Tusq was an experiment I definitely won't repeat on the 160. This plays out in several ways – they can have uneven sustain through the nut (so different strings ring in different ways), and they also will have soft spots within the material. Replacing lost or worn bridge pins is now just a click away. Walrus Jawbone offers the fundamental tone of bone but with better overtones & fatter harmonics. So, let’s compare their similarities and differences in terms of performance, looks, and overall tonality. Bone Bridge Pins 2. We also have bone bridge pins and black horn bridge pins. The Tusq bridge pins are ideal for moderate treble and volume to the Martin guitars. Tusq or bone saddle is a good upgrade from the plastic, and noticeably better in tone. I replaced the plastic saddle and pins … In addition to clarity, bone bridge pins also significantly increase the treble and sustain of an acoustic guitar, too. The product protects the bridge and the bridge plate. I put zero stock in any of these tests. To be fair, Frank was not presenting it as a scientific test of anything. When comparing plastic and a bone, it’s clear that the bone will dominate. % BP-2847 Unslotted Ebony Bridge Pins … (I do not have this problem with any other bridge pins, plastic, wood, or bone -- only these TUSQ bridge pins) I cant even return them now that I havee altered them, the advice I received from TUSQ support (who by the way is very slow to respond to any questions, if they even answer at all). 4.5 out of 5 stars. I've gone back and forth with a lot of pins over the years pretty much settled on those for most guitars. #1 Luvay Guitar Bone Bridge Pins. The six-piece set is … TUSQ Bridge Pins, on the other hand, are precision engineered under high pressure and heat specifically to deliver the maximum amount of vibration directly to the top of your guitar. The plastic pins seemed a little weaker to me but maybe that is because I don't like plastics. Now that we’ve gone over everything, let’s have a quick recap.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'killerguitarrigs_com-box-4','ezslot_4',148,'0','0'])); If it were me, I would pick Tusq every time. Made in USA in our Dover, Ohio shop. Just the fact that there's a player in the loop makes it invalid. Plastic Bridge Pins. What are the advantages of a Tusq nut Vs Bone Nut? In addition, they are extremely durable and will last significantly longer than most bridge pins on the market today. Best bone acoustic guitar bridge pins, Made in USA. TUSQ is an advanced polymer that's formed under high heat and pressure for uniform density. Buy It Now +C $3.83 shipping. TUSQ nuts, saddles and bridge pins are precision engineered under high pressure and heat, specifically to govern which frequencies are transferred to your guitar top … Really this is down to the user, but at the end of the day, the consensus is that Tusq sustains longer, has more volume, and has an overall more brilliant sound. Share . This is the brand name for an alternate man-made material that is often used today in place of traditional bone or ivory for acoustic guitar saddles and nuts. Bone Bridge Pins: Exotic bone materials are rare and expensive for obvious reasons, these pins are said to add a bit more bottom end and sustain. We also have bone bridge pins and black horn bridge pins. Tusq nuts have gone on to become standard in high quality guitars from manufacturers such as Taylor, Gibson and Tacoma.Watch this video on YouTube. Once a note is fretted, the nut is no longer part of the tonal equation. With bone nut and saddle, between 10 and 18 seconds. Plastic Bridge Pins. Ebony can add bass and warmth to your Martin, along with a significant increase in sustain & volume. Bone vs. Tusq I know this has probably been discussed before, but I am curious as to any insight concerning bone vs. tusq - not fosilized ivory, just cow bone. I had a luthier install a Colosi bone saddle in my 814ce and have been pleased with the results. While bone has long been the favoured material for nut upgrades, more and more people are opting to go for Tusq. This is my sound comparison on Dreadnought acoustic guitar between plastic bridge pins and bone bridge pins. 1. Hanging the saddle of the guitar has more effect