Pins seemed to punch up the mids, but to the detriment of the overall tone. I have a Fender acoustic (C141?) that I sharpened a few years ago. Tone was pretty compressed and lacked sustain. It was a well built guitar but the bracing was engineered for manufacture not tone. So with little more than some razor blades and sandpaper (4-5 hrs) I scalloped and lightened the bracing. Massive improvement in volume, roundness and projection. Even low line acoustics respond well to well-considered sharpening just like solid bodies. Hardest part is knowing when to stop and not ruin the hard won gains. Enjoyable vid as always Phil, Thanks
I did both these mods on a Washburn, all Saple - Rosewood fingerboard. It had a very dark sound, which I liked. After a while the sound didn't do much for me. I love Cleartone strings, tried their acoustic version & like the slightly brighter sound, sort of "cleaned up" sound. On a whim, I bought brass pins & the sound got a little brighter, cleaner. I love the sound now & so does my son, He's looking to take it on me. All my electric (6) guitars have locking tuners so I put these on my acoustic as a convenience for changing strings. All this before I stumbled across your channel. I would say the pins benefits certain guitars.
I think the brass pins took away from the guitars sound rather than add anything really positive. The sound did sound louder/brighter but it also sounded more tinny and metallic. I would pass on using them as well ... Nice tests/comparisons Phil and thanks! ...
I agree with Eddie ( Exactly ). I do-like the locking tuners. I may do that to my 414ce-R ??? Perhaps on a Martin/Darker sounding guitar - those Pins would enhance the sound?
When I fitted locking tuners to my Prs SE it was nothing to do with stability and everything to do with I have always found the process of doing the wraps awkward and annoying. Maybe a better winder would have helped or just more practice over years but the locking tuners are just so much less stress when re stringing. Which is annoying as now I need to do every guitar I ever own.
The first place to find and fix stability issues is at the nut, next place is the saddle. If you have wobbly tuners, that could be fixed with a set of quality tuners, locking or not.
Last year I acquired a Taylor 312CE and have been contemplating not if I’m going to put locking tuning keys on it, but rather which kind. You’ve convinced me that the ratio tuners are the way to go Phil. Now my wife has an acoustic that is a little dark and a bit mushy. I put the abalone or mother of toilet seat or whatever the insert is on the top of the pin brass tone pins on her guitar and it was a positive improvement.
Damn. That tone comparison test was amazing. Normally with the UA-cam audio compression you can't hear any differences from A to B. This was so obvious that I was taken aback. I don't think the tuners could alter the tone to that degree, it must have been the brass pins. Amazing difference. I don't know if it's actually better, but it's no doubt altered.
Thanks for the video. I'd been wondering about locking tuners on my acoustic and was also considering the brass pins so this was very helpful. I think ill just do the tuners now. Cheers Phil. Great to see you adding another acoustic video!
The last time I brought Sperzels I got their EZ mount ones and their “grip spurs” on the back of them are prone to slipping if you don’t jam them into the wood enough in the beginning of installation. The brass tone pins added some brightness. I liked them.
The gotohs on my Taylor are so awesome that I might drill my Strat headstock for some. I put hipshot locking keys on my seagull as the old ones felt grainy and the locking just made string changes faster
I never knew about Sperzels were reversible ! That is so cool ! Thanks Phil ! (I have a different brand of that tool (jig) and it is definitely worth owning !)
From Leo: I used those brass pins to brighten up a boomy old Martin. They did good in that one. I tried a set on an all maple Seagull, and took them back out, they killed the lows and most of the mids. Never thought about locking tuners on an acoustic.
It's great to see the compassion with the tone pins. Not a huge change, but definitely brighter. Not so good for this guitar, but if you think your guitar is too dark, these would be worth a shot.
Agreed...tone pins took away the low end. I once bought a Strat that the owner swapped out nut, bridge, and trem block with brass components. Deader than a door nail. The axe is collecting dust in storage.
I have Sperzel locking tuners on my Custom Shop Breedlove. I believe that it stays in tune better because there are almost no wraps to compress. And as you said, string changes are FAST! Plus the Breedloves have the string through bridge(no bridge pins). I love 'em!
Oh good, I'm glad you said that. I was going to say the same thing. I like the tone of the plastic pins better. As for the tuning keys, I wouldn't swap out my Taylor ones but if I was going to upgrade those anyway I'd go with locking keys. Seems it just saves you time and energy with re-strings.
nice video. I recenty just got a Taylor 224DLX Koa. I thought about locking tuners, but in reality....it stays in tune extremely well. I'm sure that as the wood ages things will change, but I'm impressed at how awesome this guitar is considering its just above Taylor's "bottom" level guitars.
I have Waverly tuning machines on my Taylor 30th anniversary. The ease of the locking tuners sounds intriguing to me. I can’t do better then my Waverly’s. So stay they will.
