Any advantage to this at all?

[John Parchem]

I did that with my harp ukulele. Drill a small hole and thread balled string from the inside. With strings with no balls (nylon) thread from the outside grab the string from the inside and tie on a bead.

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=444&hilit=harp+ukulele&start=90

[Dave Bagwill]

Ah, I see...when he said he strings 'from the back' he's talking about 'from the inside', right? But that would seem difficult in performance, he would have to loosen the other strings to get his hand inside the hole. If I understand that correctly.

[John Parchem]

Ah, I see...when he said he strings 'from the back' he's talking about 'from the inside', right? But that would seem difficult in performance, he would have to loosen the other strings to get his hand inside the hole. If I understand that correctly.

Yes loosen a lot! Maybe he has an access panel in the back of the guitar. But it would not be too hard to do through a guitar sound hole.

[John Parchem]

To the point about splitting the bridge - I don't honestly know. You may be right. In effect, though, the six holes we drill plus the countersink for the pins and the taper - that effectively splits the bridge also, I think, and in total maybe weakens the integrity at least as much as my slot would?

The slotted pins when inserted make a joint thus much of the integrity remains. But even ignoring that between each hole is a bunch of plywood. (pad, top, bridge). There is a huge difference between the holes and the slot. To illustrate what I am saying, just draw six holes inside of your slot and look all along your slot there is support with the wood in between the holes. With your slot there is a long span with no support. Place a six foot 2 by one on six bricks evenly spaced. I bet you can walk on it. Push three bricks to one end and three to the other and then walk on it.

[Dave Bagwill]

I'm not clear on what is being supported. The ball ends, in my scenario, still pull on the bridge plate, the string pressure on the saddle is the same, the downward pressure on the bridge stays the same. The support appears to me to be a non-issue, though your illustration with the bricks was a good one.
Another way I think about it: many of the pinless bridges I see have a large valley carved out of the middle of the bridge, the entire length between the saddle slot and the rear of the bridge; in fact, I have seen bridges that are actually cut in half lengthwise, with a strip of top showing between the halves. I don't pretend to know how THAT one works, but it does.
Can you help me think of an experiment that will test my weird idea? I'm doing an 'at home' type of vacation with my wife so I have a little time.
Thanks again for the comments John.

[Dave Bagwill]

In a nutshell, do away with the pins, drill ramps instead - no slot, I'm now in full agreement with John - one ramp per string, 3/16" diameter for accommodating the ball ends, with a slot in the plate (the diameter of the string in question) to pull the ball end into, making installing and removing strings very easy.

[John Parchem]

... , I have seen bridges that are actually cut in half lengthwise, with a strip of top showing between the halves. I don't pretend to know how THAT one works, but it does.
....

I saw you next post I just wanted to address your examples. In those examples the top is not cut. In the short span of the cut your writing about, the top itself can transfer most of the load.

Your final idea should work structurally if I understand it. It is a lot like a pin less bridge. The only down side may be that it may be finicky to get the ball end to seat in the slot at the inside end of the hole at the angle you are showing. You will pull the string into the slot from the top but with the ball end free the string tends to curve. You can rig it up and try without having to make a test guitar.