Official Luthiers Forum!

OLFers, any of you bugged by ill-fitting pins? I am.

We grab a drill bit and poke two holes through the top and position the bridge for gluing. Usually that bit is a 3/16ths inch bit.

As you know, the end of a bridge pin is way less than 3/16ths allowing the ball to creep into the cavity of a slotted pin and the bridge plate.

Why don't we make bridge pins straight, a perfect 3/16th's of an inch? With a 3/16ths hole, it would kick the ball out onto the plate.

Secondarily, why not just kiss the slotted pin goodbye and slot the tiniest place for a string to go through the bridge top and lodge on the bridgeplate. Surely the contact with the pin would keep it right where it needs to be.

Oh, I have a wee problem pushing some ball ends through a 3/16ths inch hole. Does anyone else have that problem. Those were 80/20 M150 Martin Acoustics .

Your thoughts?

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

First, the bottom of the hole is a perf3ect fit in a 2well fitted pin setup. The pin extends into the body. The taper takes care of filling the hole.

Second, a straight pin wouldn't stay straight long, as it would wear. then we'd have a rattling pin setup...

Third, your last description is that of a well fit unslotted pin setup. Once tuned, you can pull the pins out of my guitars and keep them in your pocket all day long....

Martin's balls(no pun intended) are a tad larger than everyone else's.

Nothing new, Bruce, sorry <bg>

Yep the taper of the pin is the securing device. Much like the spindle on a drill press or Wist in on a pumping unit but I doubt many of you have dealt with a wrist pin on a pumping unit

Morse Tapers on Lathes and Drill Presses.

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

[QUOTE=MichaelP]t but I doubt many of you have dealt with a wrist pin on a pumping unit [/QUOTE]  I have

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

[QUOTE=Dave Rickard] [QUOTE=MichaelP]t but I doubt many of you have dealt with a wrist pin on a pumping unit [/QUOTE]  I have[/QUOTE]

Im Sorry

What Grumpy said.

Slotted pins were invented to speed production in factories.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.