You can remove and re-use strings on a standard tuning machine, like in this video. But you cannot re-use strings on a locking tuner, they will snap at the point where they were clamped.
Your right the pins are not worth the effort and expense installing. Also, I'm not totally sold on installing locking tuners on an acoustic guitar. Just my thoughts on the subject.
The pins made a significant difference, though. I had a similar experience with replacing the pins on my guitar, but in the opposite direction.Replacing plastic pins with ebony made a world of difference. It depends on whether you are changing crap for better or replacing good for different.
I think the brass pins might be something interesting to spice up a guitar that isn't getting any playing time. From what I heard it's probably not something you want to add to a guitar where you already love the sound. I think the misconception about tuning stability and locking tuners comes from the fact that people just don't understand the importance of the nut on their guitar. I noticed an immediate improvement in my guitars tuning stability after I replaced my nut for the first time. I didn't even do a good job installing it and the improvement in tuning stability was easily noticeable.
I agree , the nut is very often overlooked . With 3 of my guitars that I bought new , a Gibson & 2 Fenders , tuning was a problem until I played them in a little, purely because they were brand new. In each case the problem was friction at the nut. I asked the in store tech to fettle the slots on the Les Paul , he actually declined and just put pencil graphite in the slots & told me to play & it should sort itself out in time, if not bring it back ..it never had to go back. The mim Strats , the nut slots settled in after some heavy whammy abuse , single strings would go off, pull up on the bar a few times and voilà! All sorted .
I had wondered about this and the only answer I could find was that locking tuners were heavier and would cause a lightweight acoustic to get neck heavy. As for the bridge pins, I thought the original were better on your Taylor. But, I had changed the nut, saddle, and pins on my old Yamaha FG 405, in that order. I put Graphtech XL in the nut and saddle, which was only available in black at the time. Since the old plastic pins now stood out, I replaced them with ebony pins. I was surprised to find that the pins made the biggest difference of all in improving the sound. They were the cheapest change too.
I tried brass pins. I liked the brightness...to a point. Biggest reason I took them out was the b string pin wouldn't seat. It kept shooting across the room. They lasted about 3 minutes. Next!
I put brass pins on my acoustic about 20years ago. My old pins had dry rotted and broke to pieces during a string change. This happens about every 10 to 15 years. I went with the brass pins to put an end to that. I did not notice any change in tone though, despite the package and the sales guy claiming it would improve the tone. I don't know if they are the same brand. All I know is that the tone of my guitar has always been far above average since I bought it 38 years ago.
Did this get taken down and re-uploaded? I swear I just watched this this AM but my comment disappeared and I had to re-like it. Anyway... locking tuners seem swell on an acoustic. Your Taylor... is your favorite acoustic guitar, or favorite guitar period? ;-) I prefer the original tone pins as well. Love the new outro!
I own this guitar.. Taylor's have a "jangle" to them unlike a lot of other acoustics.. the new pins took that away and almost sort of muted the strings. Maybe it is the sustain as you mentioned. Thanks!
Thanks Phil! Always informative! I put the Tusq pegs in my Taylor 114ce, and found it did change the resonance a bit, but I not sure if it’s better or worse. Best acoustic guitar I’ve ever owned(life altering event purchasing it). Maybe if I was one of those people that play lots of gigs and changed strings all the time, I might think about locking tuners for the convenience but the tuning stability on my guitar is just fine! Thinking of trying the ebony pegs that Taylor is selling, maybe that will be different, and might have to try something for one of my lower end acoustics.
I think asking if locking tuners could or should go on an acoustic guitar is like asking the same question for an electric guitar. I think really it's down to what the player wants, and if the guitar is on the more affordable side and comes with cheaper tuners that are not so good quality tuners which would lead to you having to change them out anyway. Also, my experience with my acoustic guitar (I have an Ibanez AEG10) is with the original tuners, it didn't stay in tune anywhere near as much as I would have liked. I installed a set of Wilkinson EZ locking tuners (I know they're not proper locking tuners, but they're closer to locking that regular tuners) and I noticed the tuning stability was a lot better.
The main advantage of locking keys is quick string changes when a string breaks, this tends to be less common on acoustics then electrics (less big bends and all that). I typically change my electric strings when one breaks but tend to change my acoustic strings when they start sounding dull, i.e, not on stage in the heat of the moment when a locking key would be desired most. So I can understand why companies just don't bother with locking keys on acoustics. BUT, I could definitely see Monte needing them given the way he plays an acoustic.
