Power Pins?

[lukmanohnz]

Has anyone on the forum tried these things?

[Jacob]

Haven't tried them. Not sold on the bolt through the bridge pin hole attachment.

[EdHanrahan]

Reminds me of the philosophy implied by most of the Framus guitars that I've encountered:
"Why bother with wimpy glue and craftsmanship when you can hold it together good ol' reliable nuts & bolts."

[Timbofood]

Don't see any pricing information but, I kind of lke the idea. Will watch this for a few years and see before I buy a set.

[lukmanohnz]

I like the fact that they can be installed with no modification to the instrument, making it completely reversible if you don't like the resulting tone, aesthetics, or functionality.

[Jacob]

Can they be installed with no modification to the instrument?
Will screwing those down against the bridge leave a footprint?
Wouldn't want to find out.

[bart mcneil]

Sounds to me like a really great solution to a non-problem.

[Tavy]

Sounds to me like a really great solution to a non-problem.

+1.

Plus they add mass to the top, and reduce the string break angle, IMO they'll make strings harder to change as well (unless you cut them off).

If your pins jam in the holes, get some decent ebony ones and solve the problem that way.... why do so many "quality" guitars have cheap plastic pins anyway?

[allenhopkins]

Wonder what adding the weight of six bolts, washers, and ball-end-holders to a guitar bridge would do it the transmission of string vibrations to the top? Doesn't the bridge send energy to the top to some extent by rocking? How would that change?

Jeez, every $3.99 string winder has a notch for pulling bridge pins; it's not a big or complicated task. And the "tuning problems" found after string changes are mostly caused by the string itself stretching and stabilizing, not by its seating against the bridge pin.

Quite a few instrumentalists are "gear heads" in search of the latest gimmick that (they hope) will enhance sound, make adjustments easier, etc. etc. We mandolin types are frequently out to "upgrade" bridge, tailpiece, nut, tuners, whatever. Some are sure they've found "the answer"; others are out some money, no improvement noted.

I'm definitely skeptical on this particular invention. However, some will swear by it, I'm sure.

[Jim Garber]

I think the players who would love this are the electric guys who play some acoustic and are not used to the bridge pins. The installation seems like some trouble and I am not real fond of the look. I won't be trying this any time soon.

[Austin Bob]

I find them interesting, but I'm a traditionalist, and would most likely not put them on a high end guitar. Mainly because I don't like the way they look with the tail sticking out. I don't see why a builder couldn't incorporate this into the overall design though and make them smaller and more like the appearance of standard endpins.

But it does make you wonder about how the shape of guitars and mandolins might change in the future. For instance, would you buy a mandolin with two triangular shaped sound holes if it was proved to be slightly acoustically superior to the standard F holes?

[TheMandoKit]

There was some discussion about these on some acoustic guitar forums about a year ago. Most of the same points raised above were raised there, i.e., string break angle, adding mass to the bridge, no reason for it. Maybe it's just me, but I've never had particular problems with changing strings on pin bridges, or on mandolins for that matter. Don't particularly like tying strings on the classical guitar, but it's at the headstock end that I find more challenging than at the bridge.

[rockies]

IMHO they look like a tone and volume killer to me. Very little break angle and I don't visualize how the string energy can be efficiently transferred to the bridge plate. This idea works quite well on a classic guitar where the bridge , top and bracing are very thin and light but on a steel string instrument ??? But then again I've been wrong before (many times) !!
Dave

[Colin Lindsay]

Has anyone on the forum tried these things?

"And I think I speak for us all, when we remember that dreaded first time we have to go from changing electric strings (which is fairly simple) to changing acoustic strings. What the hell is going on here?! “


A maturing process probably, from thrashing electrics in three chords, to finally learning how to play an instrument properly…

[lukmanohnz]

Has anyone on the forum tried these things?

Understanding all the reservations, I was hoping to hear from someone who had actually tried them.

[stevedenver]

well, sometimes im not a luddite...but mostly I am,
I like certain gadgets, like locking tuners on electrics, higher ratios, smoother tuners, and, top end bone saddles.


I clearly heard a change in the tone in that recorded bit, even over my lousy computer speakers, ie as noted 'more sparkle', in fact, what I thought might simply be new strings, because that's exactly what it sounded like to me-and, im am a bit skeptical on this unseen 'change'. Could simply be the use of a different pick to make that sound.

what I think, is that many claim that bone pins, bone saddles , etc, change tone. Just peruse the martin forum on this topic.

I can say, on my martins, the saddle material does makes a difference that I can hear and which I think is worth the effort and money. But, at least on my Martins, pins of different materials have made no difference in tone, to my ear.

