Snapping bridge pins!

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mjbphotos

mjbphotos

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So, I went to change the strings for the first time on my new (used) A/E. Had to use a wide blade jeweler's screwdriver to budge the low E, then a pin puller got it out.
Next one *snap* head broke right off! Same thing with the next 2! Never heard of such a thing, but it's under warranty so will head back to GC with it tomorrow. :wtf:
 
So then...your peg winder didn't do the trick and you needed to use the screwdriver...?

The tool I mentioned is made of some really hard plastic...so it doesn't give/bend, and will safely pull out even the hardest pins.
 
miroslav said:
So then...your peg winder didn't do the trick and you needed to use the screwdriver...?

The tool I mentioned is made of some really hard plastic...so it doesn't give/bend, and will safely pull out even the hardest pins.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Now I'm trying to figure out how I can get something into the guitar body that will give me leverage to force the broken pins back out of the holes - I don't want to wait to bring it to GC because they'll want to keep if for a few days (at least) and I can't get there until Wednesday after work. Back to my old Epi for today's practice and probably Thursday night's too.
 
Probably doesn't help for this situation. It I try to pull straight up rather than pry. I have a small pair of needle nosed plyers and a soft thin cloth and just pull straight up to keep from putting extra tension on the peg head. And just move slowly and carefully if they won't come out.

Very strange though, I've nev broken and peg or heard of friends breaking them.
 
If you loosen the strings...can you reach in and push them out from the inside...?
 
The strings were loose when I started this, those pegs won't budge with finger strength! Guess its going to GC on Wednesday!
 
When the strings are tightened on a guitar the ball end bears against the side on the pin inside the body. The pin and ball end often remain in tension after the string is loosened. Pushing the string back into the guitar relieves this tensoin. Try this if the pin doesn't come out easily.

Chances are that the pins on your guitar are made of very cheap plastic. You may want to consider better ones. Decent quality plastic is a perfectly suitable material for a bridge pin. No need to buy bone or fancy wood ones. They will not affect the tone regardless of what the proponents say. It is important that they fit well. they should not wobble in the hole and they should be snug but easily removed when the instrument is unstrung. Strings are not held in place by friction.
 
mjbphotos said:
Exactly. Now I'm trying to figure out how I can get something into the guitar body that will give me leverage to force the broken pins back out of the holes - I don't want to wait to bring it to GC because they'll want to keep if for a few days (at least) and I can't get there until Wednesday after work. Back to my old Epi for today's practice and probably Thursday night's too.
Click to expand...

Just loosen the strings and reach in the soundhole, locate the offending bridge pin and push gently but firmly upward. If that doesn't work, the other option is to take a power drill with a very small drill bit and drill the pin out.
That is the big thing I love about Breedlove guitars--pinless bridges.
 
Milnoque said:
When the strings are tightened on a guitar the ball end bears against the side on the pin inside the body. The pin and ball end often remain in tension after the string is loosened. Pushing the string back into the guitar relieves this tensoin. Try this if the pin doesn't come out easily.

Chances are that the pins on your guitar are made of very cheap plastic. You may want to consider better ones. Decent quality plastic is a perfectly suitable material for a bridge pin. No need to buy bone or fancy wood ones. They will not affect the tone regardless of what the proponents say. It is important that they fit well. they should not wobble in the hole and they should be snug but easily removed when the instrument is unstrung. Strings are not held in place by friction.
Click to expand...
Well said!
 
well, if the pins are that tight just a fingertip ain't gonna do it so ..... grab a thimble ..... put it on the needed digit and reach inside and push that pin out without spearing your finger
 
Lt. Bob said:
well, if the pins are that tight just a fingertip ain't gonna do it so ..... grab a thimble ..... put it on the needed digit and reach inside and push that pin out without spearing your finger
Click to expand...

Good point. A fingertip may have too much resilience. You need something as hard as or harder than the bridge pin so a thimble on the finger is a good answer--although I had that happen to me and the guitar tech at our local music store managed to push the bridge pin piece out with his bare finger.
 
Guitar is back from GC. Cheap factory plastic pins, replaced with better ones. The tech couldn't budge them either and had to drill them out. Say what you will about GC (and I have!), the Nashua NH store is good to work with. The assistant mgr, Chris S, as soon as I talked to him about it, he said they'd take care of it, even on a used instrument. They even threw a new set of strings on it no charge!
 
Back when I was repairing guits, sometimes a customer would bring in one with a couple pins broken off at the surface. The thimble works great in most cases. Or a small hardwood block. The next time the head breaks off, look closely at the break point. Cheap plastic pins sometimes have a blowhole in there from forming a bubble while pouring in the mold, or injection molding.

Don't EVER buy cheapies.:cool:

Brass/steel pins are great. Or Hardwoods.
 
I'll probably replace these ones with hardwood at some point - saw some nice ebony ones. The plastic bridge pins on my 73 Epi are now 37 years old (replaced in 75 when the guitar fell out of its case and slid along the pavement 20 feet, breaking the nut and sanding the tops off the original pins!)
 
I noticed that Tusq makes bridge pins. Has anyone tried them? I have a Yamaha 12-string I need to buy some spares for and I'd like to get some high quality pins.
 
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