That's very interesting. I tend to change my electric strings when they just won't stay in tune or make your hands smell of metal fatigue! After a long time of badly setting up my old Gibson guitars and comparing them to freshly factory set up guitars , I realised the break angle at the bridge was way too steep . Not had a string break in years . You live & learn 😉👍
@@shaunw9270 "I tend to change my electric strings when they just won't stay in tune or make your hands smell of metal fatigue!" LOL, ya or that... but I tend to break them first .
I agree on the brass pins. I replaced the worn out pins on my 1973 Guild D25m with ebony pins. I could not hear any difference there. Also, I don’t believe ALL tuners can change sides like that. May be a good thing to check before you buy them with the intent to do that.?.
That’s a really cool drill jig though it’s easier to justify the cost when you work on guitars a lot. I already have a set of brass pins and tusk pins that I want to try out just to see if I like the sound more. I’ll try to remember to try them out next string change.
I have Schaller Locking tuners on my Alverez 5040. I also added power Pins 2.0 to my bridge. My bridge had cracked and de-laminated slightly from the body, so I had a luthier fix it, but then I decided to reinforce it with the power pins 2.0 plate. The whole set up acts like a clamp and squeezes the bridge together. Then the strings go through the pins on the top, like a stop tail piece. I can change strings very quickly. Tonally the guitar sounds very good to my ear, but I didn't notice much of a change in the brass pins presented here, so that might be my hearing.
The last thing a Taylor *14 needs is to sound brighter! Maybe the brass runing pins would work, though, to free us Taylor owner's shackles to Exlixir strings. Maybe the brass would make D'Addario or DR strings sound as good on a Taylor as the Elixirs do with wood pins.
Elixir’s sound so nice on my Taylor that I’ve never considered another brand. I understand string choice is very subjective and elixirs aren’t necessarily the cheapest option but why mess with what works? But I get where you’re coming from for sure. I do agree about the brightness. If more brightness is desired though, I’ve found that using Dunlop’s Ultex picks provides a louder, clearer, and brighter tone. It sounds “better” to me without getting to harsh. As far as tuning machines, when I upgrade it’s going to be non-locking Gotoh Delta 510’s. I’ve never had the need for locking tuners.
@@ryanwilson5936 I am totally with you. I went through the exercise, shortly after I bought my Taylor in 2003, of trying other brands and gauges of strings. At the time I was very fond of DR strings on my Takamine, which I had traded up from. But nothing sounded nearly as good as the Elixirs. And my only regret / resentment over sticking with Elixirs over the years remains the cost. If you do your own setup and maintenance, the only real recurring cost of acoustic guitar ownership (that must legitimately be ascribed to the guitar, and not a love of music or the eternal quest for your own tone) is strings. I estimate that, by changing my strings regularly over the last 16 years, I have spent close to 50% of what I paid for the guitar, for strings for it. While it's clearly worth it, it's also easily worth considering alternatives that might provide me the sound I love, while leaving me with a few hundred extra dollars in my pocket (over the course of my remaining life). What's more, when you have multiple guitars to care and feed, it really starts to add up! Like you, I tend to subscribe to the adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". But that certainly shouldn't stop us from exploring new opportunities. This is especially true if you have a set of brass bridge pins hanging around and you are wondering what to do with them - or, better still, you know someone who does. ;-)
Interesting about the tone pins, they made more difference than I would've expected! If you're a solo singer-songwriter or otherwise play the guitar on its own a lot I see why you wouldn't want them, that extra low midrange is useful then. If you're playing the acoustic with a band though, that's the sort of stuff that would get EQ'd out anyway to fit better in the mix, then the brass pins extra treble makes more sense.
I put bone pins and a bone saddle on my 2015 814CE, I really like the results. I also prefer StringJoy phosphor bronze strings on this guitar. It will be extremely easy to put back the factory parts if I sell it, or just leave them in the case for the next owner. The tone with this setup is a strong nudge towards Martin territory, or the Taylor V-class sound. It's better for chords now, and the EQ has a bit more mids and upper mids.
There seem to be 2 benefits mentioned for locking tuners - staying in tune and quick string changes. For staying in tune wouldn't a locking nut be a better option?
I must be kinda weird. but my preference is totally not locking tuners. I do the 1 wrap over all other wraps under method on the tuning posts. I guess i just like the way that looks.
I use the same method = first wrap over, second and 3rd under. It locks the string in well enough without a lot of effort, and removal is much easier than if you tie a knot in the string.
I was looking into brass bridge pins yesterday and the overwhelming majority of response was that the sustain is reduced by the use of the brass. Ivory, bone, tusk bridge pins are a better choice. Hell plastic is probably better than the brass.
Would be interesting to see what the difference the brass pins make when using piezo under-saddle rather than a mic. I wonder if they have lower percieved volume but actually sustain longer?
I like locking tuners but if you ever plan to tune up or down from standard, you need to leave one or two wraps to allow for that or you will be stuck with standard only. You certainly don't need more than a couple of wraps though.