FWIW, I have never tried the brass pins that are available. There are a variety of theories propounded as to what the bridge material does to the transfer and 'filter' of frequencies (ebony vs rosewood), bridge mass as well as the bridge plate below, saddles, and pins. So this doesn't seem to be entirely weird. There was also a headstock clamp once available that added mass and in fact, increased sustain.

Those pins did seem to add top end clarity to my ear , provided that the strings (and pick) were in fact the same.

simple way to find out is to buy em and try em. cant really see myself with those on my Authentics, kinda like adding side exhaust pipes to a Rolls.

good thing these things don't have the name 'Blue Chip' attached to them.....

[mandroid]

Common convention in BG seems; Flat top Guitars and Arch top Mandolins , not the other way around ..

that seems a retrofit is to make string changes on Them like a tailpiece on an arch top Guitar ..

[allenhopkins]

Understanding all the reservations, I was hoping to hear from someone who had actually tried them.

I'm sympathetic to your frustration; no one's actually answered your question -- because no one's felt the need to attach strings to an acoustic guitar pin bridge, with a different type of contraption. (See Post #7.)

Despite the sales pitch on the website, most of us don't find the "old-fashioned" system of bridge pins problematical. We may be wrong, these may be an improvement; perhaps an acoustic guitar forum would have more posters who are "guitar gear heads" and want to try Power Pins to see if they're a technological advance.

Some of what the Power Pins people wrote really put me off: that it's really difficult to pull bridge pins, to get string ball ends properly seated against the pin, etc. I kept saying to myself, "Have these guys ever tried changing mandolin strings? I'll show 'em real difficulties!"

Anyway, sorry that our discussion stayed "theoretical." Can't really help y'all; I'm gonna continue prying out bridge pins with the notch on my plastic string-winder, and sticking ball ends down the hole same as Robert Johnson, Lester Flatt and Doc Watson used to do. Jus' an ol' stick-in-the-mud.

[Barry Wilson]

I would buy them in a heartbeat. I love the idea and look

$50 isn't bad http://www.f1pick.com/powerpinsnew.html

[Astro]

I haven't heard of them before.

I think they look cool. I hate messing with bridge pins so I would welcome the concept.

Breedlove takes a similar approach with their "pinless bridge" which has a string through design. But those bridges were designed for that approach. The break angle can actually be greater or equal to some guitars with the traditional pin bridge design, and there is the advantage of no holes drilled through the soundboard. I have played some amazing sounding Breedlove guitars so they are definitely able to achieve good tone with the design.

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Gene...s/pinless.html

So I would also be curious to know if these Power Pins have any effect on break angle or tone. Or if they could cause any structural issues over time.

I have an old Harmony guitar that was converted to a string through bridge and has a light metal endplate like an archtop guitar. I love it. Despite the less break angle it is very loud and has great tone. Changing strings is easier and there is no annoying settling in of the ball under the friction dependent pin.

All else being equal, I'd ditch the pins and opt for a string through design or an adaptation such as this.

If you find out anything or install them, please keep us posted here.

[Colin Lindsay]

Understanding all the reservations, I was hoping to hear from someone who had actually tried them.

Sincerest apologies, my friend - you reckoned without the banter-factor of this forum. Amongst all the irrelevance and the hilarity you’ll eventually find a genuine comment… somewhere….

[Barry Wilson]

I just ordered a set for my fender sonoran. I will do a before and after video with my canon hdmi camera. I could even do some audio files and put on soundcloud if you like

[lukmanohnz]

I just ordered a set for my fender sonoran. I will do a before and after video with my canon hdmi camera. I could even do some audio files and put on soundcloud if you like

Very interested in your impressions, Barry. These also reminded me of the pinless bridges on Ovation guitars. I was an Ovation fanatic for years and really liked their string retention system. I try to be careful not to push the pins in with any force when changing strings on my Martin guitars, but after nearly 30 years they are loosening up in the bridge holes. Thinking about ordering some new ebony pins, but these caught my eye and while the aesthetics don't wow me, the utility is appealing. My biggest reservation is any possible loss of tone. That and the dirty looks I would get at a bluegrass jam...

[Barry Wilson]

They are out of chrome until January so I have black chrome coming. going on a black fender sonoran anyway. I changed strings last night (I change often, got 2 sets of strings from my lady as well for the guitar for Christmas) and I thought about the pins again. I expect it will be about a week to 10 days before I see them.... coming from California.

I will need a new nut on the fender soon. the high E slot has sunk from use and I get a slight buzz not fretted unless I put some tinfoil in the nut. That said, for what I paid it is a great sounding guitar. I use medium strings and most of my electric guitar playing buddies complain about sore fingers if they use it more than one song lol

[Barry Wilson]

The power pins arrived today. I am going to do the videos tomorrow to show before and after videos and I will do one installing the middle pins for the heck of it.

they are quite small, nice finish. Looking forward to this