D'Andrea Tone Pins: an endorsement and a question

[Ro3b]

I just got a set of these from Elderly instruments about a month ago. They're slightly bigger-than-standard guitar bridge pins made of brass instead of the more usual plastic or bone or what-have-you. Since they're much heavier than other bridge pins, they have a marked effect on the tone of the instrument they're installed on. I presume it's because they don't absorb as much energy from the vibrating strings. You can get a similar effect by taping a roll of pennies to your peghead.

Anyway, I installed them on my Guild D-35. I bought this guitar new in 1987. It was my first really good acoustic guitar, and I know it like the inside of my mouth. While I love it, it doesn't have the most balanced tone in the world -- it's kind of boomy in the bass and low midrange, and the highs are kind of lost. Well, problem solved. With these bridge pins, the instrument is totally transformed. It's crisp and clear throughout its range, with tons of sustain. The thing barks now. It's the best twelve bucks I've spent on my guitar.

Now the question: the pin holes in my bridge are drilled cylindrically, and the pins sit pretty high and sometimes get in the way, especially when I'm damping the strings with the heel of my hand. I'd like to enlarge and taper the holes so the pins won't stick up as much, and I'd like (if possible) to do it without spending $50 for a StewMac specialized bridge-pin reamer that I'll only use once. Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations before I go attacking my guitar with a rattail file?

[Spudman***]

Soak the pins in Valvoline and use a big hammer to insert them. Just kidding.

I'd probably try to reduce the diameter of the pins rather than enlarging the holes simply because you can buy new pins but you forever alter the guitar. Call a machine shop and see if they have any suggestions.

Also, thanks a million for mentioning these. I've often wondered if they were a wise investment and it sounds like they are, but I'm also thinking is the sound improvement possibly due to putting new strings on too? Just curious.

[Ro3b]

Hey, now -- valvoline, I hadn't thought of that. :-) The pins do make a big difference, at least in my guitar. A friend of mine has the same model Guild from around the same year, so I've been able to compare. I don't think they'd work as well in an instrument that's already bright-sounding. But I don't know. A guy I know has them in an old Martin, and it sounds pretty incredible.

I don't really mind forever altering the guitar; it just sounds so much better with these things.