I recently bought brass pins. Now that I hear them I may not want them, they did sound "tinny",yet they might be good played along side another guitar without them. Good to know about the tuners though.
Phill , my go to acoustic guitar. I've been using one for years in my solo acoustic act. I will try the tuners as i change my strings very often . I tried a set of metal quick change pins on it but , did not like them and took them off !!!! I have a problem with my Taylor 214ce deluxe that no one seems to know what to do . Can i send you pictures of the problem i am having ??? The wood on the top of the body by the neck is wearing away from struming the guitar and i would like it fixed or repaired by someone that knows what they are doing . Let me know if you can help . Love your videos , I've learned alot from them . Thanks, George
🚩 Interesting, like the Original! ♦️Have a Question for you. All the Videos I've watched about Gear(like this) Never saw anything about the Nut(Acoustic) Changing Strings the Nut kept sliding. Couldn't find weak glue, put a Dot of Strong glue(Ouch) . Did I kill my Guitar? Tunning was hard thats all I noticed. Story longer but u get the drift. Ur thoughts? Hope u see.!
The change in sound was not noticeable to me on my tablet but my feeling is that a lot of the variation in sound is subjective to what your preference is. If you like booming bass or twangy rhythm, it all is up to what you like!
My Emerald Opus acoustic came with locking tuners, i found it a nice touch, but not so much that I'd go through the trouble of changing to it on a acoustic that didn't have it.
A few months ago, I got a Martin OM-28EC. It cost a fortune, and had plastic pins. I thought that sucked. I did a bunch of research, and really didn't find anything that said they really mattered. I didn't keep the guitar, but I did end up with The Grubbs Martin OM-28. Same basic guitar, no "signature" on the fingerboard, but about 1400$ less.
The brass pins did not work for me with that guitar. I have a 214 as well but replaced the plastic pins it came with using Taylor's ebony pins. I like them. Might be worth a more extensive comparison?
The 6-in-line to 3x3 conversion is GENIUS !!
I came here to say exactly that! That blew my mind more than everything else on the video haha
Amazed :-D
i wonder if it works on bass too
That came late. I just ordered a 3x3's. I have a spare 6 in-line tuners in my stash.
Next video... How to install a Floyd Rose on an acoustic.
Just route it out. What's the problem, dude? 😎
Yessss!! We need this!
This a question I never thought to ask, but I'm glad you answered it.
Agree on the pins. Brighter not better.
Pins seemed to punch up the mids, but to the detriment of the overall tone.
I have a Fender acoustic (C141?) that I sharpened a few years ago. Tone was pretty compressed and lacked sustain. It was a well built guitar but the bracing was engineered for manufacture not tone. So with little more than some razor blades and sandpaper (4-5 hrs) I scalloped and lightened the bracing. Massive improvement in volume, roundness and projection. Even low line acoustics respond well to well-considered sharpening just like solid bodies. Hardest part is knowing when to stop and not ruin the hard won gains.
Enjoyable vid as always Phil, Thanks
Good video. Oddly enough, I did not like the way the brass pins sounded. Glad you reverted back
Same for me, brass pins are worse imho
agreed
I thought they gave the guitar a heavier sound but didn't necessarily add sustain
I did both these mods on a Washburn, all Saple - Rosewood fingerboard. It had a very dark sound, which I liked. After a while the sound didn't do much for me. I love Cleartone strings, tried their acoustic version & like the slightly brighter sound, sort of "cleaned up" sound. On a whim, I bought brass pins & the sound got a little brighter, cleaner. I love the sound now & so does my son, He's looking to take it on me. All my electric (6) guitars have locking tuners so I put these on my acoustic as a convenience for changing strings. All this before I stumbled across your channel. I would say the pins benefits certain guitars.
Wow great idea!!! I never thought of that. Phil educating the masses...again!!
I think the brass pins took away from the guitars sound rather than add anything really positive. The sound did sound louder/brighter but it also sounded more tinny and metallic. I would pass on using them as well ... Nice tests/comparisons Phil and thanks! ...
I think you nailed the sound description, I thought the exact same thing. It was better without the pins, at least on that guitar.
My thoughts exactly. And, I have a set in the studio - unopened. Maybe on a different, darker--sounding guitar.
I agree with Eddie ( Exactly ). I do-like the locking tuners. I may do that to my 414ce-R ??? Perhaps on a Martin/Darker sounding guitar - those Pins would enhance the sound?
I installed hipshot locking tuners on my 214. I love them. Easy to string up.
When I fitted locking tuners to my Prs SE it was nothing to do with stability and everything to do with I have always found the process of doing the wraps awkward and annoying. Maybe a better winder would have helped or just more practice over years but the locking tuners are just so much less stress when re stringing.