on the tone of a guitar as compared to bridge pins. To me, pins tend to sound much the same unless they're of radically different material, like putting brass in there, which probably effects the entire bridge assembly in horrible ways. Just to be clear, I'm talking about the OP, not Frank's test. So, to compensate for that and to allow for the strings to fit into the bridge, you had to take a small file and slot the bridge in the bridge plate to allow enough clearance for the string to go into the bridge. Get the guaranteed best price on Bridge Pins like the Graph Tech Tusq Ivory Acoustic Guitar Bridge Pins at Musician's Friend. The bridge pins in retaining the tension on a horizontal plane. Stock nut next to the installed Colosi nut. Made from bone, these pins will improve the acoustical properties of most guitars when replacing softer materials such as horn or wood. GraphTech PP-1122-00 TUSQ Bridge pins. Graph Tech also makes a “TUSQ derivative” they call NuBone. Performance: Metal Bridge Pins 3. Get the guaranteed best price on Bridge Pins like the Graph Tech Tusq Ivory Acoustic Guitar Bridge Pins at Musician's Friend. C $15.30. On my '61 Gibson B45-12 with the ADJ bridge, I have tried both tusq and bone but ended up going back to the original rosewood saddle. The result is an increase in volume and sustain, without sacrificing the low-end, or richness, of the guitar’s tone. Share . "TUSQ nuts and saddles have improved the sustain and clarity of our guitars. When upgrading a guitar, the nut is often the first place people look, particularly when attempting to improve tuning stability. While bone and ivory both have a reputation for big open lows and clear bell like highs, they are both natural materials, and as such are quite inconsistent. It is pre-slotted to make for a quick and simple install. TUSQ is an advanced polymer that's formed under high heat and pressure for uniform density. I think tusq is a definite step down I managed to shave too much off my stock bone saddle on my BR160 and replaced it with tusq. You can buy one off the shelf and get exactly what you expect. As some others have said here, it may or may not be an improvement. I have found that the tone — when compared to bone and synthetic bone — is thinner using TUSQ nuts, even though they market a better bass response. Bridge pins come in various sizes and can be made from plastic, wood, ivory, bone, and even brass. Ditto any experiment that relies for its results on the subjective impressions of self-selected observers listening to their computer's speakers (unless it's an experiment to test the computer speaker variable). Bone, Tusq, fossil ivory, etc., all differ only slightly, and most of it is noticeable only … Some have argued that each affects tone in different ways, with brass being the brightest and wood and bone offering excellent sustain. Traditionally, bridge pins were made of ebony or bone and they didn’t have slots drilled in them. Graphtech PP3000 Tusq Black Bridge Pin Set (6pcs) PP-3000-00 Graphtech Tusq Martin 2mm Acoustic Bridge Pins (Black - White Dot) Set of 6 Graphtech Taylor Tusq Acoustic Saddle Compensated 1/8 inch Graph Tech TUSQ Acoustic Guitar Saddle - Compensated Martin 3/32" Regular(Ivory) Graph Tech TUSQ Martin Acoustic Guitar Slotted Nut Man-made ivory from Graph Tech, for enhanced tone and sustain. TUSQ is an advanced polymer that's formed under high heat and pressure for uniform density. GraphTech PP-1122-00 TUSQ Bridge pins. TUSQ nuts boast “permanent lubrication” and definitely deliver in the self–lubrication category, being easy to shape. Bridge pin set, slotted (6 pcs.) You also need to lubricate bone or ivory nuts, whereas Tusq XL nuts are self lubricating. He pulled out a handfull of various blanks and had me listen to the various sounds when dropped on a hard surface. My Taylor 710CE came from the factory with ebony pins. All rights reserved. Bone & Fossilized Ivory Guitar Bridge Pins with Size Guide/Chart. If you are in the market in search for natural bone, carefully hand polished bridge pins for your acoustic guitar, look no further than the Luvay. I also don’t want to buy expensive lubricating sauce, I want the nut to deal with it. Copyright © 2020 Killer Guitar Rigs. One forum