How do I do this??

[jeffbrown]

Slightly OT, but I figure folks here will have the answer. I just don't. Mods, if this needs to be moved, please do.

GF has expressed an interest in learning guitar. No, *I* won't teach her more than the basics. I have a hard enough time playing bass.... But anyway - -

Back in the day, my son wanted to learn, so we got him a cheapo First Act acoustic which he rapidly outgrew (loves his Gibson electric, LOL). The acoustic has been sitting in my music room for years. I went out and bought a nice Martin set, not really considering the bridge arrangement. I attempted to hook 'em up today and found this. See pic.

I thought about stuffing the pin down over naked string, leaving the little grommet below the bridge, but I decided I'd ask first before I buggered up the whole set.

HTF does this work? Many TIA!

 

[bholder]

Yup, grommet goes in the hole with the string coming out the little notch in front, riding in the groove of the pin. The pin pushes it down and forward and locks it against the soundboard. So after pushing the pin down, make sure the string is in the notch and pulled tight. You don't really want the pin to push the grommet down into the body very far, just enough to clear the edge of the hole.

 

[Gorn]

This was always a harrowing experience on an acoustic bass I used to have.

 

[jeffbrown]

Thanks, folks! I'll give it a try!

 

[bholder]

This was always a harrowing experience on an acoustic bass I used to have.

Yeah acoustic basses with pin bridges can be tough. I went through 3-4 packs of plastic bass bridge pins on my Boulder Creek before I switched to brass. They'd always break inside, blocking the hole, sigh.

 

[Gorn]

Yeah acoustic basses with pin bridges can be tough. I went through 3-4 packs of plastic bass bridge pins on my Boulder Creek before I switched to brass. They'd always break inside, blocking the hole, sigh.

Is this done because it's traditional? Is there a good reason it's like this? I don't know anything about acoustic regular guitars.

 

[bholder]

Remembered seeing a good pic showing the right way, googled and found this, about the same:

 

[bholder]

Is this done because it's traditional? Is there a good reason it's like this? I don't know anything about acoustic regular guitars.

I don't know, there may be an answer in one of the guitar building books I have. I mean, yeah, it's the traditional steel string bridge setup, but there are other arrangements that work (classical and nylon strings usually tie on). It works ok enough on guitar, but scaling it up for bass was a bad idea.

 

[ThudThudThud]

I don't know, there may be an answer in one of the guitar building books I have. I mean, yeah, it's the traditional steel string bridge setup, but there are other arrangements that work (classical and nylon strings usually tie on). It works ok enough on guitar, but scaling it up for bass was a bad idea.

My ABG had a string through the back of the bridge set up. Worked just fine. The only issue was you had to be careful when removing strings lest you scratch the top of the bass. Pins must be a nightmare on a bass.

 

[HubbardsFate]

I might own an acoustic/semi-acoustic again at some point, but it'll never be one with those crappy pins...

 

[Jeff Hughes]

I usually set the ball end right in the hole and then push the pin down over it so the plastic post pushes the ball end down. I also put my thumb on the pin once inserted and give the string a sturdy tug to make sure it is tight.