Which is annoying as now I need to do every guitar I ever own.
The first place to find and fix stability issues is at the nut, next place is the saddle. If you have wobbly tuners, that could be fixed with a set of quality tuners, locking or not.
Last year I acquired a Taylor 312CE and have been contemplating not if I’m going to put locking tuning keys on it, but rather which kind. You’ve convinced me that the ratio tuners are the way to go Phil. Now my wife has an acoustic that is a little dark and a bit mushy. I put the abalone or mother of toilet seat or whatever the insert is on the top of the pin brass tone pins on her guitar and it was a positive improvement.
Damn. That tone comparison test was amazing. Normally with the UA-cam audio compression you can't hear any differences from A to B. This was so obvious that I was taken aback. I don't think the tuners could alter the tone to that degree, it must have been the brass pins. Amazing difference. I don't know if it's actually better, but it's no doubt altered.
@@detrimend - Brass bridge pins will definitely make an acoustic guitar sound brighter.
Original sounded full and well balanced.
So HELPFUL...PHIL THANK YOU....AND ALL OF THE DETAILS...EXTREMELY HELPFUL...IN THE DATA BOX.......GREAT 👍...you are a treasure....really !
Thanks for the video. I'd been wondering about locking tuners on my acoustic and was also considering the brass pins so this was very helpful. I think ill just do the tuners now. Cheers Phil. Great to see you adding another acoustic video!
I'm glad you went back to the original pins. The brass pins sounded like the Stella guitar I had in the 60's lol
Dr Phil, dropping serious knowledge,,,
I agree 100% on the tone pins. For a much cheaper guitar that doesn't already sound great they may be an improvement though.
Did it on a Washburn, helped a lot.
I already did, best thing I've ever done to my acoustic. Cuts restring time in half. Looks nicer too.
The last time I brought Sperzels I got their EZ mount ones and their “grip spurs” on the back of them are prone to slipping if you don’t jam them into the wood enough in the beginning of installation.
The brass tone pins added some brightness. I liked them.
interesting. I like the sound of the original. the new pins bring a nice brightness, but it was really tinny to me.
So glad you said you didn’t like the tone pins. I heard the same thing you heard.
Happy you finally started using the acoustic version of the opening theme for acoustic guitar topics, again.
The gotohs on my Taylor are so awesome that I might drill my Strat headstock for some. I put hipshot locking keys on my seagull as the old ones felt grainy and the locking just made string changes faster
Gotoh keys ARE awesome. I have a non-locking set pushing 30 years old and they still function like new.
Locking tuners make sense, they make quick work of changing strings without drawing blood.
Your a Rock Phillip, thanks for the video and the awesome input. A Rockstar in my book. 👑😎🍻
I love locking keys, I put them on everything.
I never knew about Sperzels were reversible ! That is so cool ! Thanks Phil ! (I have a different brand of that tool (jig) and it is definitely worth owning !)
I think I like the brass pins but I'll have to try them. Thanks for the video.
From Leo: I used those brass pins to brighten up a boomy old Martin. They did good in that one. I tried a set on an all maple Seagull, and took them back out, they killed the lows and most of the mids. Never thought about locking tuners on an acoustic.
Mind blown! Changing a 6 a side to a 3 by 3!!! Never knew you could do that with tuning keys!!!
that 6 in line to 3x3 thing? mind blown. YES!!
It's great to see the compassion with the tone pins. Not a huge change, but definitely brighter. Not so good for this guitar, but if you think your guitar is too dark, these would be worth a shot.
Agreed...tone pins took away the low end. I once bought a Strat that the owner swapped out nut, bridge, and trem block with brass components. Deader than a door nail. The axe is collecting dust in storage.
I'll take it lmfao
Phil, that is a great tip on the tuner keys. awesome to know for the future.
Tone pins were tone killers. Cool video thanks!
Just as I've been contemplating getting new tuning pegs for my acoustic you post this video. Lol great stuff as always Phil.
I have Sperzel locking tuners on my Custom Shop Breedlove. I believe that it stays in tune better because there are almost no wraps to compress. And as you said, string changes are FAST! Plus the Breedloves have the string through bridge(no bridge pins). I love 'em!
I’ve played a Taylor 214ce Deluxe, it’s one the best acoustics I’ve played so far, then again, I haven’t played too many acoustics 😝
Absolutely! I love them! Good job!
Oh good, I'm glad you said that. I was going to say the same thing. I like the tone of the plastic pins better. As for the tuning keys, I wouldn't swap out my Taylor ones but if I was going to upgrade those anyway I'd go with locking keys. Seems it just saves you time and energy with re-strings.
nice video. I recenty just got a Taylor 224DLX Koa. I thought about locking tuners, but in reality....it stays in tune extremely well. I'm sure that as the wood ages things will change, but I'm impressed at how awesome this guitar is considering its just above Taylor's "bottom" level guitars.