user shared an experience they had during a class with renowned master luthier Dan Erlewine.eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'killerguitarrigs_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_10',147,'0','0'])); Even with bone blanks they will often sound different. Disclaimer Section: IMHO, YMMV, IMHE, Don't Try This At Home, Take With Grain Of Salt, etc, etc. The result is an increase in volume and sustain, without sacrificing the low-end, or richness, of the guitar’s tone. Share this page: By Sweetwater on Oct 17, 2008, 12:00 AM. From Australia. Color: Bone; Red Inlay; 6 bridge pins per set *Item not … Tusq goes "Plonk" - not as bright sounding. Best Electric Guitar Starter Kits for Beginners, Best Kids Guitars – Acoustic, Electric, and Bass, Epiphone Les Paul Custom Classic Pro 2020 Review – Custom Looks, Affordable Price. We make guitar pins of: 1) North American Cattle Bone for $39.95/set. Gibson uses a lot of Micarta for their nuts and bridge saddles. It was a story about how easily people fool themselves. Graph Tech also makes a “TUSQ derivative” they call NuBone. TUSQ nuts, saddles and bridge pins are precision engineered under high pressure and heat, specifically to govern which frequencies are transferred to your guitar … I tried the Tusq XL. Mammoth Ivory with Abalone 6pk That said, moving from bone to Tusq or Tusq to bone is generally considered a bad use of money when done for it’s own sake. In additional to improving the looks of my guitar, the new bone bridge pins significantly increased sustain. Bone Guitar Bridge Pins Martin, Gibson, Taylor, Collings, Santa Cruz etc. Graphtech PP3000 Tusq Black Bridge Pin Set (6pcs) PP-3000-00 Graphtech Tusq Martin 2mm Acoustic Bridge Pins (Black - White Dot) Set of 6 Graphtech Taylor Tusq Acoustic Saddle Compensated 1/8 inch Graph Tech TUSQ Acoustic Guitar Saddle - Compensated Martin 3/32" Regular(Ivory) Graph Tech TUSQ Martin Acoustic Guitar Slotted Nut The denser bone or ivory pins transmit the sound … It produces a similar tone, but it does wear down faster. Our Size 2A pins will fit the same way. Only a plastic nut is cheaper. It's designed to transfer string energy more efficiently, to make guitars come alive with enhanced harmonics, volume and sustain. The size 4.2D pins fit PERFECTLY, and look fantastic. Many luthiers say they will be slotting a nut and then run into a soft spot in the material that will means you can’t always get to the exact depth you want, and the slot might naturally deepen over time. I switched those out for Tusq pins...again dramatic. One quick way to hear the pronounced difference between bone and Tusq is by dropping the blanks on a hard tile floor. with Pearloid dot and end pin. Frank | forum intro #1331 [maybe one more guitar ... maybe not; one never knows ...]. Got the action right but never happy with the sound. Tusq goes "Plonk" - not as bright sounding. The only thing I have noticed with different bridge pins is Tusq seems to accentuate sustain just a bit. … Frank Ford posted a story about bridge pins--probably more than a decade ago. Available in packs of six only*. The higher the pitch, the higher the density and the closer to fret density you’ll be. Bridge pins are made of different materials, most commonly plastic, wood, bone and metal (like brass). "TUSQ nuts and saddles have improved the sustain and clarity of our guitars. Over the years I’ve owned dozens of guitars and who knows how many pedals, playing everything from punk to polka. Metal Bridge Pins 3. 2) Fossil Walrus Jawbone for $74.95/set. Tusq XL nuts on the other hand are self lubricating, so offer improved tuning stability without having any maintenance.eval(ez_write_tag([[468,60],'killerguitarrigs_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_9',145,'0','0'])); While the difference between the two isn’t as pronounced as going from a cheap plastic nut to a bone or Tusq nut, there are definitely some advantages with Tusq. Never mind. Drop a plastic nut and you’ll hear just about nothing. It's designed to transfer string energy more efficiently, to make guitars come alive with enhanced harmonics, volume and sustain. % BP-0855 Slotted Dotted Bridge and End Pins from $20.00 . 