Do you guys slot the bridges and ream out the pin holes of your guitars?

[michaeljohnr]

On my Martins, I always slot the bridges and ream out the pin holes to the proper taper and accept unslotted bridge pins.

 

I was wondering if you guys do that to your Gibsons.

 

One of my biggest criticisms of Martin is that their bridge pins sit a mile high from the factory. I see that Gibson appears to ramp the holes, but that's just the ramp, not a proper bridge slotting.

 

Thanks...

[dchristo]

nope, mine dont need it

[BigKahune]

Do you guys slot the bridges and ream out the pin holes of your guitars?

 

No.

 

 

How high are your Martin pins sitting? . . . Both mine sit down to the collar.

 

[michaeljohnr]

Here is the before as it came from Martin:

 

 

Here is the after after I reamed the holes:

 

[JuanCarlosVejar]

Here is the before as it came from Martin:

 

 

Here is the after after I reamed the holes:

 

 

Yikes !!!

 

how did you manage to play that thing without losing your eyes :S

[badbluesplayer]

On my 000-28, I ramped out the slots a little to get the right break angle over the saddle. Once I did that, there was enough room in there so the pins sit down nice and low now. I didn't have to ream out the holes any.

[j45nick]

On my Martins, I always slot the bridges and ream out the pin holes to the proper taper and accept unslotted bridge pins.

 

I was wondering if you guys do that to your Gibsons.

 

One of my biggest criticisms of Martin is that their bridge pins sit a mile high from the factory. I see that Gibson appears to ramp the holes, but that's just the ramp, not a proper bridge slotting.

 

Thanks...

 

I don't understand the logic of this at all. Modifying the bridge like this will have a negative impact on value. It is dead simple to modify the pins instead, which is what I do. Bob Colosi pins for Martins come with the proper taper, but slightly oversize. Five minutes with sandpaper on each pin, and you can make them sit at any height you want in the bridge.

[pfox14]

I consider slotting a saddle a definite NO-NO. No need to do it if the string spread/alignment at the bridge is correct. A slotted saddle can adversely effect tone and intonation.

[michaeljohnr]

I consider slotting a saddle a definite NO-NO. No need to do it if the string spread/alignment at the bridge is correct. A slotted saddle can adversely effect tone and intonation.

 

Who said anything about slotting the saddle?

[michaeljohnr]

I don't understand the logic of this at all. Modifying the bridge like this will have a negative impact on value. It is dead simple to modify the pins instead, which is what I do. Bob Colosi pins for Martins come with the proper taper, but slightly oversize. Five minutes with sandpaper on each pin, and you can make them sit at any height you want in the bridge.

 

Slotting the bridge does not negatively impact anything.

 

In fact, it is better for the instrument in the long run because it helps to reduce wear on the interior of the bridge plate and gives better coupling of the ball end of the string to the bridge plate. A properly slotted bridge and the PROPER taper pin holes using un-slotted pins actually benefits the guitar.

 

READ MORE HERE

[jdd707]

Slotting the bridge does not negatively impact anything.

 

In fact, it is better for the instrument in the long run because it helps to reduce wear on the interior of the bridge plate and gives better coupling of the ball end of the string to the bridge plate. A properly slotted bridge and the PROPER taper pin holes using un-slotted pins actually benefits the guitar.

 

READ MORE HERE

 

 

Interesting topic ... thanks for posting

[ritchie69]

I consider slotting a saddle a definite NO-NO. No need to do it if the string spread/alignment at the bridge is correct. A slotted saddle can adversely effect tone and intonation.

 

You're right, but he talks 'bout the 'slotted bridge pin holes'.

[BigKahune]

On my Martins, I always slot the bridges and ream out the pin holes to the proper taper and accept unslotted bridge pins.

 

Here is the before as it came from Martin:

<snip pic>

Here is the after after I reamed the holes:

<snip pic>

 

Wow . . . those pins were a bit too big. They were sitting very high.

 

Regarding you're original question: No. For me, altering the wood/guitar is the absolute last option. The couple of times I ordered new pins that arrived a bit too big, I sanded the pins down and left the wood alone. The result of your work looks great - seated evenly and down to the collar.

 

.

[michaeljohnr]

Wow . . . those pins were a bit too big. They were sitting very high.

 

Regarding you're original question: No. For me, altering the wood/guitar is the absolute last option. The couple of times I ordered new pins that arrived a bit too big, I sanded the pins down and left the wood alone. The result of your work looks great - seated evenly and down to the collar.

 

.

 

That's my pet peeve with Martins, but I am thinking their logic might be that doing this would be part of the post sale set up (and in my opinion should be) but they USED TO slot all bridges and properly fit all pins "back in the day." So that tells me it's more a cost saving measure and to be completely honest, in my opinion a bit of cutting corners. Those original pins looked sloppy on that guitar. Functional, yes but proper? No.

 

Thanks for the nice words. It's relatively easy to do, you just have to go slow, and don't turn the reamer too much, fit and check and stop when it sits correctly. Don't try to over fit because you can't add the wood back on.

[j45nick]

On my guitars, none of the strings sit under the bridgeplate the way those photos show in the "before" pictures. With properly slotted and fitted pins, the ball end of the string rests tightly against the underside of bridgeplate, wedged into the pin slot. That coupling is about as good as it gets.