You definitely made the right choice! The locking keys are a great upgrade, the brace pins...not so much. The loss of the bassy sound was a huge hit.
BTW- Great video and informative. I'm so liked the tone with the locking tuners but original pins.
Love the Taylor. Great video. Will take your word on the tone pins.
I have also tried brass pins before and I found for my taste the Ebony bridge pins give the best tone for my acoustic guitar’s
I always change out plastic pins for wood pins. Ebony is nice, and I've used maple on 2 of my guitars. Tone feels a bit warmer to my ears.
I have Waverly tuning machines on my Taylor 30th anniversary. The ease of the locking tuners sounds intriguing to me. I can’t do better then my Waverly’s. So stay they will.
You can remove and re-use strings on a standard tuning machine, like in this video. But you cannot re-use strings on a locking tuner, they will snap at the point where they were clamped.
Your right the pins are not worth the effort and expense installing. Also, I'm not totally sold on installing locking tuners on an acoustic guitar. Just my thoughts on the subject.
The pins made a significant difference, though. I had a similar experience with replacing the pins on my guitar, but in the opposite direction.Replacing plastic pins with ebony made a world of difference. It depends on whether you are changing crap for better or replacing good for different.
I think the brass pins might be something interesting to spice up a guitar that isn't getting any playing time. From what I heard it's probably not something you want to add to a guitar where you already love the sound.
I think the misconception about tuning stability and locking tuners comes from the fact that people just don't understand the importance of the nut on their guitar. I noticed an immediate improvement in my guitars tuning stability after I replaced my nut for the first time. I didn't even do a good job installing it and the improvement in tuning stability was easily noticeable.
I agree , the nut is very often overlooked . With 3 of my guitars that I bought new , a Gibson & 2 Fenders , tuning was a problem until I played them in a little, purely because they were brand new. In each case the problem was friction at the nut. I asked the in store tech to fettle the slots on the Les Paul , he actually declined and just put pencil graphite in the slots & told me to play & it should sort itself out in time, if not bring it back ..it never had to go back. The mim Strats , the nut slots settled in after some heavy whammy abuse , single strings would go off, pull up on the bar a few times and voilà! All sorted .
Simple but awesome tech tip! Thanks :)
Definitely like the original pins better than the tone pins. By the way, LOVE the outro for the video!! Really cool!!
Wow something I've never thought of let alone would try. Now the seed has been planted.
I had wondered about this and the only answer I could find was that locking tuners were heavier and would cause a lightweight acoustic to get neck heavy.
As for the bridge pins, I thought the original were better on your Taylor. But, I had changed the nut, saddle, and pins on my old Yamaha FG 405, in that order. I put Graphtech XL in the nut and saddle, which was only available in black at the time. Since the old plastic pins now stood out, I replaced them with ebony pins. I was surprised to find that the pins made the biggest difference of all in improving the sound. They were the cheapest change too.
I tried brass pins. I liked the brightness...to a point. Biggest reason I took them out was the b string pin wouldn't seat. It kept shooting across the room. They lasted about 3 minutes. Next!
I put brass pins on my acoustic about 20years ago. My old pins had dry rotted and broke to pieces during a string change. This happens about every 10 to 15 years. I went with the brass pins to put an end to that. I did not notice any change in tone though, despite the package and the sales guy claiming it would improve the tone. I don't know if they are the same brand. All I know is that the tone of my guitar has always been far above average since I bought it 38 years ago.
That is a good question mister phillipé
Did this get taken down and re-uploaded? I swear I just watched this this AM but my comment disappeared and I had to re-like it.
Anyway... locking tuners seem swell on an acoustic.
Your Taylor... is your favorite acoustic guitar, or favorite guitar period? ;-)
I prefer the original tone pins as well.
Love the new outro!
Have them on my Martin for years now only way to go
I own this guitar.. Taylor's have a "jangle" to them unlike a lot of other acoustics.. the new pins took that away and almost sort of muted the strings. Maybe it is the sustain as you mentioned. Thanks!
I’ve never really liked the look of Sperzel Tuners BUT that reassembling trick may have won me over
I dont mind locking tuners... as long as I dont have to permanently change my guitar (drilling holes).
phreak1118
For electric there are way more options which is great 👍🏻
Thanks Phil! Always informative! I put the Tusq pegs in my Taylor 114ce, and found it did change the resonance a bit, but I not sure if it’s better or worse. Best acoustic guitar I’ve ever owned(life altering event purchasing it). Maybe if I was one of those people that play lots of gigs and changed strings all the time, I might think about locking tuners for the convenience but the tuning stability on my guitar is just fine! Thinking of trying the ebony pegs that Taylor is selling, maybe that will be different, and might have to try something for one of my lower end acoustics.
