Acoustic Guitar Construction

Mike doolins (aka Jeff Elliot's) is really nice. He has small pins that hold the ball of the string but it keeps with the look of a pinned bridge. Mikes a nice person and seems very willing to share his knowledge. It might be worth emailing him.

Ben-Had wrote:Here's another type.

I've tried making some pinless bridges, but either the bit wanders and gives me unequal spacing on the insertion, or the hole actualy starts burining and expanding. I could order pinless bridges, but I want my own style, and with my own saddle slot. I guess I still need to upgrade my machinery to do a better job on those, or I would try it in a heartbeat!

I won't say my holes are exactly perfect but you'd have to look real close to tell the one(s) that are off. I use brad point bits to minimize the wander.

TonyinNYC wrote:
2) Plug and redrill the holes in the soundboard and bridge plate, do nothing else, and carry on with finishing the guit
Also a good option, but the chances of the plug remaining intact as I drill out the new holes seems pretty small to me.

What do you all think?

While it seems as you are headed off on the pinless bridge... What if you filled the holes with some sort of filler epoxy and redrilled them. The holes are hidden under the bridge, if it worked it would be a simple fix. Tape the bottom of the bridge plat, fill the holes and level at the top.

The pinless would be cool ...

Well the decision is not final. I am going to practice on a piece of scrap and see if I can do it. If not I am filling and redrilling!

I like JP's idea, that should work, seems like an inevasive solution.

David L