Why Bridge Pins Can Affect Your Acoustic Performance

You might not ever think of the bridge pins on your acoustic guitar, but those tiny little pegs that are poking through the bridge play a part in your tone and playability.

Bridge pins not only make sure your strings are lined up horizontally, but they also carry the vibration of the strings (i.e. sound) into the guitar’s body.

This happens because each acoustic guitar string passes over the saddle and into holes on the bridge on the top of the instrument. Finally, the strings end through the bridge plate, which is a thin piece of wood glued inside the guitar under the bridge position so the string tension won't wear on the top.

Now, when the strings are tensioned—remember that guitar strings are under a tremendous amount of tension—they want to pull back out of those holes. That’s where bridge pins step in. They are what keeps the strings in place by wedging the ball end of the string against the bridge plate.

Installing your bridge pegs correctly is key for optimal performance, as strings that don’t have the ball ends seated correctly can wear out the bridge plate over time, or at the least eventually result in loss of volume and clearness.

To make sure that the strings are correctly seated when re-stringing, give the string a tug as you insert the bridge pin to feel the ball end hit the top of the pin. When you feel that, push the pin in fully.

Bridge pins are made of different materials, most commonly plastic, wood, bone and metal (like brass). Some have argued that each affects tone in different ways, with brass being the brightest and wood and bone offering excellent sustain. But that can also be a subjective matter, just like anyone’s personal tone quest should be.

The important thing to remember is to not overlook your guitar’s bridge pins. Healthy bridge pins properly installed will go a long way towards keeping your instrument in tip-top shape.