3) Fossilized Mammoth Ivory for $ 110/set Fig. 8 product ratings - Genuine Bone Bridge Pin Peg & 3mm Abalone Inlay TUSQ size for Acoustic Guitar. Bone Bridge Pins 2. But that can also be a subjective matter, just … Every material sounds different, and bone is probably the most inconsistent between various blanks, but a good well-cut bone nut is hard to beat. Final trimming required. Going back to plastic was huge, and then going to bone was very dramatic as well. Get a low price and free shipping on thousands of items. The tone screw holes were drilled though the bone, so the tone travels right from the bone to the metal, unlike other bone/wood archtop bridge pieces. Each material offers a different tone and various degrees of longevity. Final trimming required. Frankly I think that's a real stretch, even if theoretically true. Altogether, it cost about $125. Description Specs TUSQ nuts and saddles have rich tone without the inconsistency found in ivory, bone Tusq. View on Amazon. Or, do they achieve something that the big-name brands have overlooked despite being around for decades? Tusq tends to produce notes that have more sustain and many find the tone much clearer and sharper. I can state with a fair degree of confidence that, from the analytic viewpoint, that test is a load of rubbish with more holes than a decent Swiss cheese. Bridge pins hook the strings’ ball ends to the bridge plate, which is located under the bridge. Bone and ivory bridge pins have one inherent problem - they're made from animals, which have have inconsistent dead spots, soft and hard sections because of their inherent grain. Bone and ivory nuts are natural, and thus inconsistent – they will have soft spots within that will effect how they can be slotted. Tusq Bridge Pins. I'm also using Tusq pins … I've never played a guitar with a tusq nut, but have an acoustic with a bone nut. Wood Bridge Pins 4. For example, in this case the differences in how he played the harmonics is readily noticed. I decided to replace the tusq bridge and plastic pins on my new J-15 with bone ones from Bob Colossi. The real improvement is going from plastic to either bone or tusq. This means some strings may sound good while others will buzz or have less sustain. I got a first class setup while I was at it. pins on my Larrivee parlor with bone nut and saddle, and camel bone pins. Tusq Nut vs Bone: Similarities and Differences. In an acoustic guitar, a bone nut and bridge makes a startling difference to the tone and sound. Available in convenient ready-made shapes and sizes, TUSQ ® bridge saddles are preferred by many acoustic guitarmakers for rich tone and sustain. The Tusq bridge pins are ideal for moderate treble and volume to the Martin guitars. Bone nuts seem to be a relic of a time with less choice. The guitar has a much richer sound, a long sustain and terrifically responsive dynamics. Man-made ivory from Graph Tech, for enhanced tone and sustain. *Abalone dot bridge pins are available to ship within the United States only. One thing to bear in mind when discussing the tonal differences of a nut is that it only applies to open strings. Tusq will slot consistently and wear concisely, which means consistent tone and sustain. The bone pins at Maury's Music are a fine example. As bone and ivory will have soft spots, you may find they are hard to slot to the exact depth you want, and you may also find that they’ll wear unevenly over time. I made those upgrades when I bought that guitar new in 1999, and was always glad I made that move. I took a class with Dan Erlewine years ago and the first thing he said when cutting nuts is “first you gotta pick the blank”. They will also be different from blank to blank, and you’ll need to try several to find the best one. 16 product ratings - NEW - Graph Tech Tusq Bridge Pins Martin Style, White, Black Dot, PP-1122-00 Get a low price and free shipping on thousands of items. We are a participant in several affiliate programs including but not limited to the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Do you put EQ before or after compression? Tusq. This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our, dang4 received 20 Gold Points from Tapatalk, EU For sale or trade bone nut & saddle + antique acoustic bridge pins, Bridge Pin, Nut, and Saddle comparison: Liquidmetal, Tusq, Ebony, Bone, Plastic - Article + Audio clips, https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/3-way ... 