Bridge pin problem

[Silenced Fred]

I have heard you guys (or gals) are a bunch of smart folk, so here is my question: On my Seagull Acoustic, the bridge pin for my low e string, sits funny. It pulls out a little bit when I tune it up. Is this a problem with the bridge? Should I have it checked out? What can I do for this?

 

Thanks

[larryp58]

Sounds to me like the pin is the wrong size, too small. Are they originals or replacements? A simple fix, get a new new set of pins a little larger and ream the holes for the exact fit. If you're not comfortable doing this, a good luthier can do it. One quick question though, are you seating the string-end correctly in the hole when putting the pin in during a string change? If not seated correctly, it will pop loose or out!

[Silenced Fred]

Sounds to me like the pin is the wrong size' date=' too small. Are they originals or replacements? A simple fix, get a new new set of pins a little larger and ream the holes for the exact fit. If you're not comfortable doing this, a good luthier can do it. One quick question though, are you seating the string-end correctly in the hole when putting the pin in during a string change? If not seated correctly, it will pop loose or out! [/quote']

 

All the other pins are fine, they are replacements. I will take it somewhere and see what they can do.

 

Thanks

[BigKahune]

How old is the guitar? The bridge pin is suppose to make the ball end of the string wedge against the bridge plate which in turn holds the string in place. In older guitars, the bridge plate accumulates wear at that contact point and the ball end of the string can climb up the string hole keeping the bridge pin from seating properly. In these cases, sometimes a new set of slightly larger pins and re-reaming the holes with fix it, and sometimes the bridge plate needs to be replaced. Have it checked by a shop/luthier. If you replace the pins yourself, use either a 3° or 5° reamer which will match the slight angled taper of the bridge pins.

[TommyK]

The slot is just a tad small for that big old E string. When you push it 'home', the pin slot grabs the string and shoves it deeper, thereby causing the ball to be pushed away from the sound board, aka suspended.

 

Then when you bring her up to pitch, the string, still 'engaged' with the pin, pulls it back out a bit until the ball is firmly pressed against the underside of the soundboard. It will probably stay like that for ever.

 

The pin's head will sit a tad higher than it's 5 neighbors, but no worries. Mine's been that way for a year and hasn't budged.

 

As long as the ball is firmly against the sound board, you're good.

 

Don't sweat it. :-

 

The bridge pin does NOT hold the pin in the hole. The pin makes the hole too small for the ball to roll out through the hole... think about it. You do not have to put the hurt on pins. Just push them in snug enough that friction keeps the pin from falling out due to gravitational forces.

 

 

You could:

 

A.) ream out the E string pin's slot so that when the pin is pushed home, the string is loose enough that you can still gig the ball up and down in the hole.

 

B.) Not agonized about trivial trivalities.

 

Whatever you do, don't leave your balls suspended.

[ksdaddy]

I've had some that wanted to pop out. Sometimes they do need new pins and/or the holes freshened up, but most of the time I just loosen the string some, pull up on the string so it's tight (and assuming it's then contacting the bridge plate) and while holding it taut, push down on the pin head. The snap/crackle/pop sound may be a little disconcerting but it's just the pin creaking against the string and hole. (side note, that creaking could be interpreted as a poor fit, as I hear the same creaking on poorly fit violin tuning pegs; if the peg and hole are a perfect fit, there is less likelihod of tight spots/loose spots.)

 

I think I've only changed the strings on my dearly beloved "thinks it's an old J-45" Seagull once in the 3 years I've had it, so I can't recall if I had any pin seating problems.

[BigKahune]

Pushing down on the bridge pin and pulling up on the string . . . now there's a "home remedy" if I ever heard one. But, it just causes the bridge plate wear to increase - unless you only change strings once every three years.

 

For those that change strings on a regular basis, the bridge pin should hold the ball end of the string on the bridge plate, which in turn should be taking the force of the string pull, not the pin and hole. StewMac has a simple repair item.

 

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Acoustic_guitar:_Bridge_and_endpins/Plate_Mate.html?tab=Pictures#details

[KL]

You can check the integrity of your bridge plate but putting a mirror inside the guitar through the sound hole, like a sort of giant dentist mirror. Sometimes the bridge plate wears in guitars that are not that old. But do not worry, even if the bridge plate is worn it can be replaced by a good luthier fairly easily. But do your research and make sure it is a good luthier. I had this issue with one of my Martins when it was only about 10 years old and it turned out to be the bridge plate. I have other guitars that are a lot older that have never needed a bridge plate repair too. The main problem if the bridge plate is worn is that the topwood of the guitar starts to get worn, and this can be a BIG problem (the bridge plate is there to stop the top getting worn). Hope that helps.