Songwriter Saddle and Bridge Pins

[drathbun]

I find it very interesting that the Songwriter comes with a BONE, TUSQ saddle and PLASTIC bridge pins. I think this is exactly the right priority and I've not seen that in other builders.

 

My Larrivee L05 came with ebony bridge pins with abalone inlays, a bone saddle, tusq nut and really cheesy Ping tuners. I've since changed out the tuners, but the upgrade to a bone nut is a much bigger deal than a saddle.

 

With the Songwriter, I'm going to buy a compensated bone nut and bone with abalone inlaid bridge pins from Bob Colosi. Because the guitar already has a bone nut I will have a complete bone system with little effort. I think it is an excellent choice Gibson has given the customer; upgrade the saddle and pins but the nut will ALWAYS be bone. Excellent!

 

I just completed my first recording with the Songwriter:

 

Time in a Bottle

 

Here's the cover of my next CD:

 

[jefleppard]

i have the same swd. sounds so nice recorded - nice job. let me know how your swap out goes. maybe i'll give it a shot.

[Johnt]

I find it very interesting that the Songwriter comes with a BONE' date=' TUSQ saddle and PLASTIC bridge pins. I think this is exactly the right priority and I've not seen that in other builders.

 

My Larrivee L05 came with ebony bridge pins with abalone inlays, a bone saddle, tusq nut and really cheesy Ping tuners. I've since changed out the tuners, but the upgrade to a bone nut is a much bigger deal than a saddle.

 

With the Songwriter, I'm going to buy a compensated bone nut and bone with abalone inlaid bridge pins from Bob Colosi. Because the guitar already has a bone nut I will have a complete bone system with little effort. I think it is an excellent choice Gibson has given the customer; upgrade the saddle and pins but the nut will ALWAYS be bone. Excellent!

 

I just completed my first recording with the Songwriter:

 

Time in a Bottle

 

Here's the cover of my next CD:

 

 

Hi again Drathbun,

 

I think we have all been here, as you indicate Bob Colosi figures in many threads.

 

Rearding the plastic pins, Guitarstrummer posted an interesting retort from Bozeman to the effect that they sent guitars out with plastic pins to save customers money as you indicate!

 

This on the basis that so many peeps changed pins that for them to use the cheapest meant that customers were not throwing out narwhal tusk pins (fitted elsewheare as standard) because they fancied replacement Siberian Sabre toothed tiger teeth pins.

 

You catch my drift I think.

 

The only problem with all this is access to replacement pins. IF there were a "standard size" for my 2004 SWD 12 I could just go to Bobs website choose what I needed and he'd send them to me.

 

But there isn't a standard size and to date I can't be assed to take one pin from the guitar, send it to Bob who can then send me 14 (2 spare) to fit.

 

One day I will make time!

 

In the meantime your point is well made!

 

BTW recognise the scratchplate on your album cover....nice one!

[Taylor Player]

I swapped out the plastic pins on my AJ through Bob Colosi and got bone double inlay pins size 2A to replace them with. The AJ's come standard with bone nut and bone saddle so I now have the full bone compliment as well on the Advanced Jumbo. The pins from Bob at size 2A were a perfect fit.

[Thermionik]

TUSQ is another name for plastic - dense, but plastic just the same.

 

Snake-Oil is another name for [-----------fill in as apropriate-----------]

 

Oh - and nice picture, by the way.

[drathbun]

I sent my bridge pin measurements to Bob and he called me within an hour saying he had never seen these size pins from Gibson before. I measured with digital calipers to make sure. So Bob is making custom bridge pins for my Songwriter because none of the standard Gibson sizes come close. Interesting... a new batch of cheap plastic pins must have arrived in Boseman from China.

[guitarstrummer]

I sent my bridge pin measurements to Bob and he called me within an hour saying he had never seen these size pins from Gibson before. I measured with digital calipers to make sure. So Bob is making custom bridge pins for my Songwriter because none of the standard Gibson sizes come close. Interesting... a new batch of cheap plastic pins must have arrived in Boseman from China.

 

Just a thought......"IF" Bozeman received a "new batch of cheap plastic pins", do you really think they would retool in order to fit the pins? Doesn't it make more sense that the bridge pin holes would remain the same size and they would match the pins to the holes or merely use the pins which are available (even if they are cheap plastic pins)?

 

The current pins may be a different size than the standard sizes of pins used in the past, but I would think that standard sizes would probably still fit the bridge pin holes and it's entirely possible that the standard sizes may fit even better than the current "cheap plastic pins".

 

I'm not sure I'd be in such a hurry to match the current "cheap plastic pins", when the standard sizes may be what you actually need. I've always ordered size 2A from Bob and they've worked just fine.

[Taylor Player]

I also had measured the pins in my AJ with a caliper before contacting Bob and he said the same thing. I knew they were bigger than my 1A Taylor pins so I went with my gut and ordered the 2A's from Bob anyway. Like I said above, they were a perfect fit. Here is a shot to give you an idea. Also, bone pins can be sanded ever so slightly to make them fit if they are a tad to big, but I didn't need to sand at all.

 

 

[Display Name]

I just bought a songwriter and now but, saddle and bridge pins are all tusq. It is not plastic, but a polymer formed at great pressure and heat. Is is far superior to bone, Ivory, or ebony. 

I also have a Taylor and it too has tusq nut and saddle but it does have ebony bridge pins. 

Both guitars sound phenomenal. The Taylor just pips the Gibson but I just put some Ernie ball light and silk stings on the Taylor and they are just amazing.