20190810-b, http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default ... dID=784456, http://www.flickr.com/photos/done_family/. 2. Suspended by those two large screws, it gives the guitar a nice bit of archtop vibe. Bone offers everything Tusq provides, but in bigger doses. A significant part of my PhD and subsequent career was based on the design and subsequent analysis of trials designed to establish the statistical significance, or otherwise, of small differences. A bone nut will produce something of a ring, while Tusq has a pronounced ring, almost musical on it’s own. My dealer installed a Colosi bone nut and saddle. Something else to consider is that all Tusq nuts will sound the same, whereas you’ll find great variance between bone nuts. What Howard said. Buffalo Horn sounds almost identical to bone, and is a great choice if you want a dark looking pin with bone tone. We make guitar pins of: 1) North American Cattle Bone for $39.95/set. If it does have more sustain and brilliance than bone even, that'd be PERFECT for what I'd like. Far superior in my opinion in terms of tuning and playing with Bigsby use. The problem with Bone and Ivory nuts & saddles is that they are organic materials. Graph Tech PP-2122-00 TUSQ Traditional Style Bridge Pin Set - Black with 2mm White Dot Inlay (set of 6) TUSQ Martin Bridge Pin Set, 2mm - Black with White Dot (6 Pcs) $ 19 .99 In addition, they are extremely durable and will last significantly longer than most bridge pins on the market today. Size 2C is the same degree of taper but with a reduced shift diameter (0.215" at the top of the shaft) so that they will sit farther down in the bridge. Antique Acoustics and Waverly solid pins are plastic, but in my opinion preferable to just about anything else on the market. I have found that the tone — when compared to bone and synthetic bone — is thinner using TUSQ nuts, even though they market a better bass response. >> Bone Bridge Pins >> Tusq Bridge Pins >> Ebony Bridge Pins. Find pins with a 3-degree taper or 5-degree taper to suit nearly all Martin guitars, Taylor guitars, Gibson guitars -and many other brands, including most vintage guitars. High quality precision acoustic guitar bridge pins, end pins and strap buttons. Of course, many folks on these lists would say that it's invalid if there is not a player in the loop, so we're never going to agree. They add a remarkable amount of volume, clarity, sustain, and treble to your instrument. 1) See our PIN SIZE GUIDE CHART BELOW (Scroll a lot to get it all) to select the pin size that is right for your make and model. 2) Then click on the red button below corresponding to your pin size. There are plastics, and there are plastics. More volume, dynamics and resonance, for sure. Tusq bridge pins offer an ethical alternative to those who don’t want to use animal products. Bone Guitar Bridge Pins Martin, Gibson, Taylor, Collings, Santa Cruz etc. Unbleached bone makes a slightly louder "plink" noise than bleached bone. I am going back to the old Tusq saddle on the 810 as it just sounds better than the bone saddle on this guitar. Tusq. The six-piece set … 2) Fossil Walrus Jawbone for $74.95/set. I would be hard pressed to tell which was which if I was blindfolded. Taylor puts bone nuts and saddles on the 9 series. Cheap plastic saddles just "thunk" with no ringing component to the sound. I have tried both Bone & Soft Ivory pins.In my opinion there is a difference in tone when you compare plastic pin's to bone or ivory pin,s.Bone seems to bring out the high's and add's a bit more sustain than plastic.Soft ivory seems to be a bit warmer sounding than the bone pin's and add's more sustain.In my opinion adding a bone saddle & nut will make a bigger difference than the pin's … Bone Guitar Bridge Pins. Dragon’s Heart Guitar Picks Review – Hypersonic or Hype? 3) Fossilized Mammoth Ivory for $ 110/set High quality precision acoustic guitar bridge pins, end pins and strap buttons. To be honest, I can't tell the difference between the way Tusq and bone sound, so if bone is a problem for you, have a luthier put a Tusq saddle and nut on your guitar and change the bridge pins to ebony, rosewood, boxwood, or Tusq. Set of 6 bone bridge pins and 1 end pin, slotted. Bridge pins are super easy to replace – and they often need replacing because often manufacturers will save costs by using cheap plastic. I want consistency in tuning, and I don’t want my strings to start ringing in different ways becuase they’ve hit a soft spot in the material. 