 

 

With pins slotted through the skirts--the type I use on Martins--and the pin sanded to the proper taper and diameter, there is no particular reason to slot the bridge. Over time, the strings will create their own "mini slots". My Gibsons are usually slotted at the top of the bridge, but not through to the underside. On none of them do I have the problem of the ball-ends "floating" in space as shown in theses pictures.

 

It helps if you "seat" the strings properly when you change strings, pulling the ball ends up against the underside of the bridgeplate while holding the pin down. I also bend the strings at the top of the doubled ball-end "splice", and that bend ends up right below the top of the bridge.

 

As Paul Fox says--and remember, he is actually a luthier--altering the wood in any way, such as reaming the pin holes, is usually the last thing you want to do on a guitar. From then on, pin replacement becomes a "custom" proposition.

 

A lot of us here play around with pins a lot, and it's handy to be able to swap them between guitars while looking for the ideal combinations for different tone colors. If you stick with the standard pin hole characteristics, that's easy to do.

[dchristo]

it looks like youve done a good job to fix your pin problem

[michaeljohnr]

My Gibsons are usually slotted at the top of the bridge, but not through to the underside. On none of them do I have the problem of the ball-ends "floating" in space as shown in theses pictures.

 

That's ramping and is different from slotting.

 

Ramping changes or improves the string break angle over the saddle where slotting goes all the way through and has to do with the coupling of the ball end to the bridge plate.

[j45nick]

That's ramping and is different from slotting.

 

Ramping changes or improves the string break angle over the saddle where slotting goes all the way through and has to do with the coupling of the ball end to the bridge plate.

 

Well, then, to answer your original question: no, I don't slot the bridge, as I see no need to. And no, I don't ream the pin holes because I have no desire to modify my bridges.

 

And my guitars sound great.

 

Your results may vary.

[fp]

Well, then, to answer your original question: no, I don't slot the bridge, as I see no need to. And no, I don't ream the pin holes because I have no desire to modify my bridges.

 

And my guitars sound great.

 

Your results may vary.

 

Nick your not getting it. Slotting the bridge and plate is not about sound so much, it's about keeping the bridge plate from getting chewed up after years of use.

[j45nick]

Nick your not getting it. Slotting the bridge and plate is not about sound so much, it's about keeping the bridge plate from getting chewed up after years of use.

 

I don't know why the bridge plate would get chewed up if the pins fit correctly. You have to seat the strings properly when you change them so that the ball ends fetch up under the plate, and the string itself is in the pin slot. I've never had this problem. I have seen it, however.

 

To me, it is a non-issue with the above caveats. So, no, in that regard, I don't get it. I've seen plenty of 60-year old bridge plates without string slots all the way through them, with little damage.

 

If you want to modify your guitars this way, knock yourself out. I see no need to do it IF ......(see above and previous caveats).

[michaeljohnr]

I don't know why the bridge plate would get chewed up if the pins fit correctly. You have to seat the strings properly when you change them so that the ball ends fetch up under the plate, and the string itself is in the pin slot. I've never had this problem. I have seen it, however.

 

To me, it is a non-issue with the above caveats. So, no, in that regard, I don't get it. I've seen plenty of 60-year old bridge plates without string slots all the way through them, with little damage.

 

If you want to modify your guitars this way, knock yourself out. I see no need to do it IF ......(see above and previous caveats).

 

 

See the link HERE. It will illustrate the potential bridge damage. Most manufacturers up until fairly recently did slot the bridges and make sure the pins holes had the proper taper. It was introduced as a cost/time saving measure.

[j45nick]

See the link HERE. It will illustrate the potential bridge damage. Most manufacturers up until fairly recently did slot the bridges and make sure the pins holes had the proper taper. It was introduced as a cost/time saving measure.

 

I'm not sure I understand. It costs no more the ream the pin holes to the correct taper than to an incorrect taper. This a mechanized process: it's not like someone is sitting there reaming these by hand.

[michaeljohnr]

I'm not sure I understand. It costs no more the ream the pin holes to the correct taper than to an incorrect taper. This a mechanized process: it's not like someone is sitting there reaming these by hand.

 

You know this or are assuming?

[TommyK]

I think the semantics are getting confused with respect to pin hole taper.

 

I feel confident that Martin is competent enough to put the correct taper in their pin holes to match the taper of the pins they use. What is being discussed here is reaming the factory holes larger so that the pins sit lower in the holes. I would not say that the factory depth is incorrect. By reaming the holes deeper, so the shoulder of the pin contacts the bridge top, you have to be spot on in your depth, otherwise the hole will be too large.. Then, the pins, having bottomed on their shoulders, will not have enough 'wedge' to properly retain the pin. If I had seen the 'after' pictures, with their pins riding low, I'd say the holes were almost worn out and in need or major surgery, or custom, over-size pins.

 

Personally I think Martin's pin depth is fine and dandy. But, to each his own.

[BigKahune]

.

Some might be fine with that seating, but a couple of those are sticking up couple times the collar measurement. When I'm strumming and using muting like I do, that height would bother the hell out of me because the tops pegs are way above where I would expect them to be in relation to the strings. I would definitely adjust that situation. <edit> Just to be clear: my adjustment would entail sanding the bridge pins.

 

Here is the before as it came from Martin: