Pin-less Bridges

[William2]

I've seen certain brands that don't use bridge pins. Is there an advantage or disadvantage to pin-less bridges? I kind of like the idea.

[BlueBowman]

Advantages: no more dealing with pins/pinholes of any kind; so changing strings is certainly quicker; no more six small holes weakening the top in a stressed location; no more bridge plate, which now allows for more fine tuning/bracing of that area; bridge plates, even small ones, add stiffness and weight, so I imagine getting rid of them is a big win for builders.

Disadvantages: the ball ends of the strings sit right on top of the place where the bridge wants to shear upward due to string tension; some luthiers claim pin-less bridges have a higher rate of failure (bridge lift), but there are plenty of great builders using them. Pin bridges are also susceptible to bridge lift, of course. I think in either design, bridge lift probably has something to do with humidity concerns.

I love Jeff Elliott's pin-less bridge design (9th photo from right): https://www.elliottguitars.com/steel-string-bridges.html

[B0WIE]

It often changes the break angle which, among other things, changes the sound. Even if the angle is maintained, there's something to be said for strings attaching to a bridge plate and the rotational pressure in that scenario. I, personally, have zero interest. Not to dissuade anyone else, it's just not for me based on my experience.

[Queequeg]

I have one pinless bridge, on an Emerald carbon fiber guitar.
It's the one and only thing I dislike about that guitar.

[John in Charm City]

I have one pinless bridge, on an Emerald carbon fiber guitar.
It's the one and only thing I dislike about that guitar.

interesting comment - I also hate the keyway on the emerald bridge. On the flip side, I absolutely love the adjustability of the electric style bridge that they use.  a fair trade except when I am changing strings!

John