2005 D-18 Authentic 1937 Shade Top 1 of 4. I don't see any difference between "testing" pins and saddles and strings. The bone goes along the entire length of the top of the bridge piece. Bridge bone pins increase the purity of the essential notes, which helps out cheap guitars with bolt-on necks. Graph Tech PP-1122-00 Tusq Traditional Style Bridge Pins White With Black Inlay. Tonally, does tusq have even more brilliance and sustain than bone? By far the most popular variety is bridge pins made from polished bone. I sometimes use ebony, but prefer either to any bone or ivory that I've tried. Choose classic ebony, add an extra touch of style with ebony and abalone dots, or opt for a minimalist look with black plastic. What makes Dragon Heart Picks so popular? The one no brainer is replacing plastic bridge pins with ebony, tusq, bone, heck I don't care. How to hang a guitar on the wall without drilling/no screws, Harley Benton HB-35 Review – Best Budget 335, 7 Best Guitar Books in 2020 for Beginners through Advanced Players, Movements’ Ira George – “Working with Will Yip has been a match made in heaven”, War On Women’s Brooks Harlan – “We couldn’t suck in front of a crowd waiting to see Propagandhi or Refused”, BRKN LOVE’s Justin Benlolo – “We had no clue that the world was going to fall apart”. Ron Thorn. Available in convenient ready-made shapes and sizes, TUSQ ® bridge saddles are preferred by many acoustic guitarmakers for rich tone and sustain. Tusq or bone saddle is a good upgrade from the plastic, and noticeably better in tone. There’s also the fact that bone nuts need to be lubricated, either with graphite or a product such as nut sauce, otherwise strings can catch in the slots. If you own a new Martin guitar, chances are the bridge pins are installed so that the head of the pin sticks up about 1/4" above the bridge. Bridge Pin, Nut, and Saddle comparison: Liquidmetal, Tusq, Ebony, Bone, Plastic Sweetwater did a very interesting comparison of the effect of various materials on tone. Otherwise, I really cannot perceive much of a difference between bone, plastic, ebony or Tusq… Name: Matt Date: 8/12/2011 Review: Bone Bridge Pins Rating you give the Bone Bridge Pins: 4 - Highly recommend it Likes: Ordered a set of bone bridge pins with ebony inlay for my 2006 Guild F50. Any time I read about an "experiment" in which there is a player who must play exactly the same each time (and always testifies that he was really really careful to do so), I bemoan the lack of understanding of scientific methodology that is rampant (unless it's an experiment to test whether a player can actually play the same every time). This therefore means they will have inconsistent soft or dead spots because of their natural grain. Cheap plastic saddles just "thunk" with no ringing component to the sound. It is that last issue that makes bone and ivory nuts most difficult to work with. Wood Bridge Pins 4. Something else that users mentioned is that bone and ivory will typically stay white, whereas Tusq will darken over time – one person even said they took in a guitar for repair where they couldn’t distinguish between the nut and the rosewood fingerboard.Watch this video on YouTube. 