I think asking if locking tuners could or should go on an acoustic guitar is like asking the same question for an electric guitar. I think really it's down to what the player wants, and if the guitar is on the more affordable side and comes with cheaper tuners that are not so good quality tuners which would lead to you having to change them out anyway. Also, my experience with my acoustic guitar (I have an Ibanez AEG10) is with the original tuners, it didn't stay in tune anywhere near as much as I would have liked. I installed a set of Wilkinson EZ locking tuners (I know they're not proper locking tuners, but they're closer to locking that regular tuners) and I noticed the tuning stability was a lot better.
I felt like the brass pins made it waaaay too bright. Thanks for showing us! I wonder if it might be good for noodling
I wonder how they would sound on a Martin they seem to have more low end to me than a Taylor great video
Hey Phil.I would love to hear a comparison between pins made of other materials like bone and different woods especially on an acoustic bass.Cheers
The main advantage of locking keys is quick string changes when a string breaks, this tends to be less common on acoustics then electrics (less big bends and all that). I typically change my electric strings when one breaks but tend to change my acoustic strings when they start sounding dull, i.e, not on stage in the heat of the moment when a locking key would be desired most. So I can understand why companies just don't bother with locking keys on acoustics. BUT, I could definitely see Monte needing them given the way he plays an acoustic.
That's very interesting. I tend to change my electric strings when they just won't stay in tune or make your hands smell of metal fatigue! After a long time of badly setting up my old Gibson guitars and comparing them to freshly factory set up guitars , I realised the break angle at the bridge was way too steep . Not had a string break in years . You live & learn 😉👍
@@shaunw9270 "I tend to change my electric strings when they just won't stay in tune or make your hands smell of metal fatigue!" LOL, ya or that... but I tend to break them first .
I agree on the brass pins. I replaced the worn out pins on my 1973 Guild D25m with ebony pins. I could not hear any difference there. Also, I don’t believe ALL tuners can change sides like that. May be a good thing to check before you buy them with the intent to do that.?.
That’s a really cool drill jig though it’s easier to justify the cost when you work on guitars a lot. I already have a set of brass pins and tusk pins that I want to try out just to see if I like the sound more. I’ll try to remember to try them out next string change.
with the keys it gave it a nice twang i liked it
I have Schaller Locking tuners on my Alverez 5040. I also added power Pins 2.0 to my bridge. My bridge had cracked and de-laminated slightly from the body, so I had a luthier fix it, but then I decided to reinforce it with the power pins 2.0 plate. The whole set up acts like a clamp and squeezes the bridge together. Then the strings go through the pins on the top, like a stop tail piece. I can change strings very quickly. Tonally the guitar sounds very good to my ear, but I didn't notice much of a change in the brass pins presented here, so that might be my hearing.
The last thing a Taylor *14 needs is to sound brighter!
Maybe the brass runing pins would work, though, to free us Taylor owner's shackles to Exlixir strings. Maybe the brass would make D'Addario or DR strings sound as good on a Taylor as the Elixirs do with wood pins.
Elixir’s sound so nice on my Taylor that I’ve never considered another brand. I understand string choice is very subjective and elixirs aren’t necessarily the cheapest option but why mess with what works? But I get where you’re coming from for sure.
I do agree about the brightness. If more brightness is desired though, I’ve found that using Dunlop’s Ultex picks provides a louder, clearer, and brighter tone. It sounds “better” to me without getting to harsh.
As far as tuning machines, when I upgrade it’s going to be non-locking Gotoh Delta 510’s. I’ve never had the need for locking tuners.
@@ryanwilson5936 I am totally with you.
I went through the exercise, shortly after I bought my Taylor in 2003, of trying other brands and gauges of strings. At the time I was very fond of DR strings on my Takamine, which I had traded up from. But nothing sounded nearly as good as the Elixirs. And my only regret / resentment over sticking with Elixirs over the years remains the cost.
If you do your own setup and maintenance, the only real recurring cost of acoustic guitar ownership (that must legitimately be ascribed to the guitar, and not a love of music or the eternal quest for your own tone) is strings. I estimate that, by changing my strings regularly over the last 16 years, I have spent close to 50% of what I paid for the guitar, for strings for it. While it's clearly worth it, it's also easily worth considering alternatives that might provide me the sound I love, while leaving me with a few hundred extra dollars in my pocket (over the course of my remaining life).
What's more, when you have multiple guitars to care and feed, it really starts to add up!
