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Has anyone swapped out bridge pins on their Advanced Jumbo?


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I have a '69 SJN and want to replace the pins' date=' which aren't original, with bone pins but am concerned about getting the right size. I don't wnat to measure the ones I have and just go with them. Does anyone have size info? [/quote']

 

I've ordered bone pins from Bob C. and have always ordered size 2A. They've always fit, however I've seen some posts from people saying that size 2A didn't fit in theirs. I'm sure that Bob will exchange them if they don't fit.

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I am wondering if anyone has swapped out the bridge pins on their Advanced Jumbo. I really like my AJ but have never liked the plastic bridge pins that came standard on it. It has a bone saddle and tusq nut standard and then came with what looks like cheap plastic bridge pins. I am thinking about switching to ebony or bone pins. Any idea what size they are if ordered online? Any information would be appreciated.

 

Thanks' date='

[/quote']

 

though i think there is more of a tonal difference when you change the ssaddle rather than the pins, my h-bird i got used a month ago has rosewood pins. never tried them before. i dont reeally know what they do to the tone other than make the guitar look really cool, but i guess they cant make it not sound less "woody"....

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I don't really think that pins will change the sound noticably (at least to me and my poor hearing) but I want something different the the white plastic pins that look like little golf balls on top of my bridge. It would be purley an asthetic thing for me. I really like the double inlay pins on Bob Colosi's site. White with black dot's with abalone surrounding the black. Very sharp. In talking with Bob, I think I figured out that the 2A pins should work just fine. I tried my size 1 pins from my Taylor in there and while they held the string in place, it was not a tight fit at all. I was worried about getting hit in the eye with the ball end if I played it! =D>

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I can't tell much visual difference between the Tusq and plastic.

 

Well, Tusq with MOP dot would look much nicer in IMO. Tusq service claims that any of their Traditional size pins will work in my Gibson. Anyone have experience? The bone pins are certainly an attractive option also but more expensive.

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This is a topic I love. Bridge pins.

 

At one time I even had sets made out of sterling silver, brass and bone. I have tried the John Pearse horn pins, Planet Waves ebony, rosewood and sandalwood - plus a plethora of other pins I have located or had made over the years.

 

In my experience, good pins can provide extra sustain and even resonance but my experience also tells me this has more to do with fit than the material the pin is made from.

 

Really, the vibration transfers from the string to the top through the saddle and the bridge. Bridge pin material shouldn't have any incredible impact on tone or sustain, but fit certainly will.

 

One of the guitars I own is a 1935 Gibson Trojan. I got it with five of the original six bridge pins. They are made out of some kind of pre-plastic polymer and there is no indication they sound any better or worse than plastic or metals. The reason they appear to be the best pins for the guitar is the fact that they fit the holes so snugly without putting unnecessary pressure on the outside edges of the bores.

 

So, my two cents worth is this: I changed my AJ pins to rosewood simply for aesthetic purposes, but I bought a set that was a bit too thick and sanded them down while I watched TV. Eventually (believe me when I say that 600 grade sandpaper on wood this hard requires some patience) I ended up with a set of pins that fit perfectly -- though I can't say they sound any different from the plastic ones that arrived with the guitar.

 

I hear you when you say "why does a premium instrument come with the same pins as a Korean plywood gitbox?" because it is a reasonable question. I think the actual answer, like it or lump it, is that there is no reason to supply anything that would drive up the cost of the guitar.

 

I have paid up to $100 for pins. $35-$50 is not unusual. I feel I have wasted that money and probably could own another guitar instead of all these little boxes. I will say the set I had made out of British Columbia jade are really cool - but $265 cool? No, me neither.

 

Good luck with your pin quest. I hope it ends sooner than mine.

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Good answer Ballcorner...

 

I don't really think that changing the pins on my AJ will change the tone. It is just that I don't like the look of the large white plastic pins. I think it takes away from the cool look of the AJ. In my opinion good looking pins help to accent an already cool looking instrument. I love the black ebony pins with abalone on my Taylor 612C. I love the inlay on my AJ. I think it would look better with inlayed pins of some sort. Do you know what size Rosewood pins you got for your AJ? Was it just the tyical Gibson Rosewood pins you can buy from Guitar Center? They don't have a size on them but I don't think all Gibson's have the same size pin. I am not even sure all AJ's have the same size pins!

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

Do you know what size Rosewood pins you got for your AJ? Was it just the tyical Gibson Rosewood pins you can buy from Guitar Center?

 

I have seen others mention a size of A2. I buy whatever they have on the rack and then sand them down to proper diameter while I watch TV. I have always found the low E pin requires some shaping no matter how good the fit is or it will ride high - this has been true for me on Gibsons and Martins.

 

I also like to check wood pins regularly to make sure they are not swelling from humidity in the summer. I use a digital caliper and if they swell more than 3-4% I put plastic pins in until the house dries up a bit. Swollen pins can cause a bridge to crack in extreme circumstances.

 

After watching this thread I actually returned my plastic pins to the guitar. I have a 1935 Trojan, and it has five of its original pins - white, kind of ugly and therefore perfect. The AJ was made the following year, with the Trojan basically being the prototype of the AJ and the J-35. So, the white round pins are proper for the time the guitar's design comes from - even if it is not what we might prefer today.

 

I would love to find some strings from that era. I bet they were terrible.

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I just got my Bob Colosi 2A double inlay pins in the mail today.

 

As promised............ Photo's! :-({|=

 

PICT3326.jpg

 

PICT3328.jpg

 

Maybe it is just that I want it to be true or maybe not...... Not only does she look better than with those plastic pins but with the bone, I think she sounds even better than before too! [-X

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They look great and look like just the right size.

 

Yep... Size 2A was a perfect fit. I didn't even have to sand the low E or A string. I just tried the pins in the hole first without any strings in and used what appeared to be the smallest two for the low strings. All were pretty uniform from what I can tell.

 

I have to say' date=' Bob is a pleasure to deal with. He won't take your money until the product is available and [b']he actually called me!!! [/b]on the day he originally told me to call him to check and see if he had 2A pins done yet. I am very impressed with his professionalism.

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