brass bridge pins

[hjarnett]

has anyone try'd brass bridge pins in there acoustic? i just order'd a set today for my masterbilt epiphone im hoping for a brighter snap to the sound

[weemac]

My Uncle had them in his martin and in his view they did add to the sound until he pluged it in... Pluged in it had a harsh metalic sound, and he then took them out.

Eden.

[1a12]

I've used brass bridge pins for quite a while now. I was convinced by my local guitar fix-it man a while back that it was a must do....oh well....
First I had them in a Guild D-15, then a Gibson J-50 deluxe, now in my J100 extra. I have some theories. I think there are a quite a few factors involved when you think about the vibration of a string and an acoustic guitar. Densities of the nut and the saddle (whatever material they are made out of) wood/bone/plastic/carbonfiber etc.....the fretboard and neck, truss cavity, then of course the body including the top, bracing design, materials and general density and finish...sometimes theres incredible variance with the same computer cut guitars these days! Geez, and then there is string aging! and heck while we're at it...everybody plays a little different too!

Well, anyway the pins! I think it just has to do with the contribution of the direct transfer of energy from the vibration of the string, I think that there may be a bit more sustain I have found. I like them and Im used to them. Heck I just put a brass nut on it too! (works during open chords) The J100 is no tin machine either....The best advice is to just experiment and what makes you feel and sound the best! You can get a set for around $20 I think, and you can just sell them if your not into em'...just like your uncle!! Plugging in an acoustic guitar and electri-fying it, in my opinion is a different ball of wax all together. Throwing up a mic is always the best quality wise in my humble opinion, but sometimes impractical with the variables of feedback and consistency in flux. Best of luck!

[kennyhowes]

My main acoustic in my formative days was a Korean "Carlos" brand. If I recall correctly, the original plastic nut broke, so the salesman did the ol' '70s/'80s luthier trick of installing a brass nut and saddle (but not endpins). It was a lot brighter after the switch, which was good, because I used it in a variety of "unplugged" settings without amplification and the mod helped projection a lot.

[hjarnett]

i got the brass bridge pins today and wow the sound is night and day i now have that bright snap i was looking for in my guitar well back to struming