Main Forums => Technical Discussion => Topic started by: Ches on October 28, 2006, 02:53:32 PM

Title: Seating bridge pins
Post by: Ches on October 28, 2006, 02:53:32 PM
I just sold my Gibson dreadnought and bought a Larrivee OM-03RE.  I really like this guitar.   I had a luthier install a bone nut and saddle, and I ordered some ebony bridge pins to replace the plastic parts.  I bought ebony pins from StewMac and direct from Larrivee, and neither fit well.

The pins holding the plain strings seat all the way down to the bridge, but the pins for the wound strings don't.  The low E isn't even close.  I suspect the groove in the pins isn't deep enough, but I'm not sure.

Did you have to sand down the pins, or open up the groove in the replacement pins you purchased?  Would I be better off buying a pin where the groove runs up through the skirt at the top of the pin?

Thanks in advance -
Title: Re: Seating bridge pins
Post by: hatofthecat on October 28, 2006, 03:12:09 PM
Quote from: Ches on October 28, 2006, 02:53:32 PM
The pins holding the plain strings seat all the way down to the bridge, but the pins for the wound strings don't.  The low E isn't even close.  I suspect the groove in the pins isn't deep enough, but I'm not sure.

Did you have to sand down the pins, or open up the groove in the replacement pins you purchased?  Would I be better off buying a pin where the groove runs up through the skirt at the top of the pin?

You just need to make a little bigger groove in the low E pin and the other wound ones to get a good fit. 

The forum member I bought my L-03 off had already done this little fix with the after market ebony pins he'd fitted and I only realised why when I first removed all the strings together (to get at the battery pack for the pickup inside the guitar body) and found the low E string pin just wouldn't go in right  :? ....as I'd mixed them up  :arrow  ....a little muttering and Anglo Saxon utterances later and then a little switch round of the pins and it was  :nana_guitar  time  :thumb
Title: Re: Seating bridge pins
Post by: Ches on October 28, 2006, 07:04:15 PM
I broke out the Dremel and made the slot a little deeper on the wound string pins.  I also ran the slot all the way up to the skirt.  They fit great now! 

Thanks for the help!

Title: Re: Seating bridge pins
Post by: joxter on October 30, 2006, 09:19:21 PM
I just got ebony pins for my D-03R and they all fit good except the 6th string.  It is sticking up.  I was wondering what I should do.  So I should make the slot deeper?

Got to give that a try.
Title: Re: Seating bridge pins
Post by: gobseulmuhri on November 01, 2006, 01:52:49 PM
Where did you get your ebony bridge pins?  And what brand? 

All I was able to find were the Planet waves ones at the local guitar center.  I've read somewhere on the forum that the PW ones are pretty bad. I want to see if I can get other pins that have good quality and can fit my larrivee well. .

Also, did you notice a difference in tone of your guitar? Did it improve it noticeably?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Seating bridge pins
Post by: jeremy3220 on November 01, 2006, 03:06:43 PM
If the pin sits where you want it without the string in place, then it's the slot that needs to be sanded. I had to sand the ebony pins I put in mine.
Title: Re: Seating bridge pins
Post by: Ches on November 03, 2006, 06:20:42 AM
Quote from: joxter on October 30, 2006, 09:19:21 PM
I just got ebony pins for my D-03R and they all fit good except the 6th string.  It is sticking up.  I was wondering what I should do.  So I should make the slot deeper?

That's what I did with the pins I got from Larrivee.  It worked fine.

I also ordered a set of bone pins from Bob Colosi.  They fit great right out of the box.
Title: Re: Seating bridge pins
Post by: jcbuggs on November 03, 2006, 03:52:06 PM
I bought ebony pins from Larrivee (when the store was still up) for an L03R and had the same problem with one pin. I just sanded it until it sat equal to the pther pins. Just need to be patient.

Joe
Title: Re: Seating bridge pins
Post by: pickngrin on November 05, 2006, 08:54:14 PM
I use my Makita cordless drill and put the head of the bridge pin into the chuck. First I wrap a piece of that blue painter's tape around the head to protect it. Then I wrap a strip of #150 grit around the pin, up to the skirt and use the variable speed of the drill to go at a slow speed. I stop and test fit it often and sand the pins until the skirt is just above the bridge without the string.

If a slot needs to be a little larger I use a little round file I use the string to test fit it.