michael kelly B string pin - stuck!

[birdxofxprey]

so i'm changing the stock strings on my club custom 5, and the pin holding in the B string won't budge. when i reach under the bridge i can tell that the ball at the end of the string is NOT below the end of the pin, but NEXT to it - thus it is too wide to pull out. i tried pulling the string down from below, but can't seem to get a hold of it.

i suspect i'll have to scuttle the B string pin for removal and then replace it. any advice?

btw, the stock strings were junk. old and terrible sounding, and they turned my fingers black. i have a new set of DR RAREs to put on.

[mvw356]

maybe try ot twist it? or cut the string and push it through?
my Club Custom is on it's way to my home and i can't wait

[202dy]

There are several ways to do this. The easiest way is to use a pair of specially ground end nippers to pull the pin. The second easiest way is to use a machinists leveling jack. Place a small block of wood on the inside of the guitar opposite the bridge. Place the jack on the block directly beneath the pin. Twist the jack up until it forces the pin loose. If you don't have that, try this: Mask the bridge off with some leather or heavy cardboard. Using a pair of needle nose pliers like a wedge under the knob of the pin and pry up or down against the leather. Then there is the Neanderthal way. Take a small block of wood or a piece of 3/4" dowel rod and push up hard on the pin. Hammer against it if you have to. Of course, this can damage the underside of the top or the bridge plate if you are not careful.

Or take it to a pro who probably has all of the aforementioned tools and will probably pop it out for free if you buy a set of strings and have him string it up for you. While you're at it, ask him to show you how he does it. If you are sincere he will probably take you to his bench and give you a quick lesson. Most techs love to talk to a knowledgeable client. It gets lonely at the bench sometimes. Plus, it's always good to see how someone else does it, too.

[birdxofxprey]

Originally Posted by 202dy

There are several ways to do this. The easiest way is to use a pair of specially ground end nippers to pull the pin. The second easiest way is to use a machinists leveling jack. Place a small block of wood on the inside of the guitar opposite the bridge. Place the jack on the block directly beneath the pin. Twist the jack up until it forces the pin loose. If you don't have that, try this: Mask the bridge off with some leather or heavy cardboard. Using a pair of needle nose pliers like a wedge under the knob of the pin and pry up or down against the leather. Then there is the Neanderthal way. Take a small block of wood or a piece of 3/4" dowel rod and push up hard on the pin. Hammer against it if you have to. Of course, this can damage the underside of the top or the bridge plate if you are not careful.

Or take it to a pro who probably has all of the aforementioned tools and will probably pop it out for free if you buy a set of strings and have him string it up for you. While you're at it, ask him to show you how he does it. If you are sincere he will probably take you to his bench and give you a quick lesson. Most techs love to talk to a knowledgeable client. It gets lonely at the bench sometimes. Plus, it's always good to see how someone else does it, too.

thanks for all the ideas. i've tried most of these already. i think the reason these tricks don't work is that with the string ball so off-set to the side of the pin, no amount of force will get it through the hole without damaging the bridge. best i can figure is to either work the string loose (i did clip it and am trying to push it through, no luck yet) or just cut off the top of the pin and get a new one.

honestly, i love my club custom, but the factory set up is probably the worst of any bass i've ever had. i notice this on CCs in the store as well. the necks are bowed, the strings are ancient, and now this screw up with string installation. great bass, but you have to be willing to do the bulk of the setup yourself.

[202dy]

Last ditch attempt is to bore through the center of the pin and ream it with a semi-fluted tapered reamer until it is thin enough to collapse from the pressure of the string.

If you've tried the conventional methods then taking it to a pro is the logical choice.

[birdxofxprey]

Originally Posted by 202dy

Last ditch attempt is to bore through the center of the pin and ream it with a semi-fluted tapered reamer until it is thin enough to collapse from the pressure of the string.

If you've tried the conventional methods then taking it to a pro is the logical choice.

i finally got the pin out, without such drastic measures. after clipping the B string short, i proceeded to use two pair of needlenose pliars to unravel the winding on the string - thus making the string thinner until it could be removed through the underside of the bridge. i used one pliars to hold the core of the string and the other to unravel the outer winding and remove it, worked pretty well.

unfortunately, installing the new strings was no picnic. very cheap plastic pins. some of the pins will stay put in some of the holes, and if you don't get each pin into its favorite hole, out it pops as soon as the string is tightened. ugh!

this is the longest mopst frustrating string change i've ever done. normally, changing strings is no big deal. this sucked.

the one bright sopt is that the DR RAREs sound very bright and good, much better than the stock strings.

anyway, thanks for all the helpful suggestions!

[202dy]

Congratulations! The practice of luthiery can be, at times, one of the more frustrating of pursuits.

Have you ever seen the way high end Gibson acoustic bridges are slotted? There is a rectangular slot installed on the headstock side of the bridge pin hole. The string rests in the slot rather than in the hole and the pin only serves to lock the string into place. If a grooved pin is employed it should be spun 180 degrees so that the round portion of the pin faces the slot. It has the added advantage of making it almost foolproof to have the ball end lock up against the bridge plate. Dan Erlewine has an excellent diagram in The GP Guide to Repair. But a cursory examination at the local B&M should be instructive if a copy of that text is not on your bookshelf. It is a simple modification and can be performed in twenty minutes the next time you change strings.

Just food for thought.

[birdxofxprey]

Originally Posted by 202dy

Congratulations! The practice of luthiery can be, at times, one of the more frustrating of pursuits.

indeed, rewarding also, but with lots of frustration along the way. good way to learn patience i suppose.

Originally Posted by 202dy

Have you ever seen the way high end Gibson acoustic bridges are slotted? There is a rectangular slot installed on the headstock side of the bridge pin hole. The string rests in the slot rather than in the hole and the pin only serves to lock the string into place. If a grooved pin is employed it should be spun 180 degrees so that the round portion of the pin faces the slot. It has the added advantage of making it almost foolproof to have the ball end lock up against the bridge plate. Dan Erlewine has an excellent diagram in The GP Guide to Repair. But a cursory examination at the local B&M should be instructive if a copy of that text is not on your bookshelf. It is a simple modification and can be performed in twenty minutes the next time you change strings.
Just food for thought.

very interesting. i'll have to investigate this, thanks!