Like you, I tend to subscribe to the adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". But that certainly shouldn't stop us from exploring new opportunities. This is especially true if you have a set of brass bridge pins hanging around and you are wondering what to do with them - or, better still, you know someone who does. ;-)
Interesting about the tone pins, they made more difference than I would've expected! If you're a solo singer-songwriter or otherwise play the guitar on its own a lot I see why you wouldn't want them, that extra low midrange is useful then. If you're playing the acoustic with a band though, that's the sort of stuff that would get EQ'd out anyway to fit better in the mix, then the brass pins extra treble makes more sense.
Did this (locking tuners) for aesthetics and a better ratio, no regrets😎
Phil, How about a tone test with some other pin materials, bone, Graph-tech , etc....? Good video !!
I put bone pins and a bone saddle on my 2015 814CE, I really like the results. I also prefer StringJoy phosphor bronze strings on this guitar. It will be extremely easy to put back the factory parts if I sell it, or just leave them in the case for the next owner. The tone with this setup is a strong nudge towards Martin territory, or the Taylor V-class sound. It's better for chords now, and the EQ has a bit more mids and upper mids.
There seem to be 2 benefits mentioned for locking tuners - staying in tune and quick string changes. For staying in tune wouldn't a locking nut be a better option?
Wow it actually does sound significantly different. I didn't expect. I sort of like the more mellowed out sound of the original setup.
I closed my eyes and didn't notice a sound difference.
I gave this a thumbs up and left a comment. All by myself and stuff.
Also, i like the pins for a simple tone change. Quick swap and now one has two guitars for recording.
I must be kinda weird. but my preference is totally not locking tuners. I do the 1 wrap over all other wraps under method on the tuning posts. I guess i just like the way that looks.
I agree. I don’t even cross wrap.
I use the same method = first wrap over, second and 3rd under. It locks the string in well enough without a lot of effort, and removal is much easier than if you tie a knot in the string.
I was looking into brass bridge pins yesterday and the overwhelming majority of response was that the sustain is reduced by the use of the brass. Ivory, bone, tusk bridge pins are a better choice. Hell plastic is probably better than the brass.
Would be interesting to see what the difference the brass pins make when using piezo under-saddle rather than a mic. I wonder if they have lower percieved volume but actually sustain longer?
I like locking tuners but if you ever plan to tune up or down from standard, you need to leave one or two wraps to allow for that or you will be stuck with standard only. You certainly don't need more than a couple of wraps though.
I have brass pins on my $180 Washburn. It helps. A lot. On my dad’s vintage Penco...meh.
The deader your box, the more the brass helps.
I recently bought brass pins.
Now that I hear them I may not want them, they did sound "tinny",yet they might be good played along side another guitar without them.
Good to know about the tuners though.
I have a fender acoustic that has kinda of a dull tone, those brass pins just might be the trick to bring it to what I'd like to hear. coolness.
Phill , my go to acoustic guitar. I've been using one for years in my solo acoustic act. I will try the tuners as i change my strings very often . I tried a set of metal quick change pins on it but , did not like them and took them off !!!! I have a problem with my Taylor 214ce deluxe that no one seems to know what to do . Can i send you pictures of the problem i am having ??? The wood on the top of the body by the neck is wearing away from struming the guitar and i would like it fixed or repaired by someone that knows what they are doing . Let me know if you can help . Love your videos , I've learned alot from them . Thanks, George
A Monte Montgomerey shout-out! Nice! That dude is killer
I did it. Hipshot tuners. Like the convenience.
The brass pins made the sound thinner, imo. I like the original pins better.
🚩 Interesting, like the Original! ♦️Have a Question for you. All the Videos I've watched about Gear(like this) Never saw anything about the Nut(Acoustic) Changing Strings the Nut kept sliding. Couldn't find weak glue, put a Dot of Strong glue(Ouch) . Did I kill my Guitar? Tunning was hard thats all I noticed. Story longer but u get the drift. Ur thoughts? Hope u see.!
The change in sound was not noticeable to me on my tablet but my feeling is that a lot of the variation in sound is subjective to what your preference is. If you like booming bass or twangy rhythm, it all is up to what you like!
I tries some brass pins a while back and I didn't care for them either. Had pretty much the same tone issues you had.
I need that drill jig!!
My Emerald Opus acoustic came with locking tuners, i found it a nice touch, but not so much that I'd go through the trouble of changing to it on a acoustic that didn't have it.
Another great video
To me the tone pins had a sharp sound to them. Liked the originals better. Thanks for the video.
A few months ago, I got a Martin OM-28EC. It cost a fortune, and had plastic pins. I thought that sucked. I did a bunch of research, and really didn't find anything that said they really mattered. I didn't keep the guitar, but I did end up with The Grubbs Martin OM-28. Same basic guitar, no "signature" on the fingerboard, but about 1400$ less.
The brass pins did not work for me with that guitar. I have a 214 as well but replaced the plastic pins it came with using Taylor's ebony pins. I like them. Might be worth a more extensive comparison?