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I've just been making some bridges and I noticed that one of the plans in my collection (Small concert by Brown- parlour guitar) shows the bridge pin holes drilled at an angle of about 10 deg or so. The inclination is the same kind of thing you would see in a tent peg- canted back toward the end block.

Does anybody drill pin holes at other than 90deg to the top? Any advantage?

Thanks
John

John,
I was my understanding that the old Larson guitars did this very thing. I've never done it myself, but on my next I will. About 10 degrees is about right for the angle. Not sure what effect it will have on sound, but I'm sure it won't hurt!
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Thanks, Tracy.
I'll check out the Larson idea.

It will be pretty simple to drill angled holes with the Tony Karol-type bridge jig I'm using, so I'll probably give it a try as well.

John

Bridge pins are not tent pegs. The string is not pulling the pin toward the saddle, and is not tied around the pin. What is supposed to be the advantage of angling them?

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

[QUOTE=Howard Klepper] Bridge pins are not tent pegs. The string is not pulling the pin toward the saddle, and is not tied around the pin. What is supposed to be the advantage of angling them?[/QUOTE]

Well, one possibility is that, with angled holes, the pin collars would be flush/parallel to the bridge surface if the bridge was contoured/sloped. Most contoured bridges I've seen depend on a countersink to 'soften' the mismatch between the pin hole edges and the bridge surface.

Of course, if the top of the bridge is parallel to the soundboard, angling the holes wouldn't be the way to go.

The angled pin idea just jumped out at me when I was checking my collection of plans and books before making a few bridges- it's certainly not common.

John