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I'm very interested in using pin-less bridges on my E2 models. That in my opinion is my most "Contemporary" styled guitar. I have seen the type were the string ball is anchored to a post, i.e. Mike Doolin, and I have seen were the strings slide into a hole and out to top of the bridge, I believe David Berkowitz is this way. My favorite style is a routed channel that allows the ball ends to sink into the bridge and then the strings pop up out of the top, just south of the saddle - Mike Baranik comes to mind.


Anyways, what are some of the pit falls of NOT having a post to anchor too? I'd fear the top of the bridge would get ripped off.

Thanks
LanceK

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

who'se bridge is that? That has a really nice look.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I've done a couple like Mike's. If they weren't such a pain in the neck, I'd stick to them that way. Maybe I'll work on better jigs that hold things for cutting that cavity and the sting holes at an angle.
You might look into putting a ferrell in the hole. Similar to the end of a cable on a bicycle. I think that would prevent the ball from cutting the wood of the bridge and eventually tearing out. Mike's break angle looks pretty severe on this one which looks like they might try to pull out the top of the bridge if too much tension was applied.

dare i say the word, but ovation have used pinless or through bridges for what, 35 yrs or so, and whilst their problems are legion i have nor heard of their bridges coming apart. off yes, but apart, no.

taylor also put out a few models some years ago with this style bridge. i still have one and there have been no problems with it.
crazymanmichael38560.7340625

Lance,

I've built only one steel string guitar to date, and I fabricated a simple pinless bridge for it. You can't see them in the photo below, but I actually inserted pieces of brass tubing in each of the holes to preven the ball ends from digging into the bridge. I like the looks of the recessed area for the ball ends better though.



The reason why I installed a pinless bridge on this guitar was because I honestly did not feel like hassling with drilling the holes in the top and then doing all the reaming and fitting for the pins.

Yup, I was just being lazy.

Still, the way I saw it was this -- if the glue joint is a good, solid, clean joint, it will be stronger than the wood that it's joining. So I wasn't all that concerned about the prospects of having the bridge pull up. Welp, we'll see how right or wrong I was in a few years, maybe more.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

If you were really concerned about the bridge popping off couldn't you pin it? You could sneak some small pins under the saddle or inside the recesses. Just an idea.

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I have used a pinless bridge on my hybrid acoustic/electrics. They have a
hollow body and braced much like an acoustic. I have had no problems with
them coming off or with bridge itself failing.

mauror38560.9992476852

I've done a few of them, and I plan to use some more. Here's how I made the ones I have used so far. I routed an extra slot while it was on the saddle slotting jig and glued a piece of wood in there, which ends up being across the top part where the strings come through. The idea was to provide some cross-grain in that area for some extra strength. There are two bridges in this pic- I made one out of walnut with a padauk insert, so you can see what I mean, while the rosewood one has an ebony piece in there.
Mark Swanson38561.0425694444

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com