER!!!!

I learned this the hard way, of course. My new Gibbie's bridge did begin to lift.
And I'm not blaming Gibson... I take responsibility because I loved my new guitar too
much, and wanted her on a stand in my living room so I could look up from my
reading and admire her, like ye miser fingering ye gold coins. heh heh heh...

I actually did run a humidifier in the same room, but temperatures got so extreme for
a couple weeks that the furnace was cranking on overdrive and the moisture was sucked
out of everything. I mean everything. So the humidifier was inadequate, and I didn't
know that.

My intrepid luthier pointed this out when I brought the new Gibbie in for a neck adjustment.
She had been set up perfectly for me by Sweetwater (or Gibson Montana)... somebody did.
I'd been playing her hard since about a year ago when I bought the instrument.
I'd played her from Boston to West Nowhere Wisconsin, and from Saulte Ste. Marie to Surfside
Tx. Played her on hot stages and cold dry rooms... from a place in Louisiana where we could
look out the windows and see the water in the sloughs, fifty feet from the house and two feet
below the foundations... to another place where they had an open fire at t'other end of the room.
That'll dry out yer guitar, for sure.

My luthier corrected the situation beautifully for me, and got the bridge reshaped and
re installed, clamped and glued down tight. We talked about whether to try and pursue Gibson on
a warranty claim, and I decided I didn't want to wait in a line of "creditors" from whom Gibson is
seeking protection. So I paid for the repairs, knowing I should have taken better care of my
guitar, and now we move forward.

Be Ye Warned Hereby... humidify your music room... get yourself an Oasis to stick in the sound hole,
and keep your prized acoustic in its case, with the oasis during extremes of temperature and dryness.

 

[Leedspool]

I run a humidifier in my music basement, but must admit haven’t filled it the last week dues to lazy ness, I will be filling it tonight

 

[smitty_p]

I gotta admit...my attitude of doing everything myself hits a limit with acoustic guitars.

I will happily dive into doing just about anything on an electric, but acoustics are a different beastie. This is where training and experience are at a premium.

It’s cool that you have a good luthier for your acoustic, Colonel.

 

[Col Mustard]

yes, he's very busy but he likes me because I've brought most all of my collection to him
at one time or another, plus I bring my friends to him with their guitar problems.

So he gives me excellent and expert service, and I'm very grateful.
Here's his web site:

Home