7 JetBoy55 5 years ago ... saddle and bridge pins!). An Unofficial forum for those who love Martin instruments - Founded by Steve Stallings. Stock bridge and pins next to the installed Colosi bridge and pins. Bone vs. Tusq I know this has probably been discussed before, but I am curious as to any insight concerning bone vs. tusq - not fosilized ivory, just cow bone. I then made a new saddle out of a bone blank from Stewart McDonald and the original tone came roaring back. And YET.....  people swear up and down they hear big differences in strings. I had a luthier install a Colosi bone saddle in my 814ce and have been pleased with the results. Created by Dave Dunwoodie of Graphtech in the 80s, Tusq is a synthetic material (a high-quality polymer) that attempts to not only emulate but improve on bone and ivory for not only nuts in guitars but also saddles, and bridge pins. I have done this to all guitars I have bought with tusq saddles and always thought it a worthy upgrade. _____ I have experimented quite extensively with bridge pins, including bone (from various sources, fossilised and otherwise), tusq, brass, ebony, etc., and would say that whether or not they make a difference is generally down to the guitar itself. Article + … Micarta is a synthetic bone. Something else to consider is that all Tusq nuts will sound the same, whereas you’ll find great variance between bone nuts. Nearly all the pins we sell can be paired with a matching end pin, or strap pin. A bone nut will produce something of a ring, while Tusq has a pronounced ring, almost musical on it’s own. These unique pins are made out of natural bone. Tusq is a synthetic polymer material made by GraphTech. That tells the story for me. The PQ-1530-00 is also available in a convenient luthier 10 pack (LQ-1530-10). The product protects the bridge and the bridge plate. TUSQ nuts boast “permanent lubrication” and definitely deliver in the self–lubrication category, being easy to shape. The maker of Tusq will tell you that bone, being natural, is subject to air pockets or something like that which CAN make them inconsistent from string to string if that ever happens to you. Mammoth Ivory with Abalone 6pk Disclosure: Links below are affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Color: Bone; Red Inlay; 6 bridge pins per set … Sounds a bit better and looks a LOT better. I replaced my saddle and bridge pins on my 810 with bone components from Bob. They cost far less than pins of more exotic materials but offer classic looks and a noticeable increase in sound quality. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We have a simple 2 step process to help you purchase the correct pins:. This is the site where I share everything I’ve learned. Nearly all the pins we sell can be paired with a matching end pin, or strap pin. Disclosure: Links below are affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. ... Graph Tech BP1000-00 Tusq bridge pins with Abalone dot, slotted (6 pcs.). Bone Bridge Pins: Exotic bone materials are rare and expensive for obvious reasons, these pins are said to add a bit more bottom end and sustain. Are they just another eccentric guitar pick in a market flooded with unconventional designs? Unbleached bone makes a slightly louder "plink" noise than bleached bone. It was well worth it. I'm not making a useful contribution to this thread and should just be quiet. Share this page: By Sweetwater on Oct 17, 2008, 12:00 AM. >> Bone Bridge Pins >> Tusq Bridge Pins >> Ebony Bridge Pins. This is the brand name for an alternate man-made material that is often used today in place of traditional bone or ivory for acoustic guitar saddles and nuts. Let’s look at why. The bridge pins in retaining the tension on a horizontal plane. Brand New. Bridge pins are super easy to replace – and they often need replacing because often manufacturers will save costs by using cheap plastic. The tusq nut and saddle on my DN4 looked ratty after just a few months. I’ve been playing guitar since my brother taught me to play Wild Thing when I was seven years old. They are also increased to add a more focused singing up in higher harmonics and ring off the top voice. TUSQ is an advanced polymer that's formed under high heat and pressure for uniform density. 2. However, Tusq is not just any plastic. Tusq is a brand name of synthetic ivory that is rapidly growing in popularity due to its clean, bright tones. The PQ-1530-00 is a great option to upgrade or replace the nut on your mandolin. Find pins with a 3-degree taper or 5-degree taper to suit nearly all Martin guitars, Taylor guitars, Gibson guitars -and many other brands, including most vintage guitars. Made in USA in our Dover, Ohio shop. Tusq on the other hand is a synthetic material, and as such will be consistent not only within the nut, but from one to the other.