Acoustic Guitar Construction

While I was in the shop anyway, I threw this together. The only advantage I can see is that bridge pins would not be needed, or the taper or countersink - just a 3/16" hole and a slot a very little wider than the string wraps.

But it would make changing strings easier, and also initial set-ups. My worry is that the ball end pulling against a thin slot in the bridge plate might be a problem. Would it?

Energy transfer --- better angle more contact, appears that both those advantages are lost?

Some drawings in here

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/bridgeprep.html

I was using that model for illustration only because I was too lazy to mock up a real one. :-)

In practice, if I was to place the holes a little further back, the angle would be the same as with the pins, and the string pull on the bridge plate would be the same as with pins, I think. In other words, the string ramps would be in the same place and the string exit from the bridge would be the same as with pins.
Make sense?

That's similar to using unslotted pins and a slotted bridge. The pins are not needed there either...once the strings are tuned. It's difficult to get the strings to stay seated without the pin pushing them under the bridge plate.

I've been fiddling with it a bit, and the key to easy install and removal of strings is the width of the slot. It will take a little work to figure out the right position for the holes and slots, but may turn out to be a good alternative to the pinless bridges with the ball ends at the back of the bridge - a hassle when setting up and intonating and such.

deadedith wrote:I've been fiddling with it a bit, and the key to easy install and removal of strings is the width of the slot. It will take a little work to figure out the right position for the holes and slots, but may turn out to be a good alternative to the pinless bridges with the ball ends at the back of the bridge - a hassle when setting up and intonating and such.

I have both made guitars with pinned and pinless and I agree a pinless bridge is a hassle during setup. I was never really clear on the value of a pinless bridge over a pinned bridge so I do not know if you Idea maintains that advantage. Your ideat does lower the mass of the bridge.

I took this top sketch from KMG website; the lower sketch is the way I envision it in pinless style.