Bridge pin puller

[Zippydog]

Any suggestions on how to make a good bridge pin puller?

I'm tired of struggling to pull them out.

The built in notch on the string winder is fairly useless and using pliers or something is too dangerous.

Then there are a couple in the Stu Mac catalog too.

Any reccomendations?

Thank you.

[Irish_Rover]

I just put my hand in the soundhole and push them out.

[ksdaddy]

[rct]

When I was yer age we called 'em "needle nose".

 

rct

[LPS1976]

I've taped the sides of pliers before and had good results. also had luck with using a rag over the pin and then pliers.

[Zippydog]

I just put my hand in the soundhole and push them out.

Ok I dig. But what if I have to change only one string?

 

 

Ah yes the old reliable Church Key.

Does it fit under a pin head?

 

Thanks fellas.

[Dodger11]

Might sound obvious but don't push them in so hard. The tension of the string should keep them in but they shouldn't be right the way into the hole.

[Irish_Rover]

Ok I dig. But what if I have to change only one string?

Just give the rest of the strings a bit of slack, same as changing a soundhole battery.

[Zippydog]

Might sound obvious but don't push them in so hard. The tension of the string should keep them in but they shouldn't be right the way into the hole.

No I know just push in a little and put tension on string.

I want to make sure I have a bit of the head available for yanking out.

 

Just give the rest of the strings a bit of slack, same as changing a soundhole battery.

 

Thank you Sir.

I'll give it a go👍🏽

[Dennis G]

Ok I dig. But what if I have to change only one string?

I may be in the minority here, but my personal opinion is that if one string needs changing, they all do. I can't remember ever changing any less than all 6 strings at the same time. YMMV, and this is my opinion only.

[Irish_Rover]

I may be in the minority here, but my personal opinion is that if one string needs changing, they all do. I can't remember ever changing any less than all 6 strings at the same time. YMMV, and this is my opinion only.

I'm with you, one-out all-out. I took the question to be hypothetical, maybe a broken string at a gig (not that I've ever broken a string) when time is of the essence.

[Zippydog]

I'm with you, one-out all-out. I took the question to be hypothetical, maybe a broken string at a gig (not that I've ever broken a string) when time is of the essence.

Yeah your both right I usually do change them all.

I guess the only other scenario (I'm reaching right now) might be those and I used to be one of them, that change strings one at a time.

But rarely do this anymore.

Plus I don't gig.

So yeah mainly all at once.

[OldCowboy]

If I have a problem with all six pins I've discovered they're either pushed in too far or are too large in the first place. If it's one or two, there's a chance that the ball-end didn't seat properly and my first recourse is to detach the string from the winding post and push the bridge end of it back down into the box an inch or so. That usually lets me pull the pin comfortably with just a finger and thumb. Bridge plate wear can cause strings to seat improperly, so if the issue continues, checking the plate isn't a bad idea.

[strumbert]

Go to your local music shop and ask them for a string winder / pin puller combo. It should not cost you more than 5$.

[mojoworking]

I know I shouldn't do this but I take the same wire cutters that I use for cutting off the excess string endings and gently ease the bridge pins out with them.

 

I've been doing it this way for 50 years and never had any problems or caused any damage until recently when I bought a new Taylor GS Mini. The first time I changed the strings I snapped the heads off FIVE of the bridge pins. I'm guessing they were just very poor quality brittle plastic.

 

Anyway, it taught me a lesson and I went out and bought a $1 string winder with a notch for pulling the bridge pins. It's not perfect and doesn't have the same pulling strength as the wire cutters, but I now use it on all my acoustics with reasonable success. Sometimes a pin will refuse to budge though and then it's back to the wire cutters.

[Zippydog]

Go to your local music shop and ask them for a string winder / pin puller combo. It should not cost you more than 5$.

Ha! I have one and I know it's supposed pull pins but I'll be darned if I can get it to work. Slips off.

[strumbert]

1462656880[/url]' post='1767483']

Ha! I have one and I know it's supposed pull pins but I'll be darned if I can get it to work. Slips off.

 

I had to file the edge a bit on mine. Give it a bevel and it'll slip around the pin better.