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Thread: Bridge Pin Reamer

  1. #1
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    Default Bridge Pin Reamer

    I am going to convert my Ibanez PFT2 tenor guitar to an octave mandolin. So I need to add 4 more strings. Seems the bridge pins are either 3 or 5 degrees. It is pretty difficult to measure accurately this angle within 1 degree tolerance that would be required to determine which reamer I would need. Any help would be appreciated.

  2. #2
    Registered User darylcrisp's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge Pin Reamer

    if I am understanding your question, you want to know the bridge pin taper of your tenor guitar. a quick method would be if you have a Gibson guitar around, try fit one of the pins, typically Gibson pins are 3 degree taper. Likewise, a modern Martin(and Collings I believe) bridge pin typically would be 5 degree taper.

    or

    call/email Bob Colosi with the necessary dimensions of your existing bridge pins and he can tell you the taper quickly. follow this link and scroll way down and you will see the info that is needed, its near the bottom.
    http://www.guitarsaddles.com/products.asp

  3. #3
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge Pin Reamer

    Buy the new bridge pins and reamer from the same supplier.
    www.condino.com

    Crafted by hand in a workshop powered by the sun.

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  5. #4
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge Pin Reamer

    Quote Originally Posted by grandcanyonminstrel View Post
    Buy the new bridge pins and reamer from the same supplier.
    Amen.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  6. #5
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    Default Re: Bridge Pin Reamer

    Quote Originally Posted by darylcrisp View Post
    if I am understanding your question, you want to know the bridge pin taper of your tenor guitar. a quick method would be if you have a Gibson guitar around, try fit one of the pins, typically Gibson pins are 3 degree taper. Likewise, a modern Martin(and Collings I believe) bridge pin typically would be 5 degree taper.

    or

    call/email Bob Colosi with the necessary dimensions of your existing bridge pins and he can tell you the taper quickly. follow this link and scroll way down and you will see the info that is needed, its near the bottom.
    http://www.guitarsaddles.com/products.asp
    I was hoping there was an industry standard. Looking through the page you quoted, they seems to be fitted per instrument. I will have to dig out my old trig book.


    Thanks

  7. #6

    Default Re: Bridge Pin Reamer

    Just fit them one at a time. A word of caution, go slow with the reamer -- it is easy to cut too much.....

  8. #7
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    Default Re: Bridge Pin Reamer

    Things just got weird. I pulled one of the pins from the Ibanez to measure and found the pins are 5mm top to bottom. No taper. What the heck is going on?

  9. #8

    Default Re: Bridge Pin Reamer

    How about start over? Get 8 new matching pins, drill the needed holes, ream, if necessary.........taper/no taper is not really important at this stage of your "guitar building" IMHO........you just want it to work and match the others.

    We are get close to "overthinking" at this point.

    Sometimes I will leave a project for a day or so and things will make more sense when I come back to it......

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  11. #9
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge Pin Reamer

    If the holes have no taper you just got handed an easy way to seal the holes and redrill.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  12. #10
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge Pin Reamer

    Quote Originally Posted by neilca View Post
    Things just got weird. I pulled one of the pins from the Ibanez to measure and found the pins are 5mm top to bottom. No taper. What the heck is going on?
    Welcome to the world of working on cheap Chinese instruments where nothing follows traditional rules....
    www.condino.com

    Crafted by hand in a workshop powered by the sun.

  13. #11
    F-style Apostate
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    Default Re: Bridge Pin Reamer

    Back in the day when I was building I used a No. 3 tapered pin reamer with spiral flutes. Seemed to work just fine for "standard" bridge pins.
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  15. #12

    Default Re: Bridge Pin Reamer

    The non tapered bridge pins on your Ibanez is just an Ibanez thing they do on all of their acoustics. Nothing to do with it being Chinese. It’s just an Ibanez thing and they work just fine.

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